TNAG-0402-FCO40-448-Review-of-the-death-sentence-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 81

CONFIDENTIAL

4.

ONE CAN POINT OUT, AS I HAVE DONE AD NAUSEOM, THAT HONG KONG

SHOULD RESIGN ITSELF TO LIVE WITH THIS PHENOMENON WHICH MUST BE

UNIQUE IN BRITISH PARLIAMENTARY HISTORY, BUT WHILE THIS MIGHT

BE ALL VERY WELL IF THE MATTER WERE SMALL, FOR SOMETHING WHICH THE POPULATIONS BELIEVES VITALLY AFFECTS ITS SAFETY, IT ONLY

INFURIATES.

PEOPLE

5. THE POINT ABOUT LACK OF AN ELECTED ASSEMBLY APPEARS TO

HERE TO BE EQUIVOCAL BECAUSE IN THIS CASE THE WISHES OF THE

POPULATION AT ALL LEVELS ARE NOT IN DOUBT. NOR CAN PEOPLE HERE

BE CONVINCED THAT THERE IS ANY NEED TO APPLY TO HONG KONG IN TIME OF PEACE MEASURES THOUGHT SUITABLE FOR NORTHERN IRELAND IN

TIME OF URBAN GUERILLA WAR. EVERYONE KNOWS THE SOCIAL SITUATIONS

ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT AS WELL AS DECADES AND THOUSANDS OF MILES

APART.

6. I APOLOGISE FOR PUTTING ALL THIS SO FRANKLY, BUT I WISH

YOU TO UNDERSTAND HOW LOCAL PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT THE ISSUE, AS I

FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ASSESS EXACTLY WHERE THE PROPOSED ACTION

MIGHT LAND US. AT

AT ITS LESS SOPHISTICATED LEVELS THE POPULATION

IS PROBABLY SOMEWHAT PRECONDITIONED BY THE TSO I CASE AS TO WHAT

TO EXPECT THOUGH TOTALLY OPPOSED TO IT. ABOLITION WOULD HIT

HARDEST AT THOSE CONCERNED WITH THE PRINCIPLE OF U.K. INTERFERENCE

IN WHAT THEY FEEL IS ESSENTIALLY A HONG KONG AFFAIR THIS MEANS

THE ESTABLISHMENT AND THE CHINESE PRESS. THESE ELEMENTS ARE

WELL PLACED TO WORK ON THE POPULATION.

AMOUNT TO MORE THAN A WEEK'S WONDER.

SOME RESIGNATIONS FROM EX-CO AND LEG-CO. MY OWN POSITION WOULD

BE SHAKEN. THE SHOCK TO POLICE MORALE WOULD BE CONSIDERABLE,

MURDERS WOULD CONTINUE, AND EACH ONE COULD BE AN EXCUSE FOR A

FURTHER OUTCRY ALONG THE LINES ''BUT FOR THE BRITISH MY SON

WOULD NOT HAVE DIED''. IF CRIME AND IN PARTICULAR MURDER DECLINED

THE AGITATION WOULD DIE A NATURAL DEATH, BUT IF IT INCREASED

WE WOULD NOT HAVE A LEG TO STAND ON.

7.

IT WOULD CERTAINLY

THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE

THESE RISKS ARE WORTH A CONSIDERABLE EFFORT TO AVOID.

THEREFORE COULD NOT THIS ISSUE SOMEHOW BE TAKEN OUT OF THE

POLITICAL ARENA IN THE U.K. AND VIEWED ON AN OBJECTIVE ASSESS-

MENT OF WHAT IS RIGHT FOR HONG KONG?

2 CONFIDENTIAL

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