TNAG-0736-FCO40-940-Local-Intelligence-Committee-assessment-of-political-situati-1978 — Page 31

SECRET

ANNEX

ROYAL ONG KONG POLICE SITUATION AS AT MARCH 1978

1. AT AN EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF THE JPOA ON 2ND MARCH

1978, ATTENDED BY ALMOST ALL. ITS 93 REPRESENTATIVES AND A LARGE (UNINVITED) NUMBER OF THOSE INTERDICTED IN THE YAUMATEI CASE, THREE RESOLUTIONS WERE PASSED 1-

(1) THAT THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE SHOULD SUPPORT THE YAUMATE!

OFFICERS IN ANY WAY THAT WAS LAWFUL:

(11) IF LAWFUL MEANS FAILED, OTHER MEANS (UNSPECIFIED) SHOULD

BE ADOPTED: AND

(111) THAT THE COMMITTEE SHOULD APPROACH THE ICAC COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE OF UMELCO TO DISCUSS OUTSTANDING CORRUPTION CASES

INVOLVING POLICEMEN.

2. THE JPOA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE RESPONDED TO THIS PRESSURE TO

SUPPORT THE YAUMATEI GROUP BY CALLING ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE

SECRETARY TO THE COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE OF UMELCO AND BY SEEKING

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE ACTING DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF POLICE TO PURSUE MATTERS RAISED BY THOSE INVOLVED IN THE YAUMATE! CASE.

ALTHOUGH THEY PROCLAIMED THE LATTER MEETING AS 'UNSATISFACTORY'' THEY DID NOT FOLLOW IT UP WITH ANY MORE DRASTIC ACTION.

3. THERE WAS CONTINUING PRESSURE FROM SOME LEADING MEMBERS OF JPOA DISTRICT COMMITTEES (PARTICULARLY KOWLOON EAST AND WEST DISTRICTS) FOR THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO GIVE STRONGER SUPPORT TO THE YAUMATE GROUP. KOWLOON EAST DISTRICT, IN PARTICULAR,

EMERGED AS THE DISTRICT WITH THE STRONGEST RADICAL INFLUENCE.

IF SUCH PRESSURE PERSISTS IT COULD AFFECT THE UNEASY COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE MODERATES AND THE RADICALS IN THE JPO A EXECUTIVE

COMMITTEE.

4. HOWEVER, DURING THE MONTH, THE JPO A EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, WAS

ABLE TO DEVOTE MORE TIME TO OTHER MATTERS, ASSISTED LARGELY BY A DECISION OF THE INTERDICTED OFFICERS (WHO UNTIL MID-MARCH USED THE JPOA OFFICES) TO HOLD THEIR MEETINGS IN OTHER PREMISES.

THE PRESSURE ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MAY ALSO HAVE BEEN REDUCED

BY THE ACQUITTAL OF ALL TEN DEFENDANTS IN THE WONG TAI SIN

CONSPIRACY TRIAL AND THE FACT THAT ALL EIGHT APPEALS AGAINST

DISCIPLINARY ACTION IN THE HUTCHISON HOUSE CASE WERE REJECTED. THERE WAS NO ADVERSE REACTION IN THE POLICE TO THE OUTCOME OF

THESE CASES.

3 SECRET

15. BY