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Page No. 2 of 5 Pages
Since Wong Tai Sin has emphasised the recent failures of ICAC/ to obtain convictions in Court many of the interdicted officers must feel that their chance of escaping punishment in Court has been greatly enhanced and this will inevitably affect their willingness to accept retirement under CR55. The remainder will weigh this dismissal with a pension against their degree of complicity in the case; those who know that they are fortunate to be treated in this way will have no cause for complaint, whilst others, who believe that they are innocent, may well object that their futures are being prejudiced by a vindictive act by Government. Some of this latter group may, however, remain silent in order to protect the interests of their more fortunate colleagues.
4.
Even prior to the JPOA elections, many members of the Yaumatei group held private meetings to consider their situation and possible courses of action open to them, and these meetings continue to date. The interdicted officers presently anticipate that a small number of their group (i.e. up to about 25) may be prosecuted but do not expect large scale prosecutions or any other form of punishment. They are known, however, to have considered contingency plans for possible courses of action, and in the event that the decision in the Yaunatei case should seem unacceptable to them suggestions have been made concerning mass meetings and "hunger strike" outside Government House. They are also known to be particularly resentful because almost all those so far threatened by legal action in this case are Policemen,
·whilst they claim that many others were involved, and they have considers a publicity campaign to expose them; a move which could result in widespread misleading and malicious allegations, and possibly also the intimidation of others. They assess that, so long as their grievances appear to be genuine, they will receive support from a substantial proportion of the Police Force.
The JPOA and the Rank and File
5.
The JPOA with its claimed membership of 13,000 purports to represent the Rank and File as a whole. As a relatively new organisati it has yet to prove itself and its leadership, at the level of both the 18-man Executive Committee and among the 93 District Representatives, is divided into factions. One main faction comprises the "radicals" who, spurred on by the successes of October/November 1977, favour strong militant action to force their demands on Government and have for the most part thrown in their lot with the Yaumatei group with whom they liaise closely. The other main faction is the "moderates" who want to develop the JPOA into a strong organisation, which will repres the interests of the Rank and File as a whole through lawful channels. The moderates appear to have the backing of the majority of the JPOA'S representatives, but the radicals and their interdicted cohorts demon strated clearly at an Executive Committee meeting on 25th February, and a District Representatives Meeting on 2nd March that they can force the JPOA to declare full support for the "plight" of the Yaumatei group.
6.
In order to assess the likely reaction of the JPOA and the Rank and File in general to pressure from the Yaumatei group for furthe support in the face of Government's proposed action the following factors need to be considered: -
(a) many members of the Force harbour long-standing
feelings of hatred and contempt for the Independent
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