Ref: SRD 809/2/6/C
Ms Anne Dawson-Shepherd Deputy Chief of Mission
U.N.H.C.R.
62
15 May 1990
9/F Yaumatei Carpark Building 250 Shanghai Street Kowloon
HK B
243/4
Thank you for your letter of 10 May and for the attached statement from Mr Bo Schack.
at
The primary purpose of the search at the Whitehead detention centre on 4 May was to find and remove dangerous weapons. It took place againat A background of intimidation by gang members of other VBP the centre, assaults on CSD staff, armed escapes and the widespread possession of offensive weapons. These serious offences which cannot be ignored. The Hong Kong Government is determined to maintain the rule of law inside the detention centres, and the May 4 search was intended to do exactly that. The fact that more than 2,500 dangerous weapons were removed from the camp is ample justification for the operation.
are
centre.
The search began at 5 a.m. in order to minimise the potential for violent resistance which would have posed a danger to
the police officers conducting the search and to the law abiding majority within the As the search began the police made it clear that there was no other purpose to the operation than to search for weapons and to remove offenders. I cannot therefore accept your statement that no prior warning was given to the whitehead population. The police made their purpose plain as the operation
operation began; the violent resistance of some VBP cannot be justified by claiming that they misunderstood the nature of the police operation.
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