TNAG-0609-FCO40-757-Local-Intelligence-Committee-assessment-of-political-situati-1977 — Page 6

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13. DISCUSSION OF THE RANK AND FILE GRIEVANCES, AIRED INITIALLY IN THE PETITION PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSIONER ON 26 OCTOBER,

HAS BEEN PURSUED THROUGH ESTABLISHED CONSTITUTIONAL CHANNELS:

THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF POLICE HAS CONTINUED HIS MEETINGS

WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE RANK AND FILE. A SELF APPOINTED

PREPARATORY COMMITTEE, CONSISTING OF NINE SERVING OFFICERS AND NINE INTERDICTED OFFICERS HAS CONTINUED, IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY

FORMAL ELECTIONS TO LAY THE BASIS FOR THIS ASSOCIATION: ITS

MEMBERS HAVE FOLLOWED A MODERATE LINE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH A

SPECIAL ADVISORY TEAM ASSIGNED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR THIS

PURPOSE, THE ASSOCIATION IS EXPECTED TO BE REGISTERED ON 7

DECEMBER AND THE RANK AND FILE HAVE ACCEPTED THAT NO INTERDICTED

OFFICERS MAY THEREAFTER HOLD OFFICE IN THE ASSOCIATION.

14. REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INTERDICTED OFFICERS ALSO APPLIED

FOR PERMISSION TO VISIT LONDON TO PETITION THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,

THE LORDS AND PRINCESS ALEXANDRA, HONORARY COMMANDANT OF THE RHKP BUT ACCEPTED THE COMMISSIONER'S REFUSAL ON THE GROUNDS THAT

ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES MUST BE FOLLOWED.

15. HOWEVER, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE REMAINING INTERDICTED OFFICERS WERE GRANTED A PRIVATE INTERVIEW BY SIR Y K KAN CHAIRMAN OF THE

ICAC COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE, TO PUT FORWARD GRIEVANCES.

16. A POLICE SUPPORT GROUP, CHAIRED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, WITH MEMBERSHIP LIMITED TO SENIOR GOVERNMENT AND POLICE OFFICERS, MET FIRST ON 25 NOVEMBER AND WILL MEET REGULARLY TO CONSIDER

MEASURES TO BE TAKEN TO IMPROVE MORALE, CONDITIONS OF SERVICE AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE FORCE AND TO IMPROVE THE RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN THE FORCE, ICAC AND THE PUBLIC.

17. THE MORALE AND PUBLIC STANDING OF THE ENGLISH SPEAKING

OFFICERS OF THE FORCE HAVE BEEN ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY CRITICAL COMMENT ON THE FORCE IN THE LOCAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE PRESS AND IN

THE BRITISH PRESS, ALTHOUGH THE INDEPENDENT CHINESE LANGUAGE

PRESS HAS BEEN MORE RESTRAINED. THE COMMUNIST PRESS HAS

CONTINUED TO REPORT FACTUALLY AND WITHOUT EDITORIAL COMMENT.

THE LOCAL CHINESE COMMUNIST AND KUOMINTANG LEADERSHIP HAVE

REMAINED SILENT IN PUBLIC. IN PRIVATE, WE BELIEVE THAT THE COMMUN- STS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE POSITION OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.

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