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CYPHER/CAT A
SECRET
FLASH HONG KONG
TU COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 700
30 MAY 1968
HV
SECRET
ADDRESSED CO TELEGRAM NO. 700 OF 30TH MAY REPEATED PEKING,
PA SINGAPORE, WASHINGTON, AND HC CANBERRA.
MY IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING TELEGRAM.
SO FAR THERE HAS BEEN NO REACTION FROM WITHIN COMMUNIST
ORGANISATIONS WITHIN THE URBAN AREAS, TO THE INCIDENT AT LOWU.
ONLY THE TWO MINOR COMMUNIST NEWSPAPERS CARRY REPORTS OF THE
INCIDENT, AND THESE ARE CONFINED TO REPORTING A FACTUAL
STATEMENT PUT OUT BY THE G.1.S. AND RELATIVELY MILD ALLEGATIONS
THAT THE POLICE ARE 'EVADING THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES'. THE ABSENCE
OF COMMENT IN THE OFFICIAL COMMUNIST JOURNALS MAY INDICATE
THAT COMMUNIST LEADERS IN HONG KONG DO NOT WISH TO STIR UP
TROUBLE OVER THIS INCIDENT UNTIL THEY RECEIVE THE OFFICIAL
LINE FROM CHINA.
:
2. THE ATTITUDE OF THE P.L.A. AT LOWU HAS BEEN A MIXTURE OF
SLIGHT CONTROL IN THE INITIAL STAGES BUT COMPLETE INDIFFERENCE
DURING THE NICHT. IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER THE SITUATION
WILL REMAIN QUIET TODAY BUT THERE IS SOME EVIDENCE THAT P.L.A.
ARE EXCERCISING CONTROL OVER MOVEMENT OF FARMERS ACROSS THE
BORDER INTO B.T.
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