TNAG-0003-FCO40-39-Commission-of-Enquiry-into-the-Kowloon-disturbances-addition-1968 — Page 196

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT

007 INFORMATION SERVICES

DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN

Tuesday, February 21, 1967

4

1966 KOWLOON RIOTS NOT PREMEDITATED

Report Of Inquiry Commission Published

The Kowloon disturbances of 1966 were not caused by any one factor

or organised with premeditation to achieve any specific social or political

objectives.

This is one of the conclusions of the Commission of Inquiry on the

Kowloon Disturbances 1966, whose Report published in English and Chinese is

released today.

Because of the spontaneity of the outburst the Commission is of the

opinion that "the riots were simply an unpremeditated outcome of the early

demonstrations which got out of hand".

In

In view of the absence of any specific aim it is difficult to

pinpoint with certainty the reasons that led up to the disturbances.

its concluding paragraph the Report says: "We do not believe that

political, economic and social frustrations were the direct cause of the

1966 riots but within the economic and social fields there are factors

that need to be watched, lest they provide inflammable material which

could erupt into disturbances should opportunities arise in the futuro."

These matters are examined in the latter part of the Commission's

Report which discusses in considerable detail the economic background of

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