TNAG-0065-FCO40-101-Local-intelligence-reports-1968 — Page 63

Cypher/Cat A

3/m

p.a.

SECRET

Als 13

IMEDIATE HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Telno. 299

SECRET

11 March 1968

47

TOP COPY

RECEIVED IN

ARCHIVES Nɔ. 63

12 MAR 1968

HUB

Addressed to Commonwealth Office telegram No. 299 of 11 March, Repeated for information to POLAD Singapore, Washington, HC. Canberra, and Peking.

For Commonwealth Office and Cabinet for JIC.

Following from LIC.

Weekly assessment of the situation as at 0600 11 March follows in two parts (part 1 only for Canberra and Peking).

PART 1.

(a) One hoax bomb planted in a resettlement estate.

(b) Two incidents, involving the drivers of dual purpose vehicles (D.P.V.). stopped by police for traffic offences, were followed by Communist demonstrations. On March 8 persons were arrested in a demonstration outside a police station and on 7 March 5 persons were arrested inside & China products store following an assault on a traffic police constable (telegrams Nos. 279 and 296 refer). Representatives of the Major Communist Transportation Union visited Police Headquarters in an orderly protest over the first arrests.

(c) Visits to Government offices by six delegations representing Communist Unions to protest over Government's interference' with the import of gift rice from Kwangtung and meetings by Unions and other Communist organisations. Although showing hostility, the delegations dispersed without incident.

(a) Further celebrations by Communist organisations to mark the formation of the Kwangtung Provincial Revolutionary Committee including one large rally at a Communist theatre where a neutral Press photographer was manhandled and the film removed from his camera.

(e) Several meetings of members of the Major Communist Transport Union at the first of which it was indicated to senior representatives in confidence that the Federation of Trade Unions had directed a return to work and that 'strike allowance' funds from China would probably cease in the near future. At a later meeting this information having apparently been leaked, many members expressed their disillusionment over the directive and recalled previous pledges of full support from China until 'final victory'.

/On 10 March

อ

SECRET