Death v. the Family

SOUTH VIET NAM

In the sleepy fishing port of Phanthiet, 100 miles east of Saigon, a 21-year-old novice Buddhist monk named Nguyen Huong poured gasoline over his robes, then lit a match and turned himself into a human pyre. He was the second Buddhist priest to burn himself to death in protest against the authoritarian regime of South Viet Nam's President Ngo Dinh Diem and his ruling family.

Nguyen Huong's death caused Buddhist protest demonstrations and hunger strikes all over the country. While the furor over his death rages, Buddhist leaders have ruled out further suicides until they can again reap the full propaganda advantage. Waiting in the wings, however, are three more suicide volunteers, including an aged Buddhist nun. Not intimidated, Diem's sister-in-law, Mme. Ngo Dinh Nhu, continued to preach the hard line against the Buddhists. "If they burn 30 women, we will go ahead and clap our hands," said Mme. Nhu. "We cannot be responsible for their madness."

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