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This is what I hope you will earnestly consider and agree with: that if the object is to successfully secure Godber's extradition without incident then we must be patient just a little longer (after all, many have waited 10 years for genuine action and another few months will not make any difference); that we should subtly use Godber to support our broader claims which are, of course, far more important than the head of one man.
If you are in agreement with these objectives could I ask you to consider taking up this position: that the HKTS will also mark-time and refrain from any direct action other than that suggested below, for a period of three months? I notice that the HKTS and left-wing groups are considering moving from the petition to secure extradition to what one left-wing leader described as the "action phase", and that last Sunday the HKFS organised a rally in Victoria Park, and planned one for Kowloon. Would you please consider my humble advice that rallies and demonstrat- ions, no matter how peacefully intended and genuinely organised, can lead to complications, that these complications could severely damage the very strong position in whi It is quite possible that even can be exploited by either hool employed by criminal elements w n the police force. In the 1966 'Star Ferry' riots a Eurasian yo a known police informer, was injected into the ranks of peacei demonstrators at the ferry concourse. He urged more militant action and self led mob attacks on property. He acted as an agent provocateur
then denounced those he had incited to more militant acts. We are still trying to have a genuine investigation carried out into the three criminal British CID officers' involved in this plot.
the anti-corruption cause now stands. eacefully intended public meeting elemonts or agents provocateurs
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If you organise a peacefully intended demonstration it could escalate to riots. Were that to happen then public opinion might react very sharply against you and your participation in the anti-corruption cause. No matter how well planned your demonstration may be or how genuine it is, it is too late after the event and it would be a great mistake to endanger the overall anti-corruption cause at this stage.
Of course, we must not lose sight of the fact that if we do not maintain our interest in Godber then the Government might hope we have all forgotten about it. This is a possibility, although I do not think in this case it is a well-founded fear. Can I suggest a course of action for the HKFS to consider following? I am sure that if you personally seek an interview with Commissioner Charles Sutcliffe offering to cooperate with him at this sensitive time, he will grant it and be keen to know how he can cooperate with you. If you were to request that he allow the HKFS to erect a small kiosk with a modestly worded. invitation (for example, 'Please sign our petition calling for the extradition of former Chief Superintendent Godber') at Star Ferry concourse, and that you advise him that you will staff the kiook with no more than two students who will sit quietly accepting signatures for your petition, I am sure he would give the HKFS a sympathetic hearing. It is quite possible that he would grant this request if you could assure him that you will organise no public demonstrations for three months. In this way the HKFS can keep alive the issue of extraditing Godber without endangering, however unintentionally, public peace and can help prevent any damage to property and, more important, possible loss of life. The HKFS would also have a far greater chance of collecting many more signatures, to strengthen the weight of its petition. You will know more than I do here the present height of public resentment and disgust over Gobder and that it may only take an unintended spark to ignite this feeling, to the cost of everybody. Mr Sutcliffe is an honest and reasonable man and I am sure ho will
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