00031 G.F. 316
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17
APPENDIX
EVENTS IN MACAU
On 2nd and 3rd December, groups of students from communist controlled schools, together with left-wing workers, called at Government House in Macau and demanded an interview with the Governor. When this was refused, they sang revolutionary songs and recited passages from the works of MAO Tse Tung for some hours in the forecourt of Government House. On 3rd December police, having first asked them to leave and when they refused, attempted to eject them from the precincts of Government House. A scuffle ensued during which several students were injured. As the news of the incident spread, a crowd of approximately 2,000 gathered outside Government House. This included not only left-wing elements but also other people with grudges against Government as well as irresponsible youths. As this crowd was in a very hostile mood, police reinforcements were called. Tear gas and fire hoses were directed at the crowd which finally dispersed after a melee lasting about one hour. Still in a riotous mood and incensed by the police action, elements among this crowd spread throughout many parts of the town and attacked Portuguese nationals and isolated policemen. Subsequently, all police were withdrawn from the streets and by 3.30 p.m. the crowds were in virtual control of the main streets. During this period the crowd overturned vehicles, ransacked the building Leal Senado (i.e. the Municipal Council) and destroyed the statue of Col. Mesquita, a Portuguese national hero. A curfew was imposed at 6 p.m.
2.
When the curfew was lifted at 6 a.m. on 4th December, crowds, some quite large, gathered in various parts of the city. There were isolated incidents including one in which an army officer was stoned. On this particular occasion two Chinese males were killed and others wounded when troops opened fire in retaliation. As a result the curfew was reimposed at 3 p.m. On the same day HO Yin (0145/6343), Chinese Representative on the Municipal Council and unofficial representative of the C.P.G., crossed into China and remained there for four hours, presumably seeking official direction. The Governor also announced that, for the sake of the early restoration of peace and order, he was assuming full responsibility for acceding to the demands made in connection with the original Taipa incident. After this there were no further incidents, the curfew hours being gradually reduced, and finally lifted on 10th December when troops were withdrawn from the
streets.
Thereafter the situation slowly returned to normal. In the meantime banks and shops had reopened on 7th December, the first to do so being communist owned, and public transport began operating on schedule. Throughout, there was no evidence to show that the riots had been preplanned by the communists. In fact prominent communists became worried that the situation had got out of hand and in the late afternoon of 3rd December HO Yin made repcated radio broadcasts calling for order and calm. There were no Portuguese troops or police on the ground between the time of the clash outside Government House and the imposition of the curfew that evening and it has not been possible to obtain a detailed and accurate picture of the rioting. Indeed it was sometime before any official announcement was made by the Macau authorities concerning total casualty figures which, were given as eight dead and 133 injured
3.
On 5th December the communist controlled Macau Chinese Students Federation in a statement to the press made further demands which were immediately supported by the remainder of the left-wing press and other organisations in Macau.
They were:·
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