37 Village Farm,
old Bilton, HARROGATE,
N.Yorkshire.
5 Dec. 1977.
(338)
The Foreign Secretary, HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Dear Sir,
I had drafted a letter to you on the Bermuda question when I read the statement by Mr. Arthur Latham, which was almost identical with part of my draft letter.
Whilst it may be true that you had no power to "intervene" to stop the executions (although the warrants would presumably be signed by Her Majesty), you could have given strong advice to the effect that this backward step of 34 years would be the Governor's responsibility, and that he could expect no troops or other assist- ance to meet any crisis which resulted from it.
Bermuda's alleged domestic self-government can rely, it seems, on outside forces to solve its political problems. This is certainly a novel independence. Whilst agreements to defend from external attack would be in order, any understanding to crush opposition parties (or keep order, which is the euphemism usually applied) is original and not in order.
The only happy note to strike me is the lesson given to those people in Britain who want capital punishment back for terror- ism, and some for all murders. If their intention is to end the Ulster situation this way, they should turn their eyes on the new Ulster created by it in Bermuda.
Yours faithfully
A.H.Slater.
1)Ack. reply to fellow 2) 41 x (qu. Dept
ни
to & plx
29/12
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HKG 3867,
RECEIVED
DIE DRAGORY NO. 51
1 4DEC 1977
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
No
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken
ве
See 1368
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