0003160 G.F. 316
SECRET
224
Copy No.
SAVINGRAM
From:
The Governor, Hong Kong.
Repeated:
To:
The Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs
P.A. to C. in C. F.E. Peking
45
42
Tamsui
16
No:
521
Manila
C. in C. F.E.
12 M/178
Date:
November 20th, 1967.
Ref:
TS.2/57 III
10
L.I.C. MONTHLY INTERNAL INTELLIGENCE REPORT
JUNE, 1967
The month of May saw the failure of communist street
This fact, coupled demonstrations to gain the support of the public. with the increasing reluctance of communist rank and file to expose themselves to arrest, led to a change of tactics by the communists. During the latter half of May there had been an increasing use of inflammatory posters and slogans preaching sedition and disaffection, a weapon which required less exposure of personnel involved, and by the beginning of June, posters replaced demonstrations as the main weapon in the confrontation with Government.
2.
On 1st June, Government promulgated the Emergency (Prevention of Inflammatory Posters) Regulations, which made the display or possession of posters an offence. The same day, members of the communist Marine Department Chinese Employees' Union (M.D.C.E.U.) employed at the Yaumati Government Slipway (Y.G.S.) stopped work when a Senior Marine Officer refused to apologise for ordering posters to be removed and refused to submit to demands that they be replaced. The workers barricaded the gate of the slipway and detained four European staff members in their offices for the remainder of the day. The following day Government interdicted two hundred workers at the Slipway, but despite this, and although a number of non-communist workers were frightened to return because of communist pressure, third of the labour force reported for duty. This number gradually increased during the days that followed and it is known that the M.D.C.E.U. was rebuked for taking independent strike action by the All Circles Anti-Persecution Struggle Committee (A.C.A.F.S.C.), providing an example of the lack of co-ordination in communist circles that was to characterise the month.
3.
a
The firm response of Government to the communist challenge at the Slipway set an example for private management, and on 2nd June the Star Ferry Company issued notices to their workers explaining the law on posters, and instructing that they be removed from vessels and piers.
40
The C.P.G, reaction to the situation in Hong Kong was indicated in a People's Daily editorial on 3rd June which called on Chinese in Hong Kong "to organise a courageous struggle against the British and to be ready to respond to the call of the mother land for smashing the reactionary rule of the British". However, it was emphasised that the Hong Kong working class was to remain the main force of the struggle, thus indicating that the local communists should not expect physical assistance from China. Nevertheless, the local communist press published this editorial in a special edition and openly interpreted it as a declaration of full support by the C.P.G.
15.
SECRET
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