TNAG-0402-FCO40-448-Review-of-the-death-sentence-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 80

GPS 780

CYPHER CAT A

FM HONGKONG 190701Z

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

гор сору

C

150)

What ha

ين

Stew. de u/s the Cormor.

Warth not listed

TO ROUTINE F C O TELEGRAM NUMBER 789 OF 19 JULY. 1973

MIPT.

thr you.

y

Comittees dean imm

تعلا

ki dan ding Marding

I CANNOT SUFFICIENTLY EMPHASISE THE GRAVITY AND BITTERNESS

OF THE SITUATION WHICH ABOLITION WOULD CREATE HERE.

MY CONCERN

IS THAT AS SEEN FROM WHITEHALL ABOLITION MAY APPEAR TO BE IN U.K. PARLIAMENTARY TERMS A NEAT WAY OUT, BECAUSE THE POWERS TO OVERRULE THE CONSTITUTED AUTHORITIES HERE EXIST. IT MIGHT ALSO BE FELT THAT IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS A COLONY MUST BE PREPARED TO DO AS IT IS TOLD.

#

2. IN A POLITICAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL SENSE THESE PROPOSITIONS 7 ARE OF COURSE CORRECT, AND ARE ACCEPTED HOWEVER RELUCTANTLY BY THE ESTABLISHMENT AND PUBLIC HERE, BUT THERE IS A LOT OF HISTORY BEHIND THE WAY THEY HAVE BEEN APPLIED OVER THE YEARS, AND THIS HAS GIVEN RISE TO AN ASSUMPTION THAT THEY ONLY WILL BE APPLIED

WHEN H M G'S FINANCIAL AND POLITICAL INTERESTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

CLASH WITH THOSE OF HONG KONG. SUCH SITUATIONS APART, THE TRADITION TO WHICH EVERYONE HERE IS ACCUSTOMED IS CONTROL BY A VERY LIGHT

REIN INDEED. WITH REGARD TO THE DEATH SENTENCE AND THE ADVICE THAT H M G GIVES TO THE CROWN ON PETITIONS FOR MERCY, A CONSTANT

POLICY HAS BEEN FOLLOWED BY SUCCESSIVE GOVERNMENTS BOTH BEFORE

AND AFTER THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH SENTENCE IN THE U.K.

PRESUMABLY ON THE THESIS THAT THIS IS ESSENTIALLY A MATTER OF LOCAL CIRCUMSTANCES, LOCAL JUDGEMENT AND LOCAL SENTIMENT.

3. SO AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND ABOLITION OF THE SENTENCE BY THE

U.K. AGAINST THE WISHES OF THE POPULATION AND LEGISLATURE WILL

APPEAR UNPRECEDENTED AS WELL AS BOTH CAPRICIOUS AND ARBITRARY.

MOREOVER IT CARRIES WITH IT AN IMPLICATION OF WESTERN SUPERIORITY IN HUMANITY, WHICH IS AS OFFENSIVE AS I KNOW IT IS UNINTENDED.

AS AN EXASPERATED IF HIGHLY RESPECTED PERSON PUT IT TO ME ''IF

THIS WAS ABOUT CANNIBALISM OR SLAVERY I WOULD UNDERSTAND’'

CONFIDENTIAL

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