People's Peace Treaty

( The following was endorsed by an editorial meeting of the Harvard CRIMSON staff on February 10. )

BETWEEN THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES, SOUTH VIETNAM AND NORTH VIETNAM INTRODUCTION

Be it known that the American and Vietnamese people are not enemies. The war is carried out in the name of the people of the United States, but without our consent. It drains America of her resources, her youth, and her honor.

We hereby agree to end the war on the following terms, so that both peoples can live under the joy of independence and can devote themselves to building a society based on human equality and respect for the earth. In rejecting the war we also reject all forms of racism and discrimination against people based on color, creed, sex, national, origin and ethnic grouping which form the basis of the war policies, present and past, of the United States.

PRINCIPLES OF THE JOINT TREATY OF PEACE

AMERICANS agree to immediate and total withdrawal from Vietnam, and publicly to set the date by which all U.S. military forces will be removed.

Vietnamese agree to participate in an immediate cease-fire and will enter discussions on the procedures to guarantee the safety of all withdrawing troops, and to secure the release of all military prisoners.

AMERICANS pledge to end the imposition of Thieu, Ky and Khiem on the people of South Vietnam in order to insure their right of self-determination, and to insure that all political prisoners are released.

Vietnamese pledge to form a provisional government to organize democratic elections, in which all South Vietnamese can participate freely without the presence of foreign troops, and to enter discussions of procedures to guarantee the safety and political freedom of persons who cooperated with either side of the war.

AMERICANS AND VIETNAMESE agree to respect the independence, peace and neutrality of Laos and Cambodia.

Upon these points of agreement, we pledge to end the war. We will resolve all other questions in mutual respect of the rights of self-determination of the people of Vietnam and of the United States.

AS AMERICANS RATIFYING THIS AGREEMENT, WE PLEDGE TO TAKE WHATEVER ACTIONS ARE APPROPRIATE TO IMPLEMENT THE TERMS OF THIS JOINT TREATY OF PEACE, AND TO INSURE ITS ACCEPTANCE BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES.