GK 2RW
IMMEDIATE
EN CLAIR
FM WASHINGTON 321805Z
UNCLASSIFIED
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 5099 OF 30 NOVEMBER
INFO GOVERNOR BERMUDA
HWB 380/1
¡ DEC 1977
NO!
Abbi~.
1. A SMALL DEMONSTRATION WAS HELD OUTSIDE THE EMBASSY THIS
MORNING BY A GROUP OF BERMUDIANS PROTESTING THE FORTHCOMING EXECUTIONS SCHEDULED FOR 2 DECEMBER OF LARRY WINFIELD TACKLYN
AND ERSKINE BUCK BURROWS. TWO MEMBERS OF THE GROUP, MISS CHARLESETTA JAMAL AND MR GOODWIN DOUGLAS WERE SEEN BY THE
CONSUL-GENERAL. THEY HANDED HIM A PETITION ADDRESSED TO THE
QUEEN. THE TEXT IS IN MY IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING TELEGRAM.
2. MISS JAMAL, WHO DID ALL THE TALKING, SAID THAT THE DEMONS- TRATORS REPRESENTED AN ORGANISATION CALLED 'CONCERNED BERMUDIANS
ABROAD'', WITH AN ADDRESS AT 155 ''V'' STREET NW APARTMENT 4,
IN WASHINGTON D C. SHE SAID THAT IF THESE MEN WERE EXECUTED, IT
COULD ONLY STIR UP RACIAL AND COMMUNAL FEELINGS WHICH HAD
HITHERTO SCARCELY EXISTED IN PERMUDA. THE GROUP'S GREATEST FEAR
WAS THAT BERMUDIAN LAW HAD BEEN TWISTED AND CERTAIN AMENDMENTS
INTRODUCED SOLELY TO ENABLE THE AUTHORITIES TO DEAL WITH THIS
CASE PECAUSE OF THE IDENTITY OF THE VICTIM. IN PARTICULAR,
TACKLYN'S TRIAL HAD BEEN PREJUDICED BY BEING ASSOCIATED WITH EURPOWS THROUGHOUT THE PROCEEDINGS, ALTHOUGH HE WAS NOT HIMSELF
ACCUSED OF ALL THE SAME CRIMES, MISS JAMAL EMPHASISED THAT SHE
FEARED THE EFFECT OF EXECUTIONS THE FIRST IN 34 YEARS - MIGHT
COMPLETELY UNDERMINE THE PRESENT GELATIVELY HAPPY RELATIONSHIPS
EXISTING IN BERMUDA. SHE SAID THAT THE EXECUTIONS WOULD BE NOT
MERELY AN OUTRAGE BUT A GRAVE MISTAKE.
•
JAY
FILES
N.A.D
WIAD(5)
UND
OPA
LEGAL ADVISERS
PS/MR.JUDD PS/PUS
SIR A DUFF MR.GRAHAM
MR. TAZZI MR.H.LL MR.STRATTON
S