TNAG-0066-FCO40-102-Local-intelligence-reports-1968 — Page 4

CYPHER/CAT A

IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TTLEGRAM NUMBER 2604

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TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

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14 OCTOBER 1968

ADDRESSED CO TELEGRAM MO. 2224 OF 14TH OCTOBER REPEATED PA SINGAPORE

MSHINGTON, CANBERRA AND SAVING TO PEKING.

FOR COMMONWEALTH OFFICE AND CABINET OFFICE FOR JIC FOLLOWING

FROM LIC. WEEKLY ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION AS AT 060Ø HOURS

14TH OCTOBER 1963 FOLLOWS

THE PRINCIPAL FEATURES OF THE PERIOD HAVE SEEN;

(A) CELEBRATIONS MARKING THE K.N.T. NATIONAL DAY ON 18TH OCTOBER SEMICOLON ATTENDANCE AT MAJOR FUNCTIONS WAS ON A SIMILAR SCALE TO PREVIOUS YEARS, BUT THERE WAS A MARKED INCREASE IN FLAGS AND DECORATIONS IN KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES COMPARED WITH 1967. SPEECHES WERE GENERALLY IN A LOW-KEY WITH ONLY PASSING REFERENCE TO LOCAL COMMUNIST ACTIVITIES. SEVERAL MINOR DISPUTES AROSE OVER THE DISPLAY OF K.M.T. FLAGS BUT, APART FROM A FIGHT BETWEEN FOURTEEN

OMMUNIST AND RIGHT-WING WORKERS IN A UNION PREMISES RESULTING IN THREE OF THE LATTER BEING CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL ASSAULT, THERE WERE

NO INCIDENTS. THE COMMUNIST PRESS HAS FEATURED VIOLENT ATTACKS ON THE TAIWAN AUTHORITIES AND ACCUSED GOVERNMENT OF COLLUSION WITH 'U.S./

CHIANG ELEMENTS IN FORCING LOCAL RESIDENTS TO SUPPORT THE CELEBRAT-

JONS, CLEARLY AN ATTEMPT BY THE LOCAL COMMUNIST HIERARCHY TO COUNTER AND EXPLAIN AWAY TO SUBORDINATES AND PERHAPS PEKING, THE OUTWARD

DISPLAY OF ANTI-COMMUNIST SENTIMENTS OF A LARGE NUMBER OF HONG KONG

TESIDENTS.

(B) THE RESUMPTION ON 12TH OCTOBER OF COMMUNIST SPONSORED VARIETY

SHOWS MARKING THE C.P.G. NATIONAL DAY WHICH ARE DUE TO CONTINUE

UNIL 22ND OCTOBER SEMICOLON ALL OTHER COMMUNIST FUNCTIONS ARE NOW

OVER AND DECORATIONS HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM COMMUNIST PREMISES.

(C) THE RELEASE ON 12TH OCTOBER OF SIX EMERGENCY DETAINEES,

INCLUDING A FEMALE COMMUNIST FILM STAR AND THE EX-HEADMASTER OF THE

IEREGISTERED CHUNG WA SCHOOL (TELEGRAM 2888). LITTLE REACTION HAS

BEEN SEEN AS YET APART FROM INITIAL WIDESPREAD COVERAGE IN ALL

SECTIONS OF THE LOCAL PRESS.

(D) CONTINUING CONCERN OF FEDERATION OF TRADE UNION OFFICIALS AT THE POOR MORALE OF 'STRIKERS', BUT PRESSURE TO OBTAIN

ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENT IS BEING MAINTAINED.

VE) THE ARREST OF A NUMBER OF PERSONS IN CONNECTION WITH ABDUCTIONS IN THE BORDER AREA TO CHINESE TERRITORY (PARAGRAPH 1(G) OF TELEGRAM 2867 AND 2882). THE AREA HAS REMAINED COMPARATIVELY QUIET APART

FROM ONE MINOR STONING INCIDENT.

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