TNAG-0186-FCO40-222-Special-branch-reports-on-Communist-activities-1969 — Page 15

28.

Nevertheless the decision to concentrate on

"winning over the population" by friendly gestures and

by concentrating on exploiting grievances, whether real

or imagined, is bound to attract additional support

for the communists, even if only on a very gradual basis.

In Hong Kong as elsewhere there are always people who

have a grievance against Government

<<

or against society

generally. If they feel there is no other organisation

to champion their cause such people may be only too

willing to follow the communists.

29.

A comparison between the tactics used by the

communist newspapers during the period 1956-58 and those

followed today is of particular interest; attacks on

Government, in support of a widespread united front

campaign to win over the population into the communist

camp, is once again a prime function of the communist

propaganda machine. Then, as now, despite these

attacks there was a marked absence of militant communist

activity on the ground. There is little doubt that

the communists achieved some degree of success between

1956 and 1958 and it is not unlikely that the current

campaign will also show some results.

30.

-

Public memory tends to be short, and constant

allegations of acts of persecution and petty tyranny by

Government may, in course of time, come to be believed

by an increasing sector of the public particularly

if the communists use a more sophisticated approach in

their propaganda. Consequently, although only making a

slow recovery in its circulation, the communist press

has considerable potential. It is currently being

subjected to tighter overall control and co-ordination.

and this could, in the long term, result in it becoming

an increasing threat to the Hong Kong Government.

CONFIDENTIAL