P.A.
Als
297181
CYPHER/CAT A
SECRET
HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (D.T.D.)
Telno 1859
SECRET
12 December 1967
Addressed to Peking telegram No.661 of 12 December.
Weekly assessment as at il 0600 December,
Main features were:
(a)
TOP COPY
ГОР
HW
654
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No. 63 13 DEC1967
HWA 1/1
A further decrease in the use of time bombs and continued selectivity in choice of targets. 23 genuine and 230 hoax bombs reported.
(b) Two beat duty constables were attacked in the new
territories by two males, one armed, One constable was shot dead and his revolver stolen, his assailant escaping. The other constable shot and wounded the other man who was captured.
(c) Denunciation meetings continue in the leading
Communist schools which also held a one day 'strike' on 6 December.
(d) Union 'Study Group' meetings continued to attack
devaluation and salinity of water.
(e) Daily stone throwing incidents at Sha Tau Kom with
occasional use of air guns probably incited by wanted men from S.T.K. (B.T.). C.C.A. have not interfered in minor incidents but dispersed a gathering of twenty males near the border. Work has recommenced on removing the secondary and repairing the primary fences without incident.
(f) Press attacks concentrated on devaluation and salinity.
Since 8 December bomb incidents have been ignored and only one paper has referred to the murder of the policeman.
2. Twenty persons arrested in connection with the policeman's murder included two former Communist guerillas in world War II. There is no clear evidence whether or not they were operating on their own initiative.
3. The simultaneous adoption by unions of the twin themes
of salinity and devaluation gives the impression that some centralised measure of control over unions is now being reasserted.
The themes
There are
are in line with reported Communist intention to exploit alleged social and economic grievances to win wider support. indications of reluctance to provoke government into taking further action against schools.
/4. The change
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