CONFIDENTIAL
21
Cypher/Cat A
Ongerea H4A3/5,
PRIORITY HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
Telno 1253 17 August 1967
CONFIDENTIAL
DARD) 2.63
иншоч
Addressed to Commonwealth Office telegram No 1253 of 17 August Repeated for information to Peking, POLAD Singapore and Washington
My immediately preceding telegram.
Political.
No serious attempt is being made in Canton to set up a triple alliance or any other form of Revolutionary Committee. Control of the Province seems to be firmly in the hands of the P.L.A. who now make no effort to support either the Maoist Red Guards (many of whom come from the north) or the other groups with whom the Red Guards are at loggerheads and who are frequently, but not always necessarily correctly, called "pro-Liu". It is more probable that they are against the excesses and chaos of the cultural revolution, The P.L.A. simply hold the ring.
Public Security.
2. Meanwhile the Public Security Bureaux seem to have given up trying to maintain control in the city and the general populace are at the mercy of the rival gangs including escaped criminals who rob and murder at will. Curfews are often imposod and people are frequently afraid to venture out in the streets, A major clash on 23 July was followed by others on 6 and 11 August, in all of which firearms have been used. These have sometimes been stolen from the Public Security Bureaux and P.L.A. and there have been numerous fatal casualties, with mutilations and bodies left hanging on lamp posts.
Communications,
3. Since railway workers appear to be closely involved in the political struggle the service to the border has been erratic and disorganised with the main railway station out of commission, and
This makes it unnecessary passengers boarding at a suburban station.
to go into the city. Thus to foreigners passing between airport and railway station Canton has presented of late a picture of relative normalcy. At this moment however only foreigners apparently being allowed to use the train arc overseas Chines
CONFIDENTIAL
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