TNAG-0294-FCO40-330-Recruitment-of-officers-from-other-countries-by-Government-o-1971 — Page 19

Reference

Mr Laird

RECRUITMENT OF INSPECTORS OF POLICE FOR HONG KONG

1.

Previous papers below refer.

2. Despite the agreement of FCO Departments and even the letter from Morgan, Head of Chancery, Pretoria (Flag C), I strongly advise against Hong Kong recruiting police in South Africa.

3. I do so for the following reasons:-

(a)

any South African policeman in service since about 1967 (when South Africa refused to allow dual nationality) was obliged to become a South African citizen and has, therefore, surrendered his previous passport and sworn to renounce any former allegiances (ie. in this context, Britain and HM The Queen);

about the same time and because of

(b)

8SAP = Britian

Sunt Africa

быльл

крита

lohive.

defections following UDI, a similar policy was adopted with BSAP in Rhodesia;

(c)

M

Clewley

4.

(a)

most South African and many Rhodesian policemen are Afrikaans or Afrikaans sympathisers who, in varying degrees, are bitter opponents of Britain;

to a greater (South Africa) or lesser extent (Rhodesia) ALL BSAP are active

supporters - and upholders - of apartheid; (and Chinese to a South African are normally "nie blankes");

(e) although there are still amber of British passport holders in South Africa, their numbers are greatly reduced and few, if any, would have BS AP experience.

There are, of course, exceptions and I do not doubt that some, if not all, the officers from Southern Africa already recruited by Hong Kong are admirable. They are, however, likely to be the ones who left South Africa because they strongly disagreed with apartheid and are therefore in a very different category from those still serving or for that matter still living in South Africa.

How you put you

6'' the не

daulli

Orten

dopti? If not. pl.

1.b.

JA Clewley

23, September 1971

ヒ

24/9

DD 737719 557664 500M 2/71 GM 3643/2