RESTRICTED
154154
MDHOAN 3212
IN BLOOD. WHEN IT CAME TIME TO GO TO SLEEP AGAIN THE PRISONERS WERE AFRAID OF THE DISCOMFORT AND WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO STAY UP, OF COURSE THE GUARDS WOULD NOT PERMIT THIS. LIFE LIKE THIS WAS HARDER THAN DEATH.
12.
THE USE OF HANDCUFFS WAS THE MOST TERRIFYING PUNISHMENT IN THE PLACE. ORIGINALLY HANDCUFFS WERE DESIGNED TO PREVENT PRISONERS FROM ESCAPING, BUT ON FLOOR AFTER FLOOR OF BARRED CELLS THEY BECAME THE MOST CONVENIENT AND CRUELLEST DISCIPLINARY DEVICE FOR GUARDS WHO LIKED TO MALTREAT THEIR PRISONERS. THE MOST COMMONLY USED DEVICE WAS SIMPLY TIGHT CUFFS WHICH CUT INTO THE
FLESH OF THE WRISTS UNTIL THE BONE SHOWED.
13.
TO ESTABLISH THEIR AUTHORITY, THE JAILERS COMPETED TO SEE WHO COULD FIT THE CUFFS MOST TIGHTLY. THEY WOULD STAND ON THE CUFFS TO SQUEEZE THEM CLOSED. WITHIN 10 MINUTES THE VICTIMS HANDS WOULD TURN WHITE, THEN BLUE, THEN PURPLE, AND FINALLY BLACK, AND THE PRISONER, NO MATTER HOW TOUGH WOULD BE ROLLING ON THE FLOOR IN PAIN. WHEN HE FINALLY LOST CONSCIOUSNESS THE JAILERS WOULD RELEASE THE CUFFS AND WAKE HIM WITH A SPLASH OF COLD WATER. AS FEELINGS RETURNED, THE HANDS AND WRISTS SEEM TO BE PIERCED BY THOUSANDS OF NEEDLES. WHEN FULL FEELING WAS RESTORED, THE JAILER WOULD REAPPLY THE CUFFS. THIS TIME THE PAIN WOULD BE WORSE.
14.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE ASKED WHY WE DIDN'T GO ON HUNGER STRIKE, THE WAY FOREIGNERS DO WHEN JAIL CONDITIONS ARE HARSH. THE JAILERS DIDN'T CARE IF YOU REFUSED TO EAT. IF YOU REFUSED TO EAT FOR A FEW DAYS THEY WOULD PAY NO ATTENTION: THEN THEY WOULD TRUSS YOU UP ON A SPECIAL KIND OF STOOL, PROP OPEN YOUR MOUTH WITH A STICK AND POUR DOWN A HEATED MIXTURE OF RICE AND WATER. IF THE RICE DIDN'T GO DOWN THEY WOULD PUSH IT DOWN WITH CHOPSTICKS. IN THE END YOUR MOUTH WOULD BE BLOODY AND THE RICE WOULD BE GONE. 15.
EVEN IF A PRISONER DIED OF HUNGER IT DIDN'T MATTER. PLENTY OF PRISONERS DIED AND NOBODY LOOKED INTO THE CAUSES. LIVING WORSE THAN BEASTS, ALL THE PRISONERS WANTED TO FIND A WAY TO DIE SOONER. SOME CUT THEIR WRISTS WITH NAILS TAKEN FROM THEIR SHOES, SOME SWALLOWED THEIR DRINKING MUGS, SOME BANGED THEIR HEADS AGAINST STEEL POSTS. UNQUOTE
16. I WOULD ALSO BE OBLIGED IF YOU WOULD CONFIRM WHETHER IT IS YOUR POLICY TO SEEK ASSURANCES FROM THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG THAT UNDER THE TERMS OF THE FUGITIVE OFFENDERS ACT 1967, ANY OFFENDERS RETURNED TO THE COLONY BEFORE JUNE 30 1997 WILL BE RELEASED OR REMOVED FROM HONG KONG 45 DAYS BEFORE 1ST JULY 1997 SO THAT THEY ARE NOT SURRENDERED TO PRC ON 1ST JULY 1997. 17. IN MAKING THIS REQUEST FOR CONFIRMATION I REFER TO THE MAGISTRATES RULING IN THE CASE OF MR LORRAIN OSMAN AND WHILST NOT
3
PAGE
RESTRICTED