176-10036-10091) 4 : __ JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION FORM AGENCY : NARA -RECORD NUMBER : 176-10036-10091 _ RECORD SERIES : National Security Files AGENCY FILE NUMBER : ORIGINATOR : CIA FROM : TO: TITLE : Status of the Free Election Principle DATE : 11/29/1962 PAGES -73 ; SUBJECTS : DOCUMENT TYPE : CLASSIFICATION : RESTRICTIONS : CURRENT STATUS : DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 9/10/2000 OPENING CRITERIA : COMMENTS : National Security Files, Box 197: Vietnam, 11/62. Box 2 ‘ { fee
oa ~ oo “¢ ~ . we ‘ r TRA . ¥ I vet ~ im] CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Thit material contains infarmation atlecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title (8, U.S.C Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to on unsethorsed person is prohibited by law CONFIDENTIAL (When Filled Inp NO FOREIGN DISSEM CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS - country SOUTH VIETNAM _ _ REPORTNO. TDCS - -3/529 667 | a . gq # susvect STATUS OF THE FREE ELECTION PRINCIPLE DATE DISTR. ag. NOVEMBER ay Pa _IN STRATEGIC HAMLETS ON 28 NOVEMBER 1962 ode . PRECEDENCE ROUTINE , * DATE OF . : . _ REFERENCES in 25498 INFO. se PLACE-& DATE ACO. ; APPRAISAL COMMENTARY — FIELO REPORT NO, .FVS-8222 THIS is UNEVALUATED inrormartion. SOURCE GRADINGS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE, source STAFF OFFICER. -OF THIS ORGANIZATION . 1. THIS 1S A FIELD APPRAISAL OF THE STATUS OF THE FREE ELECTION PRINCIPLE IN STRATEGIC HAMLETS IN LATE NOVEMBER 1962. | IT IS NOT AN OFFICIAL JUDGMENT BY THIS AGENCY . OR Oe "ANY COMPONENT, Pars sake =. tT REPRESENTS THE OBSERVATIONS AND INTERPRETAT | ONS OF «J PREPARATION. PREPARED FOR INTERNAL USE AS A GUIDE TO THE OPERA- TIONAL ENVIRONMENT, THIS COMMENTARY IS DISSEMINATED IN THE BELIEF © THAT JT MAY BE USEFUL TO OTHER: AGENCIES IN ASSESSING THE SITUATION FOR THEIR OWN PURPOSES. 2. THE VILLAGE, TOGETHER WITH ITS RELATED HAMLETS, 1S THE CLASSIFICATION. -— DISSEMINATION CONTROLS CONFIDENTIAL 7 NO FOREIGN DISSEM — 1Kq oBsoueTs PREvious EDITIONS. ‘, | | - as 2)
CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS {CONFIDENTIAL wo ronson prssen ‘| toc ~3/529, 667 (When Filled in) BASIC UNIT IN THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE OF SOUTH VIETNAM. ALTHOUGH VILLAGE 1S THE COMMONLY ACCEPTED TERM, TOWNSHIP MORE ACCURATELY DESCRIBES THIS POLITICAL SUBDIVISION, WHICH TYPICALLY EMBRACES FROM TWO TO EIGHT HAMLETS AND CONTAINS FROM 2,000 TO 10,000 INHABITANTS, | 3. IN THE PAST, VILLAGES WERE RUN BY COUNCILS ELECTED BY AND FROM WEALTHY FAMILIES, TODAY, WITH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION. OF BINH " DINH AND PHU YEN. PROVINCES, VILLAGE: OFFICIALS ARE APPOINTED BY HIGHER AUTHORITY. THES SYSTEM IS NOT WITHOUT ITS DRAWBACKS, IN QUANG NGA! PROVINCE, THE MEMBERS OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL WERE “SELECTED BY THE DISTRICT CHIEF ON THE BASIS OF THEIR ANTI =COMMUN! ST POSTURE ALONE, WITH LITTLE OR NO CONSIDERATION FOR THEIR SUBSTANTIVE QUALIFICATIONS, IN PHUNG HIEP DISTRICT, PHONG DINH PROVINCE, POLITICAL SCHEMING RESULTED IN-THE APPOINTMENT OF VILLAGE OFFICIALS WHO LACKED EXPERIENCE, THEREBY, PROVIDING GRIST FOR THE LOCAL VIETNAMESE COMMUNIST /VC/ PROPAGANDA MILL. ,,WHEN PRIVATELY POLLED, SOME INHABITANTS OF THE PROVINCE COMPLAINED OF ABUSES COMMITTED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND EXPRESSED A DESIRE FOR VILLAGE OFFICIALS 70 BE ELECTED DIRECTLY BY THE PEOPLE. : ~&, ALTHOUGH THERE APPEAR TO BE FEW EXAMPLES OF DIRECT ELECTIONS OF OFFICIALS AT THE VILLAGE LEVEL, IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS EVENTUAL GOAL APPEARS TO HAVE SUPPORT AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. IN A PUBLIC ADDRESS IN JULY 1962: MINISTER OF INTERIOR BUI VAN, “LUONG CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS CONFIDENTIAL NO FOREIGN DISSEM —
(When Filled In) . CLASSIFICATION. DISSEMINATION CONTROLS CONFIDENTIAL wo rneay ais | toes -3/529, 667 STATED THAT THE INTERMINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON STRATEGIC HAMLETS HAD AGREED THAT SELF-GOVERNMENT IN THE HAMLETS WAS ONLY THE FIRST STEP IN A PROGRAM OF BASIC DEMOCRACY, WHICH WOULD BE APPLIED PROGRESSIVELY UPWARD TO ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, HAMLET ELECTIONS WOULD BE FOLLOWED BY THOSE FOR VILLAGE CHIEFS, DISTRICT CHIEFS, ‘PROVINCIAL COUNCILS, AND, FINALLY, PROVINCE CHIEFS. 5. THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE OF A STRATEGIC HAMLET IS REFLECTED IN 1TS COMMUNAL CHARTER OR CONSTITUTION, -A TYPICAL CHARTER STIPULATES THAT ALL HAMLET RESIDENTS MUST FIRST BE ORGANIZED INTO GROUPS ACCORDING TO AGE AND SEX, RESIDENTS ARE ALSO TO BE ORGANIZED INTO INTERDEPENDENT FAMILY GROUPS, AND AN ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE WILL BE ELECTED THROUGH SECRET AND DIRECT VOTE. IN SOME HAMLETS THE TERM OF SERVICE 1S 12 MONTHS. IN OTHERS THE TERM 1S INDEFINITE. THIS COMMITTEE 1S CHARGED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DIRECTING THE POLICIES OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE IS ALSO ASSISTED BY AN ADVISORY GROUP CALLED THE HAMLET COUNCIL, CONSISTING OF FROM FIVE TO SEVEN MEMBERS, WHO ARE ELECTED BY | HAMLET RESIDENTS THROUGH A GENERAL ELECTION. ACTUAL POWER IN THE HAMLET APPEARS TO RESIDE IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE. ALTHOUGH THE ELECTION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE 1S HELD ANNUALLY, THE RESIDENTS OF THE HAMLET CAN, IF THEY ARE DISSATISFIED, PETITION THE PROVINCE CHIEF THROUGH THE DISTRICT CHIEF, REQUESTING A NEW . - CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS. CONFIDENTIAL | - _ NO Forezan Dissen
.. a CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS —— : ‘on . rene I . / (IN 25498) CONFIDENTIAL NO FOREIGN DISSEN Tes -3/529;667 (When Filled In) . . PAGE oy ELECTION. 6. THE FACT THAT A HAMLET MAY BE OFFICIALLY LISTED AS COMPLETED, DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN ELECTED. ONE SOURCE ESTIMATED THAT 2,000 OUT OF ABOUT 3,000 STRATEGIC HAMLETS OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED AS COMPLETED. HAD HELD SUCH ELECTIONS, BUT ELECTIONS IN ALL HAMLETS WERE HOPED FOR BY APRIL 1963. HOWEVER, DO CAO MINH, SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, ESTIMATED THAT ELECTIONS IN ANY FORM HAD BEEN HELD IN ONLY 600 AND NOT MORE THAN 700 OF ABOUT 1800 STRATEGIC HAMLETS IN WHICH AT LEAST PERIMETER DEFENSES AND BASIC ORGANIZA- . TIONAL WORK HAD BEEN COMPLETED. | 7. INITIAL HAMLET LEADERSHIP USUALLY. IS. “ESTABLISHED BY THE APPOINTMENT OF A TEMPORARY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE BY THE DISTRICT CHIEF, ONCE THE HAMLET 1S IN RUNNING ORDER, THE FIRST ELECTION MAY BE HELD. CANDIDATES ARE ALLOWED A WEEK. TO ENTER THEIR NAMES ON THE SLATE ‘AND A WEEK TO CAMPAIGN FOR OFFICE. MEANWHILE, PROVINCJAL AND DISTRICT AUTHORITIES INVESTIGATE THE CANDIDATES TO DETERMINE WHETHER ANY MAY BE VC SYMPATHIZERS OR MEMBERS. “ALTHOUGH THIS PROCEDURE COULD BE UTILIZED TO CONTROL THE OUTCOME —— OF AN ELECTION, IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT,” ouT OF, 50 HAMLET. SLATES “EXAMINED BY THE AUTHORITIES IN PHU YEN PROVINCE, ONLY ONE CANDIDATE WAS ACTUALLY REMOVED AS UNDESIRABLE: WHILE IN TAY NINH PROVINCE NO SINGLE CANDIDATES WERE REMOVED. OWNERSHIP. OF PROPERTY Was CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS CONFIDENTIAL == 10 Fron som
CLASSIFICATION = DISSEMINATION: CONTROLS . . CONFIDENTIAL "NO. FOREIGN DISSEM | TCs -3/529,667 _ (When Filled In) i STILL A PREREQUISITE FOR CANDIDACY IN KIEN HOA PROVINCE, BUT THIS DID NOT APPEAR TO BE THE CASE IN OTHER PROVINCES. 8, “IN PRINCIPLE, NATIONAL ELECTION PROCEDURES ARE FOLLOWED "IN HAMLET ELECTIONS, CANDIDATES SUBMIT THEIR NAMES IN WRITING ; THE VOTE 1S CONDUCTED BY SECRET BALLOT UNDER SUPERVISION; AND. THE RETURNS ARE EXAMINED BY AN APPROPRIATE. COMMITTEE. IN ACTUAL PRACTICE THERE ARE DEVIATIONS, INCLUDING THE USE OF THE HAND’ VOTE IN LIEU OF THE SECRET BALLOT, | - 7 9. LEGAL PROCEDURES NOT WITHSTAND ING, INDIRECT CONTROL OF HAMLET ELECTIONS 1S INDICATED BY A GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM /6VN/ DOCUMENT, BELIEVED AUTHENTIC, APPROVED BY ALL GVN LEVELS IN APRIL 1962 AND REQUIRING ONLY THE SIGNATURE OF PRESIDENT DIEM FOR © PROMULGATION, IT STATED THAT, IF:THE DISTRICT CHIEF WERE SUFFICIENTLY ‘PRUDENT, ! THE INHABITANTS WOULD ELECT THE PERSONS SELECTED -BY HIM, ADDING THAT. A DISTRICT CHIEF MIGHT ALSO USE HIS RIGHT OF VETO BY REFUSING TO APPROVE THE WINNER AND SUBSEQUENTLY CALLING ANOTHER ELECTION: ALTHOUGH THE DOCUMENT CALLED FOR STRICTLY DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS OF LEADERS OF  INTRAAMLET GROUPS, IT ALSO. NOTED THAT IF THE VARIOUS CIVIC. ACTION CADRES AND THE YOUTH AND INFORMATION ACTIVISTS DID THEIR WORK WELL, THE ELECTIONS WOULD NOT TAKE AN UNEXPECTED TURN, AND THE ‘PEOPLE WOULD. ELECT THE PERSONS SELECTED BY THE AUTHORITIES, ".” CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS — [conrmema reno na
7 CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS — pe Tots cm IDENTIAL . NO-FOREIGN DISSEM TDCS -3/529, 667 (When Filled In) | 10. NGO DINH NHU, AT THE 9 NOVEMBER , 1962 MEETING OF THE INTERMINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON STRATEGIC HAMLET, WAS” REPORTED TO" HAVE "REPRIMANDED PROVINCIAL AND. DISTRICT CHIEFS FOR NOT: HOLDING HONEST ELECTIONS FOR CHIEFS OF STRATEGIC” HAMLETS, FEARING THAT | A VG DR-REACTIONARY WOULD. BE ELEGTED, NHU. STATED THAT THIS RISK MUST -BE TAKEN; HOWEVER, IF THIS SHOULD HAPPEN, THE PROVINCE CHIEF COULD SIMPLY VOID: THE ELECT ON: ON: THE BAS1S, OF NONCOMPLIANCE: WITH THE HAMLET CHARTER , AND. GALL ANOTHER ELECTION LATER, | 41. IN.AUGUST 1962 TWO CIVIC ACTION OFFICIALS iN BIEN HOA’ PROVINGE STATED THAT THE: VILLAGE AND-HAMLET: CHIEFS-OF THE-PROVINCE WERE. NOT ELECTED“DEMOGRATICALLY. - THEY REPORTED THAT THE RESIDENTS OF AN BINH HAMLET, BIEN HOA PROVINCE, HAD STATED THAT THE HAMLET CHIEF, WHO WAS BORN THERE, HAD EARLIER OPPRESSED THEM WHILE SERVING WITH THE CAO DAI PRIVATE ARMY AND HAD BEEN ELECTED THROUGH AN ELECTION RIGGED BY THE DISTRICT CHIEF. IN PHUOC HAU HAMLET, PHU YEN PROVINCE, A PERMANENT EMPLOYEE OF THE PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATION APPEARED TO HEAD THE FJVE-MEMBER HAMLET COUNCIL. IN THE CAM HUNG REGION OF QUANG TRI PROVINCE, THE GVN WAS FORMING STRATEGIC HAMLETS AMONG ALL BRU TRIBAL VILLAGES, WITHOUT INFORMING THE TRIBESMEN: ABOUT LOCALLY~ELECTED HAMLET COMMITTEES; AND HAMLET ADMINISTRAT JON REMAINED IN THE HANDS OF THE GVN-APPOINTED HAMLET CHIEF. ” IN NINH THUAN PROVINCE THE PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES REPORTED THE ELECTION OF CLASSIFICATION — : DISSEMINATION CONTROLS.
“CLASSIFICATION sw DISSEMINATION CONTROLS CONFIDENTIAL NO FOREIGN. DISSEM (When Filled in) . Tocs -3/529, 667 - THOSE ELECTED, INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ELECTED INDIVIDUALS WERE UNAWARE THAT AN ELECTION HAD TAKEN PLACE, THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE, OR WHAT THEIR FUNCTIONS SHOULD BE. ON THE OTHERHAND, IN VAN THANH HAMLET, TUYEN DUC PROVINCE, FIVE MEN WERE CHOSEN FOR THE ADMIN STRAT IVE COMMITTEE IN A TRULY DEMOCRATIC ELECTION;HOWEVER, A CLANDESTINE CONTROL MECHANISM | WAS ESTABLISHED, HEADED BY AN INDIVIDUAL KNOWN ONLY TO- THE HAMLET CHIEF, WHO WAS OBLIGED TO DEFER TO THE OTHER'S DECISION IN : EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS: RESPONSIBLE. rect : DEFENSE AND” SECURITY: OF. THE! HAMLET "INCLUDING, DETECTION. OF: VG. “WW: MEMBERS OF. THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE. HE: REPORTED yectiy” TO THE “AREA. POPULAR FORCES COMMANDER. 92, IN" SOME PROVINCES, MOBILE. INSPECTION- TEAMS. -HAVE BEEN 7 ‘CREATED ‘To ENABLE THE. PROVINCE CHIEF TO. LEARN THE ACTUAL ‘STATE - OF AFFAIRS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL,- THESE TEAMS ARE AUTHORIZED TO °°. VISIT HAMLETS DIRECTLY WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE DISTRICT CHIEF. “THROUGH THIS MECHANISM, THREE DISTRICT.CHIEFS WERE. REMOVED FROM: OFFICE IN PHU YEN PROVINCE FOR ELECTION IRREGULARITIES. THE CHIEF OF THIS PROVINCE WAS” PLEASED TO INTRODUCE DEMOCRAT IC PROCEDURES. AN, HIS AREA BECAUSE: iT ENABLED. HIM TO “ELIMINATE A NUMBER OF’ ‘CORRUPT nO oe OFFICIALS. JNSTALLED 4 ‘BY “THE. FORMER’ ADMINISTRATION: foes SIT ema Bot : CONFDENTIAL. "GIARSIFICATION EPISSBAINATION: CONTROLS fet a yt an NO FOREIGN DISSEM
. GLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS CONFIDENTIAL | No FOREIGN DISSEM. | ‘| Tocs 23/529,66T. | (When Filled In) 13. CONCLUSION, FROM THE FOREGOING IT WOULD APPEAR THAT FREE, DIRECT ELECTION OF OFFICIALS DOES EXIST IN SOME STRATEGIC AND. OTHER HAMLETS, BUT THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS (S OFTEN HONORED: | IN THE BREACH OR APPLIED ONLY IN PART. THE DIRECT ELECTION OF VILLAGE OFFICIALS IS PRACTICALLY NONEXISTENT ALTHOUGH THERE IS AN EXPRESSED INTENTION TO:FOLLOW HAMLET SELF-GOVERNMENT WITH VILLAGE. - SELF-GOVERNMENT. IT APPEARS THAT THE PRESIDENCY AT LEAST IS, — | SINCERE “IN PROMOTING THE ELECTORAL PROCESS AT THE STRATEGIC HAMLET LEVEL, ALTHOUGH ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION IS°HAMPERED BY A RURAL POBULAT | ON LARGELY UNPREPARED FOR DEMOCRACY.. IT ‘IS. , BELIEVED THAT THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM RESTS ULTIMATELY ON THE EFFORTS OF THE CIVIC ACTION CADRES ASSIGNED TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF STRATEGIC HAMLETS AND ON THE ABILITY OF PROVINCE AND DISTRICT CHIEFS TO RECOGNIZE AND ADJUST TO ‘THE NEW ORDER. 1h, FIELD DISSEM, STATE. ARMY NAVY AIR AID USMACV 9TH FIELD» . STATION MAAG CINCPAC PACFLT PACAF ARPAC. “CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS | CONFIDENTIAL - 7 ee NO FOREIGN DISSEM. |