Evening star., 1954-01-17
U. n. 10 Free POWs
As Civilians Despite
Terms Set by India
BY the Assoeie,sd Press

n
BY the Assoei1sed Press
PANMUNJOM Sunday, Jan.
17.-Gen. John E. Hull last
night told India that his United
Nations Far East Command def
initely will free 22,500 Chinese
and North Korean prisoners as
civilians in anti-Red territory
January %. He disputed India's
charge this would violate the
armistice.
Instead, Gen. Hull said the
supervisory commission which
India heads will be deliberately
avoiding ian important element"
of the armistice by prematurely
turning back these men as war
prisoners Wednesday. Gen. Hull
: insisted the Neutral Nations
Repatriation Commission has
the solemn obligation" to hold
on to them until Saturday and
then let them go as civilians.
Gen. Hull'S letter clashed with
views expressed to him by 1t.
Gen. K. S. Thimayya. India's
chairman Of the NNRC. His
firmly expressed determination
to free the prisoners also stood
out against Peiping broadcast
that such an action will wreck
the Korean truce"
Points Made by Thimayya.
Thursday Gen. Thimayya sent
letters to the United Nations
and Red commands which said:
/. He had decided on his own
to turn back .unrepatriated pris-
ol1ers Wednesday because the
NNRC was unable to carry out
provisions for processing the
men.
q. It was obvious beyond
doubt that the U. N. Command
is unable to agree to the estab-
liShment of conditions or pro-
cedure which is basic" for such
processing.
3. Any move by either side to
set these men free will not be
in conformity with the (armis-
tice) terms of reference"
Gen. Hull's reply last night
took issue with all three points.
He said it was the NNRC's re-
sponsibility to keep the men un-
til Saturday, then free them as
civilians.
He. said the u. N. Command
tried i'll every way to comply
with the armiStice terms and
that Communist intransigence"
was to blame for the NNRC
failure to accomplish its mis-
sion.
Won't Accept Terms.
Then he told Gen. Thimayya
the U. N. Command cannot ac-
cept custody of these prisoners
OF war in accordance with the
terms of your proposal"
Gen. Hull said that, although
the NNRC actually should keep
custody, the U. N. Command
"out Of regard for humanitarian
consideration would accept the
prisoners in order to make cer-
tain they got "the benefits the
(armistice) agreement was de-
signed to assure them"
He quickly made clear what
this was:
THE United Nations Com
mand, in. accordance with the
agreement on prisoners of war,
will honor its obligation to treat
them as fully entitled to their
freedom as civilians on % JAM
parry.
The return to the United Ma
tions command of personnel pri-
or to 23000l January (12:01 am.
Jan. 23) can only be regarded
as a failure by the Neutral Ma
tions Repatriation Commission
fully to discharge its duties, but
this failure will in no way, it
must be emphasized. affect the
right of prisoners of war to be-
come civilians at that time re-
gardless Of their physical To-
cation
Red Reply Awaited.
BY last night. the Reds had
not replied officially to Gen.
Thimayya's letter but they are
known to oppose any action en-
abling the u. N. command to
release the 22,500 soon as civil
fans.
There was speculation the
Reds might refuse to take back
327 South Koreans. 81 Ameri-
cans and a Briton from a pro-
Red camp but an Indian spokes-
man said firmly I'VE will release
the prisoners any way"
The Reds want unrepatriated
prisoners held indefinitely until
a peace conference can be con-
vened and deal with them.