1.
GV Crowd of demonstrators with flags line route
0.08

2.
SV Man leads cheers from top of van
0.16

3.
SV Marchers along road
0.21

4.
SV Girls with flags & singing
0.29

5.
SV Leader shouting slogans (2 shots)
0.40

6.
GV Market place & cadets accompanied by People's self Defence Force, leaflets handed out (4 shots)
1.00

7.
SV Cadets with leaflets
1.17

8.
SV Cadets talk to building workers
1.31

9.
SV Ditto talk to garage workers
1.38

10.
SV People seated by stream ZOOM BACK TO house with flag & flag painted on house
1.47

11.
SV INT. Girl making flags on sewing machine
1.57

12.
GV Tracking Shot. Houses with flags painted on roofs
2.11



Initials SGM/1700 SGM/1725



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: As problems forced a nine-day recess in the Vietnam Peace talks between the United States and North Vietnam last week, about 20,000 people living along the Mekong Delta's main highway demonstrated in support of South Vietnam's opposition to a draft peace plan.

Thousand of farmers, tradesmen, women, schoolchildren, old men and soldiers in civilian clothes turned out along Highway Four to march in organised platoons behind banners saying: "Down with Communism," "No three-part government" and "Peace will come instantly if North Vietnamese troops withdraw."
The Saigon government has objected Strongly to proposals for a three-part body, including the Communists, to organise elections after a ceasefire. It also demands written guarantees that North Vietnam would withdraw all its troops.

The demonstration on Saturday, November 24 followed special precautions to prevent a Communist attack on marchers and was seen as a means of underlining Saigon's control of the 13-mile stretch of road between My The and Cai Lay -- where heavy fighting raged about three months ago.

As the marchers demonstrated, about 5,000 newly-graduated army cadet officers were sent throughout South Vietnam to explain the government's position on the question of a ceasefire. Their task took them to the smallest of villages and hamlets -- where almost every house flies the South Vietnamese flag in anticipation of a ceasefire agreement.