/5. Among
CONFIDENTIAL
-3.
5. Among the other prisoners there are still, as far as we
know, 13 of the "newspaper workers" to whom the Chinese
insisted on making special visits before they allowed acceas
to kr. Grey. Their release dates are:-
Hui Wan-ching
Wong Chak
Wong Ling (female)
Wong Yat-Lou
Chan Tae-Fung
Shum Kai-Lam
Lee Siu-Hung
Ng Taoi-Shing
Tu Tai-Cha
Poon Wai-Wəi
With remission
Without remission
9 October, 1968 - 9 June 1969
2 February, 1971 - 3 October 1972
12 September, 1969-12 September 1970
12 September, 1969-12 September 1970
12 September, 1969-12 September 1970
4 January, 1969 4 September 1970
6 September, 1969- 6 September 1970
12 September, 1969-12 September 1970
3 September, 1969- 3 September 1970
6 September, 1969- 6 September 1970
Chan Yin-Kuen (female) 6 September, 1969- 7 September 1970
Chak Luen-Fai
Cheng Fook-Hing
6 September, 1969- 6 September 1970
28 December, 1968 29 July 1969.
Thus the last of these would be due out of prison, with full
remission, in February 1971.
Copy to: Miss Deas
M- Folly may wn today Ras
Who
Cort
Janne
Zmazya
(James Murray)
23 August, 1968.
Thank
tosa
CONFIDENTIAL
Stam
you.
26
Да
2842718
Deb/20/8 Meme M
NTF
De
STORM
This all seems roomable.
for a copy to
女
Sa
CA
To Carter (c...) (opy sent. 1.4 24/8.
fnd
Dawny.
+
Enter a B.v. di Mr. Boys of
RA office of the British Chargé d'Affaires,
PEKING.
13 August, 1968.
-
ि
407)
RECEIVE ARCH VI.
read with interest the accounts of Ho Yin's conversation with Paul Ts'ul
and T. K. Li which you sent with your letter TSX 15/64 of 26 July.
2.
20 AUG 1968
FD:||
It seems likely that Ho was put up to talk to Ts'ui and Li with the aim
of passing a particular message to us. The fact that he rade the running
is interesting, particularly as he apparently rejected an earlier
approach from our side last year.
I doubt if he was simply speaking off his ow bat. Katurally, what he had
to say included the usual communist propaganda and distortion. I agree
with much of Special Branch's commentary on his remarks, particularly on
the questions of the economic value of Hong Kong, the real cost of
confrontation and the power-holders in the ommunist hierarchy. But I
think we can still extract some valuable points from the conversation.
3. Ro's message was broadly as we would have expected. The comunists are
interested in withdrawing gracefully from the present impasse and have
no intention of resuming violence unless they are forced into it. To
enable them to withdraw successfully they require some form of
face-saving compromise with the Hong Kong Governaont. They are well
aware that there is no hope of extracting major concessions from us on
the lines of Macao. Ho appears to have tacitly admitted this. To this
extent they are prepared to settle for a *paper victory" and Ho's
insistence on the need to save face was probably intended to convey this
point. At the same time they have difficulty in keeping their militants
in check. The nub of the issue remains detainees and convicted
prisoners. I think we can afford to pay less attention to the rest of Ho
shopping list. I doubt if the communists really expect major progress
immediately on reinstatement, though it is certainly in our interests to
defuse this issue as far as we reasonably can. Still leas can they
expect progress over rice.
But as Ho implied, they do hope for some progress on detainees at least.
At
On this issue, the communists appear to be taking a fairly realistic
line, though as usual their arguement is dressed up in aggressive
phraseology. They are well aware that we can make a gesture on detainees
without giving much AWAY. Ho's message appears to have been that if we
were prepared to start a steady flow of releases the communists would
play their part by not waking unacceptable propaganda on the issue. So
far this has proved to be the case, the same time it seems clear from
Ho'a remarks that the communists regard moves on the detainee question
as a sigäificant effort by us to keep the temperature down. On the more
long-term problem of convicted prisoners Ho appears to have gone as far
as he could towards guaranteeing that the communists would not ask for
too much there either. This last point may have important implications
for the case of Tony Grey.
A. F. Maddocks, Esq.,
Hong Kong.
STOUM
15.
SECRET
5. While it would be wrong to overestimate the value of these contacts,
I think we might take advantage of what igpears to be an initiative from
the other side. As far as I know, though you will be able to confirm
this, Ho is a reasonably reliable go-between; it is very much in his
interests to be one, I am sure that F. K. Li'in correct in his comment
that Ho's remarks about his frequent trips to Hong Kong were intended as
a hint that he will be available for a continuing dialogue. We could
probably derive positive advantage from this opening by using it as an
opportunity to state our own terms, particularly since the situation in
Hong b/ Kong is now relatively cala and we would/seem to be speaking
from strength. We could point out with some force that the Hong Kog
Government would find it easier to take a more flexible attitude on
certain questions (the implication would be detainees) if the communists
helped to create the right atmosphere by avoiding further incidents,
toning down their influrnatory anti-Government propaganda, and by
refraining from making constant "demands" on the authorities. Although
we shall have to see how the Chung Wah issue develops, the communists
have already contributed something to keeping the temperature down by
their restraint on publicity about those detainees who have already been
released and by their general avoidance of open clashes with the Hong
Kong Government. might be prepared to make greater efforts if we were to
hold out the possibility of reciprocal steps on our side. It is in our
interests to convey the thought via Ho Yin, or any other suitable
intermediary, that, given maintenance of reasonable order in the colony,
we would be prepared to consider further de-escalation, particularly on
detainees and perhaps on convicted prisoners.
They
I am copying this letter to Janas Murrony in Far Easteım Department.
(P. CRADOCK)
Cypher/Cat A
JORITY
Telno 767
I copy for entry in .f....Dept.
Sev
CONFIDENTIALent1·
Hang..lang..Dept.
RECTIVO
ARCHIVES No.5
PEKING
TO
FOREIGN OFFICE
21 August 1968
22 AUG 1968
+
FD
CONFIDENTIAL
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 767 of 21 August, Repeated for
information to Hong Kong.
I understand from Hong Kong that as a result of recommendation made by
Board of Review for long term prison sentences, 13 young confrontation
prisoners were released in April this year some weeks before their due
dates of release. Another 10 were released in June or July, 6 weeks
before their normal release dates in 9 cases and 2 months in remaining
cases,
2.
Although these cases were in a limited and special category, I am very
glad to learn that they were possible. It also seems, although Hong Kong
will be able to correct me, that there has been no adverse public
reaction to these premature releases of convicted prisoners. his has
considerable
relevance to our general discussions and effect of earlier releases.
3.
I hope I can be kept informed of any further moves.
Foreign Office pass Priority Hong Kong.
Kr. Cradock
[Repeated as requested]
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
C.O.
Hong Kong Dept.
P.0.
F.E.D.
C.O.
F.E. & P.D.
NNNNN
News Dept.
I.P.D.
Consular Dept.
DIS MOD
CONFIDENTIAL
Per
4067
AR
Mr. Murray
Prisoners in Hong Kong
21.
568
FOIll
小
There are over 600 prisoners. Some 300 (including the journalists) are
in single cells, Seme 200 ure three to a coil. The remaining, mostly
young offenders, are in dormitory accommodation. No prismara are in
solitary confinement, These who work are in constant contact with fello:
innates. -Those who refuse have one hours exercise per day, Up till h te
June the majority refused to work and were therefore kept looked in
their cells except during exercise periods. At that point they
apparently received new instructions and all prisoners are no. working
in the nersal way ven during the recalcitrant period all prisoners were
allowed regular privileges" such an nonthly visits, There is no regular
day for such visits and visitors can go at any date onos a month without
notifying the prison authorities. Visite lust 1ɔ minutes. Prisoners lave
koossa to the prison library. Unlimited quantities of books (three at
any one time) and sagažinea muy be sent to prisoners #2. The dates of
release of the two 2.0.‚ prisoners are as follows:-
Hauch F'ing (61t Ping)
17 Bovember, 1968 or 18 July, 1969 without remiusion.
To Yükle (Lo Yuk-wo) 12 September, 1969 or
12 September, 1970 #ithout remission.
2. Approximate release astes of other prisoners
1968 1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
བྷཱུཏྟེRཊྛགསྶཝ
pwardly mol
This means that after 1969 only a negotiable propertion of the
confrontation prisoners will be bold.
3. Included in the above list are 11 sale journalist prisoners. There
are size 2 fenala prizonezklin this dutagory held in a womens gaol.
Details of the Pelease of these 13 prisoners are as follows (the first
date is the date of release with remission the second in the date of
relosse with- out remission):-
/Hai wan-ching
Hui Lan-ching
Wong Chak
P seng Ling
Wong Yat-Lou
Chan Tae-Fung Shum Kai-Lan
Lea "iu-"ung Kg Taoi-Shing
Fu Tai-Chow
Poon ifaź-ini
F Chan Yin-Knen
Chak Luan-Fai
Cheng Fook-Wing
9 October 1968 - 9 7me 1969
2 February 1971 - 3 October 1972
12 September, 1969 12 September, 1970 12 September, 1970 12 September
12 September, 1969 12 September, 1969
-
4 January 1969 - 4 September 1970 6 September 1969 6 September 1970 12
September 1969 - 12 September 1970 3 September 1969 - 3 September 1970 6
Suptember 1969 - 6 September 1970 6 September 1969 - 7 Eeptember 1970 6
September 1969 - 6 September 1970 28 December 1968 29 July 1969
(J. D. I. Boyd) Far Eastern Department
16 August, 1968
Mr. Denson
Mr. Carter (C.0.)
CONFIDENTIAL
21 AUG 1968
9CR 6/2621/67
Ente.
404
Byth Mr. Royd 79.4.
Kory for Tam
золу сору
"15th August,
M
1964.
12%
I am sorry as to having been so slow in answering your lefter PEX/4 of
22nd July about confrontation prisoners. The research has taken longer
than I expected.
2.
There were certainly not "over 1,000 agitators" still in jail on 16th
July. The total mæber of male confrontation prisoners including young
prisoners remaining on 1st August was 495 (including the 3 under life
sentence). 259 of these are dus for release by the end of this year, the
breakdown being as follows -
August
69
September
79
October
49
November
33
December
30
3.
In addition there were 58 female prisoners left on 1st August, the rate
of release in 1968 beingt-
August
September
October
14
7
3
November
December
3
8
(I give these figures separately to avoid confusion: the figures quoted
by Anthony Elliott in his letter of 16th April were for male prisoners
only. You will note that both these figures and those in paragraph 2
differ slightly from those quoted in Hong Kong Saving Despatch No. 973.
This is because changes in remission etc., affect release dates the
figures in fact need constant revision).
4.
You also asked about Cheung Sha lian playground arrests. From 11th to
14th June, 32 arresta were made as a result of incidents at the
playground. 6 of those arrested were released without being charged; 8
were charged and subsequently released; and 18 were convicted. The
sentences imposed on those convicted varied from a maximum of 18 months
to being bound-over. 7 of the 18 are now in jail.
G.G.K. halden, Esq., Peking.
CONFIDENTIAL
5./...
NTE
I
I
C
F
CONFIDENTIAL
- 2 -
5.
Altogether since 15th April there have been 98 arrests
(excluding those in connection with the Cheung Sha Wan incidents)
which might be placed in the "confrontation" category. These included
arrests for wilful evasion of tram fares, and for various hawker
offences, as well as illegal assembly, etc. of the total of 98 prisoners
arrested, 37 were released without being charged. The remainder have
been charged and sumonsed but I have not yet been able to get details of
the sentences (some cases have not yet come to court).
6.
You asked whether it would be possible for the prison authorities to
supply a monthly analysis of confrontation prisoners. I have spoken to
Garner about this but he says the task would impose to much of a burden
on his small staff. He would be prepared to supply up-to-date figures
every three months; would this meet your need?
7.
There is me other development about which you should know. In January
this year the Governor directed that the records of young confrontation
prisoners should be reviewed to see whether any could be released early.
As a result of recommendations made by the Board of Review, Long Term
Prison Sentences, 13 young prisoners were released in April this year
some weeks before their due dates. Another 10 were released in June and
July, 6 weeks before their normal release dates in 9 cases and 2 months
in the remaining case, I am sorry that we omitted to inform you about
this before but the fact that these early releases have been taking
place has only just come to my notice. It is only fair to add that there
is unlikely to be a useful precedent here. I understand that adult
prisoners are very rarely released before their due time, and then only
when they are ill.
c.c. J.D.I. Boyd, Esq.,
Far Eastern Department,
Foreign Office, London, S,W,1,
(R.J.T. McLaren) Assistant Political Adviser.
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
HLUD 1/31
Fars
With the compliments of
COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
Kong Weht
khong khong
dang
а
8 August ralt
LONDON, S.W.1.
CONFIDENTIAL
༣།
6 AUG 1968
2600027 4.8. 204
CONFIDENTIAL
SAVING DESPATCH SAVINGRAM
RECEIVED IN ARCAS No 31
From the Governor, Hong Kong
Commonwealth Affairs
To the Secretory of State for the Golnaies
21 AUG 1968
973
403
No.
Repeated fo:- Peking
No.
8
FD
Cepeated to:
Do
14 July, 1962.
My Reference.......
CR 14/581/67
Your Reference........
DUPLICATE
No.
Communist Prisoners
A Committee was set up earlier this year, under the Chairmanship of the
Deputy Colonial Secretary, to determine the appropriate follow-up
treatment on discharge for individual consumist prisoners on discharge
convicted of offences arising From the recent disturbances. It was
contemplated that they might be givon a degree of family assistance or
help in obtaining work and re-integrating themselves into society.
2.
A small working group comprising staff of the Prisons, Social Welfare
and Labour Departments was set up at the same time to interview
individual prisoners, to assess their personal convictions and political
outlook and to put forward to the Committee proposals for the
appropriate form of follow-up action in the case of those prisoners who
were agrooable to receiving assistance in this way.
3.
The number of these prisoners due for release from prison during July
December 1963 are:-
-
July
August
September
October
November
December
4.
Adult prisoners
Young prisoners
Total
Hale Fezale
Vale
Female
27
2
7
0
53
69
HO
14
16
1
10
41
9 2 7
2
7
1
21
ง
8
3
N
13
6
X 38 8 **
86
50
32
62
The Committee has so far reviewed those cases due for release in July
and August in the light of interview reports prepared by the working
group. It is quite clear, from experience so far gained, that these
prisoners, apart from one or two isolated excoptions, are not propared
to accept any offer of assistance on release. Their attitude varies from
polite disinterest to truculence and definite hostility, but in almost
every case they reject any offer of holp. They are in general reluctant
to give any information concerning their own past background or their
future intentions,
CONFIDENTIAL
E
kf
CONFIDENTIAL
2
It also appears from their attitude that they are confident that they
will be able to obtain support and assistance from the communist
organisations or unions to which they belong.. Some of them will, of
course, return to their previous jobs in left- wing organisations,
whilst the younger prisonors may be expected to return to their studies
in left-wing schools. coumunists who have lost their jobs but who are
clearly under instructions from their leaders not to accept assistance
from the Government.
5.
Others are
In brief, many of these prisoners are hard-oore, dodicated communists
and no amount of persuasion is likely to wean them from their
convictions. Othors, no doubt, are less convinced; but their livelihood
and family connections are so closely tied to the communist movement in
Hong Kong that they, too, are unlikely to break away from it.
6.
Despite the negative results produced it is felt that the information
obtained has been of value and it is proposed that the Committae and the
Working Group will keep the cases of the remaining prisoners under
review and continue to make offers of assistance.
I
"YPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
AMATE HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
PELKO 1010
20 AUGUST, 1968
RECTIVED IN ARCHIVES No.311
CONFIDENTIAL
ADDRESSED CO TELNO 1010 OF 20TH AUGUST RFI PEKING.
MY TELEGRAM 1005: DETAINEES.
401
20 AUG 968
FD1/I
Pa
THIS AFTERNOON WE SHALL RELEASE NO. 7 TAM KUEN, MANAGER OF A BRANCH OF
THE SHUN CHEONG CO., NO. 41 CHAN ON, PAID SECRETARY OF THE WORKERS'
CHILDREN'S EDUCATION PROMOTION ASSOCIATION AND
,
NO. 49 IP NAM (F), PAID OFFICIAL OF THE NANYANG BROTHERS TOBACCO CO.
CHINESE EMPLOYEES UNION.
FO PLEASE PASS IMMEDIATE PEKING.
SIR D. TRENCH
(REPEATED AS REQUESTED/
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
P.E.D.
F.0.
0.0.
H.K.D.
F.0.
NEWS DEPT.
CONS LAR DEPT
DEFENCE DEPT
I.P.D.
I.R.D.
0.0.
NESS DEPT.
DEFENCE DEPT.
DIS
MOD
CONFIDENTIAL
ADVANCE GOPIES SENT.
02
Cypher/Cat A
Copy on FC1 | 14
TOP COPY
(40
401
CONFIDENTIAL
RITY HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
Telno. 1005
CONFIDENTIAL
17 August 1968
A
1 9 AUG 1968
FD 1/1
Addressed to C.O. telegram No. 1005 of 17 August Repeated for
information to:
Peking.
Your telegrams Nos. 1362 and 1386
348
Detainees and Exit Visas.
2
Provided there are no unusual developments in the meantime I propose to
release another three detainees next Tuesday, 20 August.
2. I appreciate the point made in paragraph 2 of your telegram No. 1386.
I should in any case see some local advantage in releasing detainees in
small groups rather than in a single group of 10 or so. I propose
therefore that we should follow the policy of matching the trickle of
exit visas with a trickle of releases of detainees subject to
examination of the circumstances at each time and without aiming at
arithmetical equality. I think the increasing flow of releases will
still be noted by the Chinese even if they are in small groups and that
we shall not lose anything in comparison with the alternative of
releasing in a large group of 10 or so.
3. Hopson has seen this telegram and agrees.
F.O. please pass Priority Peking.
Sir D. Trench
pe
19/8
[Repeated as requested]
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
F.O. F.E.D.
C.O. H.K.D.
F.O. NEWS DEPT.
CONSULAR DEPT.