Speech #920246734

And we will certainly learn of added numbers of enemy killed. But our Governments press release will tell us nothing of civilian war victimsof the fate of noncombatants who bear the brunt of battle. We will learn nothing of new refugees. We will learn nothing of new civilian casualties. For the flight of civilians is not very important to our Governmentexcept to blame all their suffering on the other side. And this fact reminds us again. that the appalling human tragedy of An Loc and all of Indochina is on the back burner in the councils of governmentapparently until we win a smashing military victory. or until great powers sort things out. But as the violence continues and spreadsfrom both sidesfrom enemy mortars and American bombsthousands of civilians are being injured or maimed or killed. and thousands more are fleeing their homes as refugees from battle. Over the years nothing has more accurately documented the intensity and spread of the conflict--and the level and nature of military operationsthan the number of civilans killed or wounded or made refugees. By this measure. the situation in Vietnamlet alone North Vietnam and the rest of Indochinais worse today than at any time since the war beganincluding the Tet offensive in 1968. The flow of refugees in South Vietnam continues at an alarming rate. The Agency for International DevelopmentAmDinformed me yesterday. that since their testimony before the Refugee Subcommittee on May 8the official figure for new refugees in governmentheld territory increased by at least 125.000a daily average approaching 3.000. The cumulative official figure since early April now stands at more than 814.000. with the bulk of these people in military region 1. Based on unreported data including displaced persons in enemy controlled territory. the subcommittee estimates more than 1.200.000 new refugees since April 1. The subcommittee now estimates that the cumulative total of refugees since 1965. approaches nearly 8 million men. women. and childrennearly onehalf of South Vietnams population. As if this were not enough cause for concern. civilian casualties also continue at an alarming rate. Based on known hospital admissions.