TNAG-0072-FCO40-108-Annual-report-on-the-colony-s-affairs-for-1967-1968 — Page 29

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Territory and by long standing agreement they have been allowed to cross the

border to work their fields. This practice has continued but the truculent

attitude displayed by the farmers has led to constant friction. The border

bridge at Man Kam To has had to be closed for periods of several weeks despite

protests from the Chinese side, and because of the continuing unrest the army

took over from the Police the responsibility for patrolling the whole of the

border area. Man Kam To however remained a trouble spot. Two off duty policemen

who inadvertently crossed the border at this point were forcibly detained; and a

Senior Inspector of Police, who was engaged in trying to conciliate a group of

villagers in the vicinity of the bridge, was seized by them and forcibly taken

over the border. The Inspector managed to escape, after being held for 36 days,

and made his way back to Hong Kong. The two policemen were returned to the Colony

at the end of November after talks held with Chinese border officials.

The Sha Tau Kok incident was interpreted by the communist press in Hong

Kong as armed support for confrontation and it was followed by renewed violence

both in Kowloon and in Hong Kong Island. Demonstrations were staged in the

vicinity of communist shops and other premises from which gangs emerged to ambush

the Police as they arrived to investigate. Attacks were made on Police units

and on drivers of public vehicles. From the 9th to the 12th July there was a

widespread succession of incidents in hich one policeman and 7 rioters lost

their lives.

The 12th July marked a turning point. Up to this time the various methods

of attack by the communists had been met and contained and they had gained no

ground in their struggle. But it was they that had done most of the attacking

and they had put considerable strain on the Police and on the many public

servants and others who had been forced to work long hours in the maintenance

of public order. On the 12th of July the acting Colonial Secretary announced

in the Legislative Council that this phase was over, that from then on the

Government was determined to grasp and maintain the initiative. This promise

was followed by immediate action. On that day and on the days following strong

parties of Police, backed up by military units, raided the principal communist

strongholds including union premises and schools; they seized stocks of home-

made weapons and explosives as well as inflammatory posters and literature, and

they took into custody a number of persons suspected of subversive activities.

The initial raids were strenuously resisted. In an action against the

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