World: Catholic Exodus

Deliberately or not, the militant Buddhists and the Communists complement each other in South Viet Nam. Caught by both forces are the country's 1.6 million Roman Catholics, who until the overthrow of Catholic President Ngo Dinh Diem were generally considered to be enjoying a favored position. They are favored no longer.

In recent months, 20,000 Catholic peasants have descended from the mountainous central region to the coastal city of Quinhon, where most of them now huddle in eleven makeshift camps —5,000 live in the gardens of the local cathedral. Many fled because their villages...

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