TNAG-0033-FCO40-69-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 92

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warders once said that no one could live in such cells for more than three months. So they have to acknowledge that it is a miracle for some of our relatives who have now been detained there for nearly a year. In fact, this is no miracle. It is the strong power of Mao Tse-tung's thought.

The interrogation under tortures which our inmates were subjected to in the concentration camp is hardly conceivable for those who have not gone through them. Let us cite a few examples. One of our relatives was stripped and interrogated day and night for a few days. Others were beaten up time and again at the interrogation till they fainted. Then they were doused with cold water and interrogation was resumed when they came to themselves. Yet others were interrogated continuously for nearly 20 days without sleep. Some of them were forced to stand up after they dosed off for only half an hour. During the winter, some of our relatives, with no warm clothing, were interrogated in air-cooled rooms. Others were taken around the camp blind-folded in a deliberate attempt to terrorize them. Last winter our relatives were made to take cold showers at five o'clock each morning, and many of them became ill. . . . Having been beaten up, quite a number of our relatives were wounded but were given no medical care. Similar examples on maltreatment are too numerous to list.

As far as living conditions are concerned, the agents never let go any chance to persecute the inmates. For a long time they were not given enough to eat. Their meals consisted of rice mixed with sand, sprouted potatoes and sometimes stale fish. Many of our relatives contracted disease because of malnutrition. When they fell sick, a European doctor in the camp nicknamed 'miracle doctor' would attend them. He was so nick- named because a single glance is enough for him to know whether one is ill or not, or what kind of disease one is suffering from. In most cases, he would prescribe nothing. One of our relatives was examined by the 'doctor' for more than ten times. But he was never given a single pill. When at times the doctor does prescribe, what he gives is almost always limited to the same two kinds of pills no matter what the patient is suffer- ing from. Thus some of our relatives have become weaker and weaker.

Going to the lavatory, taking a bath, or having a wash-all provides opportunities for the warders to torment our relatives. When one wants to go to the lavatory one has to ask the warders to let one out. The warders often take their time to make the inmate suffer. Or he sets a strict time limit when he does let the inmate out. Even in hot weather, the inmates are sometimes not allowed to bathe or wash themselves.

The camp authorities have concocted all sorts of devices to humiliate or torture our detained relatives. Those in Block C, for example, were handcuffed when they were brought out of their cells to walk through an open space to meet their visitors. This was said to be done 'for security's sake'. What sophistry! The camp is guarded by troops, police, secret agents, Ghurkas, police dogs, plus high walls and wired barriers. And there are a total of nine locked doors between Block C and the entrance of the camp. Isn't there enough 'security'? Or is it that our relatives could fly or disappear through the ground? This in one way also illustrates the Hongkong British authorities' cowardice and lack of confidence. Standing by our relatives, we have waged resolute struggle against the handcuffing of our relatives. But

But up till now, the camp authorities, pleading 'regula- tions', have not yet discontinued this practice.

All the above-mentioned is only a few instances of the fascist atrocities which the camp authorities have imposed on our relatives. They are too