CONFIDENTIAL
INWARD TELEGRAM
TO THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (The Secretary of State)
FROM HONG KONG (Sir D. Trench)
63
FOR REGISTRATION
1967
34
MAY
12
Cypher
D. 24 May 1967
11 R. 24
0525Z
RECEIVED IN
ARCHIVES No. 63
24,ÁI 251
PRIORITY
CONFIDENTIAL
No.681
HWA 3/0
LAST REF.
Addressed to Commonwealth Office (D.T.D.) Repeated
11
Lisbon No.M.338
(Please pass PRIORITY)
Following for de la Mare from Bolland,
requests'
On Tuesday 23 May, Ions gave me a first-hand account of the situation in Macao. It is clear that during the past few days he and Vice-Consul Kemble have been subjected to indignities and mental harrassment though not so far to physical violence. They are compelled to comply with of Communist demonstrators because Portuguese afford no protection and refusal would almost certainly be followed by physical attacks on Consul, Consulate and his local and very loyal Chinese and Portuguese staff.
2. On several occasions since 10 May, when Consul's house was first disfigured with slogans, they have had to stand out in the road in temperatures of more than 80 degrees or in heavy rain to receive protests, being required to stand at attention most of the time. They have been harangued and the target of continuous shouting of slogans and singing. The Consulate has managed to function throughout, but neither the Consul nor the Vice-Consul has been able to return to his home during the period and they continue to live in an hotel.
3. A particularly bad incident occurred on Sunday, 21 May, when Ions was forced to stand in the road outside his Consulate for more than an hour while a procession, of about 13,000, marched by chanting and hurling abuse at him.
4. There were no incidents on Monday and Tuesday, 22 and 23 May, but Ions has heard that the Communists discussed at a meeting on Monday the possibility of organising more demonstrations against him, and subjecting him to further indignities.
5. Ions and Kemble would be prepared to soldier on at least for the time being. But it is for consideration whether it is fair to ask them to do so, or whether the Consulate should be closed.
6. The arguments in favour of closure are that:
NEXT
REF.
6460
**3*
(a) Ions and Kemble are being subjected to severe
strain and are receiving no effective protection from the Portuguese (and are not likely to do so);
CONFIDENTIAL
/(b)