TNAG-0072-FCO40-108-Annual-report-on-the-colony-s-affairs-for-1967-1968 — Page 28

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complex of Tsuen Wan but, mainly due to the firm linc taken by the leaders

of the New Territories Heung Yee Kuk, who came out strongly on the side of

law and order, there had been only a few minor incidents. In the sensitive

area of the land frontier with China it had been mainly 2 propaganda war

carried out on the Chinese side of the border. There had been demonstrations,

often on a large scale; a loudspeaker had been set up at the border station of

Lo Wu which at regular intervals poured out a stream of anti-British propaganda;

trains from China were plastered with posters and even cattle imported into

the Colony had slogans painted on their sides.

There was however no overt violence until the 24th of June when a crowd

of abour 200 people attacked the Police post at Sha Tau Kok with stones and

bottles. They were dispersed by gas shells and order was restored. This

incident was followed on the 26th of June, by the first protest made by the

Peking Government at diplomatic level since confrontation began. [In

In a note to

the British Chargé d' Affairs at Peking the Ministry of Foreign Affairs protested

at the Police action and again insisted that the demands made in May must be

accepted.

further

On the 8th July there was a/mob attack at Sha Tau Kok. The Police post

was attacked and when the Police opened fire with greener guns both the post

and the Rural Committee Office, where another Police company had been stationed

came under heavy sniping and machine gun fire including fire from Chinese

militia. A detachment from the 1/10 Gurkha Rifles was called out to assist

the Police and with the aid of armoured cars they relieved the Police companies,

eleven

which by then had five men killed and thirteen wounded.

This incident received wide publicity and gave rise to some exaggerated

and alarmist reports overseas. It was a serious affair but it was not an

attempt at armed invasion of the Colony. No regular units of the Chinese army

were involved and indeed throughout confrontation this force has been more

concerned to prevent such incidents than to foment them. All the evidence

suggests that it was a purely local affair organised and exccuted by the

villagers in the immediate vicinity.

Since then the border remained unsettled and while there was no

repetition of violence on the same scale there was a succession of、

To.

incidents at Lo wu, at Sha Tau Kok, and at the road crossing at Man Kam

A number of farmers living on the Chinese side own land in British

CONFIDENTIAL

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