CYPHER CAT A
ROUTINE HONG KONG
TELECRAM NUMBER 080
SECRET
673
TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TOP COPY
17 JANUARY 1968
SECRET
ADDRESSED PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 24 OF 17TH JANUARY 1968.
{
WEEKLY ASSESSMENT AS AT 150600.
1. MAIN EVENTS:-
(A) NO TRUE AND ONLY FIVE 'HOAX' BOMBS.
(B) UNION MEETINGS TO STUDY MAO'S THOUGHTS, DISCUSS WAGE
DEMANDS AND CONDEMN GOVERNMENT CONTINUE. SMALL ORDERLY DEPUTATIONS
HAVE CALLED ON TWO GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO PROTEST AGAINST
UNEMPLOYMENT, SALINITY DEVALUATION AND ILL TREATMENT OF
PRISONERS. ONE MILITANT UNION HAS DECIDED TO DEMAND THE RELEASE
OF CONVICTED UNION MEMBERS AND PUNISHMENT OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE DEATH OF A UNION OFFICIAL DURING A STRONGLY RESISTED POLICE RAID ON ITS PREMISES IN JULY, 1967.
(C) DISTRIBUTION OF FRESH' WATER BY COMMUNISTS IN THE STREETS
AS PART OF THE ANTI-SALINITY CAMPAIGN ATTRACTING LITTLE PUBLIC
ATTENTION.
(D) MAIN THEMES IN COMMUNIST PRESS ATTACKS HAVE BEEN SQUATTER CLEARANCE POLICY, ILL TREATMENT OF PRISONERS AND DEVALUATION.
TH RELEASE OF PRISONERS AND COMPLIANCE WITH ALL CONFRONTATION DEMANDS HAVE BEEN CALLED FOR. PAPERS ARE STARTING AN ECONOMY
***
CAMPAIGN HAVING BEEN TOLD THAT THEIR SUBSIDIES FROM CHINA
ARE TO BE CUT BY 50%.
(E) SPORADIC STONE, AND BOTTLE THROWING HAS CONTINUED ON THE
BORDER AND IN SHA TAU KOK. WORK ON THE FENCE WAS SUSPENDED FROM 9-11 JANUARY AS A RESULT AND A PROTEST LODGED WITH THE LOCAL NONA OFFICE. SMALL NUMBERS OF CT RESIDENTS WERE RESPONSIBLE BUT THERE WERE NO ORGANISED PARTIES.
HWAITIT
2. THE POLICE ARE GRADUALLY REVERTING TO NORMAL DUTIES.
EIGHT MINOR COMMUNIST SCHOOLS WERE INSPECTED BY EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT. MAO QUOTATIONS WERE PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED AND THERE
WAS CHANTING BUT NO INFLAMMATORY MATERIAL WAS SEEN. PARENTS
AND TEACHERS PROTESTED AGAINST 'PERSECUTION' BUT THERE WAS NOT
THE SAME DEGREE OF HOSTILITY AS WAS DISPLAYED IN THE MAJOR
SCHOOLS IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER LAST YEAR. THE COMMUNIST
HAS NOT COMMENTED SO FAR.
13. A
PRES
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