TNAG-0016-FCO40-52-Kowloon-disturbances-1968 — Page 164

HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 1817 TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

-2-

MEETINGS, STRESS WAS LAID ON THE NEED TO STRENGTHEN CONTACT

BETWEEN PARENTS AND TEACHERS TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS ARE NOT

WITHDRAWN FROM COMMUNIST SCHOOLS.

DO FURTHER 'STUDY GROUP'' MEETINGS AT A NUMBER OF COMMUNIST

UNIONS DURING WHICH GOVERNMENT WAS DENOUNCED FOR CAUSING UNEMPLOYMENT

SUPPRESSING ''PATRIOTIC'' SCHOOLS AND DEVALUING THE

LOCAL CURRENCY. ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE FOR THE PAYMENT OF DECEMBER

ง ง STRIKE' '' ALLOWANCE, BUT AT A NUMBER OF UNIONS THESE PAYMENTS

WERE SUSPENDED IN THE CASE OF MANY MEMBERS WHO HAVE TAKEN ALTERNATIVE

EMPLOYMENT AND/OR WHO HAVE FAILED TO ATTEND ''STUDY GROUP'' MEETINGS.

E) FURTHER MINOR INCIDENTS IN THE BORDER AREA. STONES WERE THROWN

AND CATAPULTED DAILY BY YOUTHS FROM CHINESE TERRITORY AT THE

MILITARY POST AT SHA TAU KOK, BRITISH TERRITORY BEGINNING ON 26TH

NOVEMBER WHEN BRITISH TROOPS FOR THE FIRST TIME TOOK OVER DUTIES

ON THE FRONTIER. A PARTY SURVEYING THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY FENCES

WAS ALSO STONED. IN ALL TWO SOLDIERS WERE SLIGHTLY INJURED. WORK

HAS BEEN SUSPENDED ON THE REMOVAL OF THE SECONDARY AND THE REPAIR

OF THE PRIMARY FENCES PENDING REPRESENTATIONS TO THE CHINESE

BORDER AUTHORITIES. IN THE MAN KAM TO AND LO WU AREAS THIS

WORK HAD EARLIER BEEN CARRIED OUT WITHOUT INCIDENT.

F) THE CONTINUED SUPPLY OF FOOD AND OTHER PRODUCE FROM CHINA BY

RAIL AND SEA. QUANTITIES OF LIVESTOCK AND MARKET PRODUCE HAVE

ENTERED THE COLONY BY ROAD SINCE THE RE-OPENING OF THE MAN KAM TO

BRIDGE ON 26TH NOVEMBER.

) CONTINUED ANTI-BRITISH PROPAGANDA IN THE COMMUNIST PRESS. THE

MAIN THEME HAS BEEN CONDEMNATION OF GOVERNMENT'S 'FASCIST

SUPPRESSION OF PATRIOTIC SCHOOLS IN GENERAL AND THE CLOSURE OF

THE CHUNG WAH MIDDLE SCHOOL IN PARTICULAR. STATEMENTS ON THIS

SUBJECT ISSUED BY VARIOUS ANTI PERSECUTION STRUGGLE COMMITTEES ·

CALLED ON 'PATRIOTIC' STUDENTS AND WORKERS TO LAUNCH 'PERSISTENT

COUNTER-ATTACKS' AGAINST GÖVERNMENT. DEVALUATION HAS CONTINUED

TO BE ATTACKED, AND SINCE 29TH NOVEMBER EMPHASIS HAS BEEN PLACED

ALSO ON THE BORDER NEGOTIATIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN HAILED AS A

'VICTORY', AND AN INDICATION OF FULL SUPPORT FROM THE CPG FOR

THE LOCAL 'STRUGGLE'.

12.

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