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CYPHER/CAT.A
IMMEDIATE
TELNO. 447
HONG KONG
ΤΟ
COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
8 APRIL 1968
HER 1968)
HWAID/Y
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ADDRESSED CO TELNO. 447 OF 8 APRIL RFI POLAD SINGAPORE, PEKING, WASHINGTON AND CANBERRA.
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FOR COMMONWEALTH OFFICE AND CABINET OFFICE FOR JIC. FOLLOWING
FROM LIC. WEEKLY ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION AS AT 0600 HOURS
8TH APRIL FOLLOWS. THE PRINCIPAL FEATURES OF THE PERIOD HAVE
BEEN:-
(A) CHARGES OF 'POSSESSION OF IMITATION FIREARMS' AGAINST THREE
STUDENTS OF A COMMUNIST CONTROLLED SCHOOL, FOUND BY POLICE WITH
TOY REVOLVERS WHICH HAD BEEN MODIFIED TO FIRE PROJECTILES. THE
HEADMASTER OF THE SCHOOL CONCERNED, WHILST CONDEMNING GOVERNMENT
'PERSECUTION', CALLED ON OTHER STUDENTS TO SURRENDER SIMILAR
WEAPONS, TEN OF WHICH WERE SUBSEQUENTLY · HANDED TO THE SCHOOL
AUTHORITIES FOR DESTRUCTION.
(B) FURTHER APPROACHES TO COMPANIES AND MEETINGS BY COMMUNIST
UNIONS CONCERNING THE REINSTATEMENT OF DISMISSED 'STRIKERS'.
•
AT A MEETING OF A TRAMWAYS UNION MEMBERS WERE TOLD THAT THE RETURN
TO WORK ''WAS NOT A DISGRACE BUT A MEANS OF STARTING A REVOLUTION
WITHIN THE COMPANY A SIMILAR STATEMENT WAS MADE AT A MEETING OF
THE MAJOR COMMUNIST TRANSPORT UNION, A UNION OFFICIAL ADDING THAT
''IF GOVERNMENT FAILED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF REINSTATEMENT THE
CPG WOULD STOP TRADE WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM'SM, THIS UNION LATER
MADE PUBLIC A STATEMENT CONDEMNING GOVERNMENT FOR 'SABOTAGING' THE
REINSTATEMENT OF TAXI DRIVERS.
(C) A MEETING OF THE F TU ON 3RD APRIL TO PROTEST AGAINST ILLEGAL '
DETENTION UNDER THE EMERGENCY REGULATIONS AND THE 'DEPORTATION' OF
TWO COMMUNIST FILM STARS: IT WAS AGREED THAT DELEGATIONS SHOULD
VISIT GOVERNMENT OFFICES OVER THESE ISSUES. A FT U MEETING THE
FOLLOWING DAY, TO COMMEMORATE THE 'MARTYRS' KILLED DURING CONFRONT-
ATION, WAS ATTENDED BY A NUMBER OF PROMINENT COMMUNIST PERSONALITIES
p.a. this
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