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Mr Murray
PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts
See
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 382/16
77
RY
Teken
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Rs 24/22.
POLICE DISTURBANCES IN HONG KONG
1. Lord Goronwy-Roberts will wish to know details of the recent disturbances involving large numbers of the Hong Kong Police Force which culminated on 28 October in an attack by about 40
policemen against the Headquarters of the Independent Commission Against Corruption. (ICAC)
2.
Morale in the Hong Kong Police Force has been at a low ebb for some years, largely because of the successful operations of the ICAC. There can be no doubt that corruption was widespread throughout the Hong Kong Police Force. It is probable that the
estimate by the Anti-Corruption Commissioner, Mr Cater, that at
least 10% of all members of the Hong Kong Police Force were or
had been actively engaged in corrupt practices was correct. A recent report by Mr Macoun, Overseas Police Adviser to the Secretary of State, described clearly the disaffection within the Force. There are two main reasons for this state of affairs. First, all policemen felt that they were vulnerable whether innocent or guilty to the investigations of ICAC, investigations which could include such undesirable features as long periods of
interdiction from office. Although interdiction is on full pay and although an officer who is later found not guilty should not suffer in any way, the very fact of being known to be investigated by ICAC is regarded as a slur on the standing of the officer concerned. There have been at least four suicides in recent years by officers investigated by ICAC. The second reason for the drop in morale is that a proportion of the Police Force have seen their total income very considerably reduced since they no longer dare extort large sums as bribes.
3. The trigger to the recent events was a succession of large scale arrests of officers on suspicion of corruption. The first overt sign of trouble was a petition to the Commissioner of
CONFIDENTIAL