TNAG-0103-FCO40-139-Briefs-and-background-notes-for-Lord-Shepherd-1967 — Page 87

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violent resistance to police attempts to take down inflammatory posters.

In the face of this violence, the Government adopted tougher countor

measures including the raiding of headquarters and focal points of

Communist organisations and activities. This policy succeeded in

disrupting the Communist leadership and further depressing Communist

norale.

5. Meanwhile, there had been a number of border incidents generally

consisting of attacks on frontier installations by civilians from Chinese

territory. In a particularly serious incident at Sha Tau Kok on 8 July,

five policemen were killed by nachine gun fire for which the Chinese

militia are believed to have been responsible. After another serious

incident on 11th August at Man Kan To, the main road crossing point, the

border was temporarily closed. Border incidents continued and involved

Chinese civilians, many of whon work fields in British territory. In

general, the Peoples Liberation Army sought to prevent border incidents

by seeking to control the pass novenent of Chinese civilians. But the

Army was unwilling to press their control beyond a certain point, after

which the soldiers stood back and let the people through. Recently there

have been indications that Chinese military control at the border has been

nore effective.

6. Because of these incursions and because of reports of unsettled

conditions in Kwangtung Province which could produce a repetition of the

1962 influx of refugees, the Hong Kong Government put in hand the building

of a 30 foot wide barbed wire barrier along the length (but well to the

south) of the border line.

7.

Throughout the campaign of confrontation the Communist and pro-

Communist Press conducted a constant barrage of vitriolic propaganda and

incitement and in particular sought to cause disaffection in the Police.

Many Pross employees were involved in law-breaking. Consequently,

prosecutions were instituted against three of the lesser Communist

/newspapers;

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