There we were, filing out of
the Ontario Institute for Studies
in Education auditorium at 11:30
Saturday night after a joyous
concert put on by the Associa-
tion of Vietnamese Patriots in
celebration of Tet, the Vietna-
mese New Year, and the sign-
ing of the truce agreements
_three weeks before.

The concert was part of a
full day’s program of seminars
and workshops sponsored by
the Association, which was at-
tended by over 200 people. The
morning’s session was given
over to a discussion on the situ-
ation in Vietnam after the
ceasefire, led by members of the
Vietnamese Patriots, and a semi-
nar on Political Prisoners in
South Vietnam, led by- Ann But-
trick (this seminar is examined
closely in a further article in
this issue).

Press for Implementation

After lunch, we sat in on a
workshop given by Prof. Gabriel
Kolko of York University, Con-
tinuing Commitment, Continuing
Danger. He made it quite

clear, that the agreement
was a major tactical and strate-
gic victory for the Vietnamese
people, and that pressure must
be brought to bear on the United
States and the puppet Thieu re-
gime to implement the accord.
This, he suggested, should be a
main demand of the U.S. (and
Canadian) anti-war movement.

Prof. Chandler Davis next in-
troduced a workshop on Peace-
ful Relations Between Canada
and Vietnam, drawing on his
own experience from recently
teaching in. Hanoi. He made an
appeal for responsible aid from
Canadians, and more specifically,
the Canadian government, to as-
sist the Democratic Republic of
Vietnam in its massive recon-
struction program. ~

Opponents: of Agreement

The most interesting from a
political sense (but perhaps
least productive), was the last
seminar, a talk on Vietnam and
the world situation, given by
Irwin Silber, executive editor of
the U.S. Guardian.

Mr. Silber app-opriately point-
ed out that it should be no sur-
prise to anybody that diverse
Trotskyite elements of varying
hues and colors oppose the Jan.
27 agreements, as they neither
support the NLF (making an
imaginary differentiation be-
tween the NLF leadership and
the “Vietnamese people”), nor
their seven-point peace plan
when it was proposed.

Mr. Silber illustrated the nec-
essity of building a broad and
massive anti-war movement
throughout the world, and placed
the blame squarely upon. the
shoulders of the Trotskyite So-
cialist Workers Party and their
National Peace Action Coalition
front for sabotaging the divid-
ing the U.S. movement in recent
years.

Socialist Allies

In his remarks and the ques-
tion period that followed, Mr.
Silber unfortunately indulged in
a little anti-communism of his
own. When asked by one ques-
tioner about the “feeble and in-
sufficient aid” given by the So-

viet Union and China to the
Vietnamese people, he did his
best to differentiqte between
the two, insinuating that while
China did its all, the Soviet
Union was somewhat lax and
half-hearted in its internationa-
list responsibilities. A better
answer was supplied by the
Vietnamese leadership them-
selves, whom Mr, Silber esteems
highly, when they say that, “We
have always received from our
socialist allies what we have
asked for.” This would have
been more in keeping with the
unity that he apparently seems
to desire.

The bankruptcy, hypocrisy,
and obvious contempt for the
Vietnamese people of the Trot-
skyites was best demonstrated
at the end of the workshops,
when one hysterical Trotskyite
woman shrieked, “But it was
not a victory. We didn’t achieve
what we were fighting for.” No
thought of what the Vietnamese
people were struggling for, and
sacrificing their heroic sons and
daughters for, was voiced by

HONG-HA means Red Rivetl™
North Vietnam. welt
TRIBUNE PHOTO—EDYA

these people, safe in the heat
of their Forest Hill sanctuatl

Nevertheless, the seminé
were informative and well
tended. It might have been ‘he
ter, however, had one of
afternoon workshops bee? git
by an activist of the Cana
anti-war movement, who coll
have talked about the @
ahead for Canadians in § \
that the agreement is imp,
mented.

a : \F
Protocol concerning ihe ceasefire in South;

Vielnam and the joint miitary commissions |;

The plight of prisoners in South Vietnam is
emerging as a key concern in the aftermath of
the ceasefire. With this in mind we reprint here,
the major portion of the Protocol Concerning
Prisoners of War, dealing with military and
civilian prisoners (leaving out only the final
section: Other Provisions).

PROTOCOL CONCERNING
PRISONERS OF WAR

Following is the protocol concerning the re-
turn of captured military personnel and foreign
civilians and captured and detained Vietnamese
civilian personnel:

The parties participating in the Paris Con-
ference on Vietnam, in implementation of Ar-
ticle 8 of the Agreement of Ending the War
and Restoring Peace in Vietnam signed on this
date providing for the return of captured mili-
tary personnel and foreign civilians, and captur-
ed and detained Vietnamese civilian personnel,
have agreed as follows:

THE RETURN OF CAPTURED MILITARY

PERSONNEL AND. FOREIGN CIVILIANS

Article 1—The parties signatory to the agree-
ment shall return to the captured military per-
sonnel of the parties mentioned in Article 8 a)
of the agreement as follows:

—All captured military personnel of the
United States and those of the other foreign
countries mentioned in Article 3 a) of the
Agreement shall be returned to the United
States authorities;

—All captured Vietnamese military person-
nel, whether belonging to regular or irregular
armed forces, shall be returned to the two
south Vietnamese parties; they shall be return-
ed to that south Vietnamese party under whose
command they served.

Article 2—All captured civilians who are
nationals of the United States or of any other
foreign countries mentioned in Article 3 a) of
the Agreement shall be returned to United
States authorities. All other captured foreign
civilians shall be returned to the authorities of
their country of nationality by any of the par-
ties willing and able to do so.

Article 3—The parties shall today exchange
complete lists of captured persons mentioned in
Articles 1 and 2 of this protocol.

Article 4—a) The return of all captured
persons mentioned in Article 1 and 2 of this
protocol shall be completed within sixty days
of the signing of the Agreement at a rate no
slower than the rate of withdrawal from south
Vietnam of United States forces and those of
the other foreign countries mentioned in
Article 5 of the Agreement.

b) Persons who are seriously ill, wounded or
maimed, old persons and women shall be re-

‘2 turned first. The remainder shall be returned

sia 5A
: i

either by returning all from one detention place
after another or in order of their dates of cap-
ture, beginning with those who have been held
the longest.

Article 5—The return and reception of the
persons mentioned in Article 1 and 2 of this
protocol shall be carried out at places conveni-
ent to the concerned parties. Places of return
shall be agreed upon by the four-party joint
military commission. The parties shall ensure
the safety of personnel engaged in the return
and reception of those persons.

_ Article 6—Each -party shall return all cap-
tured persons mentioned in Articles 1 and 2 of
this protocol without delay and shall facilitate
their return and reception. The detaining par-
ties shall not deny or delay their return for any
reason, including the fact that captured persons
may, on any grounds, have been prosecuted or
sentenced.

THE RETURN OF CAPTURED & DETAINED

VIETNAMESE CIVILIAN PERSONNEL

Article 7—a) The question of the return of
Vietnamese civilian personnel captured and
detained in south Vietnam will be resolved by
the two south Vietnamese parties on the basis
of the principles of Article 12 b) of the Agree-
ment on the cessation of hostilities in Vietnam
on July 20, 1954, which read as follows:

The term “civilian internees” is understood
to mean all persons who, having in any
way contributed to the political and armed
struggle between the two parties, have
been arrested for that reason and have
been kept in detention by either party
during the period of hostilities.

b) The two south Vietnamese parties will do
so in a spirit of National Reconciliation and
Concord with a view to ending hatred and en-
mity in order to ease suffering and to reunite
families. The two south Vietnamese parties will
do their utmost to resolve this question within
ninety days after the cease-fire comes into

erect:

c) Within fifteen days after the cease-fire
comes into effect, the two south Vietnamese
parties shall exchange lists of the Vietnamese
civilian personnel captured and detained by
each party and lists of the places at which they
are held. .

TREATMENT OF CAPTURED PERSONS

DURING DETENTION

Article 8—AlI1 captured military personnel of
the parties and captured foreign civilians of the
parties shall be treated humanely at all times,
and in accordance with international practice.

They shall be protected against: all violence
to life and person, particularly against murder
in any form, mutilation, torture and cruel treat-
ment, and outrages upon personal dignity.

These persons shall not be forced to join the
armed forces of the detained party.

They shall be given adequate food, clothing, |
shelter, and medical attention required fot a5"
their state of health. They shall be allowed tO
exchange post cards and letters with their fami-
lies and receive parcels.

b) All Vietnamese civilian personnel cap-
tured and detained in south Vietnam shall be
treated humanely at all times, and in accord-
ance with international practice.

They shall be protected against all violencé

to life-and person, in particular against murder
in any form, mutilation, torture and cruel treat-
ment, and outrages against personal dignity.
The detaining parties shall not deny or delay
their return for-any reason, including the fact
that captured persons may, on any grounds,
have been prosecuted or sentenced. These per: Tes,
sons shall not be forced to join the armed
forces of the detaining party.
_ They shall be given adequate food, cloth-
ing, shelter, and the medical attention require
for their state of health. They shall be allowed
to exchange post cards and letters with theif
families and receive parcels.

_ Article 9—a) To contribute.to improving the
living conditions of the captured military pet:
sonnel of the parties and foreign civilians 0
the parties, the parties shall, within fifteen day
after the cease-fire comes into effect, agree
upon the designation of two or more National
Red Cross Societies to visit all places where
captured military personnel and foreign civil-’
ians are held. ;

_b) To contribute to improving the living con-
dition of the captured and detained Vietnamesé
civilian personnel, the two south Vietnames¢
parties shall, within fifteen days after the cease-
fire comes into effect, agree upon the designa- ©
tion of two or more National Red Cross Socie-
ties to visit all places where the captured and
detained Vietnamese civilian personnel are held.

WITH REGARD TO DEAD AND
MISSING PERSONS

Article 10—a) The four-party Joint Military
Commission shall ensure joint action by the
parties in implementing Article 8 b) of the
Agreement. When the four-party Joint Military
Commission has ended its activities, a four:
party Joint Military Team shall be maintained
to carry on this task. cal

b) With regard to Vietnamese civilian pet- |

_ sonnel dead or missing in south Vietnam, the

two south Vietnamese parties shall help each = jm
other to obtain information about missing per is
sons, determine the location and take care 0
the graves of the dead, in a spirit of National
Reconciliation and Concord, in keeping with
the people’s aspirations.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1973—PAGE 6