Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). "Viet Cong Request for Permission to Release
American Negro Prisoners in Phnom Penh for the Sake of International Publicity."
November 9, 1967.
Microfiche: N/A
Date Issued: November 9, 1967
Date Declassified: [No declassification date]
Length: 4 pages
Sanitized
 FULL TEXT
COUNTRY: Cambodia/Vietnam
DOI: Probably 29 September 1967
SUBJECT: Viet Cong Request for Permission to Release American Negro Prisoners in Phnom
Penh for the Sake of International Publicity.
ACQ: 7 November 1967
SOURCE: [Sanitized]
1. On the 29th [September], the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (NLFSNV)
representative, Nguyen Van Hieu, told Cambodian Minister Norodom Phurissara that he
wished to consult him confidentially on the liberation of American Negro prisoners
captured by the Viet Cong. Hieu said that the NLFSVN intended to liberate more American
Negro prisoners for humanitarian reasons but with the ultimate aim of encouraging
Negro movements in America, which in fighting against racial discrimination, have
expressed themselves as being against the US war of aggression in Vietnam.
2. Formerly, liberated American prisoners were immediately handed over to the American
officials, who kept them out of reach of the public and took measures to prevent them
from freely expressing their ideas. The United States was trying to minimize the
effects of the release by the NLFSVN, who has intended it to show international public
opinion that in spite of the barbarous actions of the Americans against the Viet Cong,
the NLFSNV had always treated its prisoners well.
3. Therefore, to succeed in its aim of publicity, the NLFSVN has in mind a new procedure
consisting in freeing the prisoners directly to their families or to pacifist Negro
organizations in the United States and to have the prisoners remain for the time in
a "third world" country which would agree to accept them. The NLFSVN
wondered if perhaps the turning over of the prisoners could take place in Phnom Penh.
Before putting the project into effect the NLFSVN wished to obtain the agreement of
the royal Cambodian government as to whether Phnom Penh would be a proper choice for
the transaction in question and whether Cambodia would agree to give a transit visa
to the prisoners and to their families or to representatives of the Negro organizations
responsible for receiving them. The NLFSNV would be particularly happy if the royal
government would permit the NLFSNV to present the prisoners to the press before their
departure.
4. The representative of the NLFSVN said that he would like an answer before too long,
as it was intended to release a Negro prisoner in about a month.
5. The Cambodian foreign minister promised to submit the question to the royal government,
but said that in his opinion the NLFSVN could count on the consent of the royal government,
which was committed to a policy of political and diplomatic support for the NLFSNV as well
as economic cooperation between the two people.
6. Field Dissem: State, CINCPAC, PACFLT, ARPAC, PACAF. (Also sent [Sanitized])
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