TNAG-2189-FCO40-3126-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-1990 — Page 5

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 345

OF 131245Z FEBRUARY 90

CONFIDENTIAL

нко

140005

MDHOAN 3086

340/4

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

TOP1 APR 1990

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY

Action Taken

੧੪

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD

ASSURANCES FOR EX COLONIAL SECRETARIAT OFFICERS

1

THE PRIME MINISTER HAS RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MS C POON, DIRECTOR OF THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNITY WELFARE PROJECTS FOUNDATION (CWPF) IN HONG KONG, ABOUT ASSURANCES FOR ABOUT 10 CHINESE COLONIAL SECRETARIAT OFFICERS WHO SERVED IN THE EMERGENCY CONTROL CENTRE DURING THE 1967 RIOTS.

2. THE CWPF HAVE RECEIVED REPRESENTATIONS ON BEHALF

OF SOME OF GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT (FORMERLY KNOWN AS COLONIAL SECRETARIAT) ADMINISTRATIVE AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS WHO MANNED THE EMERGENCY CONTROL CENTRE DURING THE 1967 DISTURBANCES. THEIR FUNCTION WAS TO COORDINATE THE ANTI RIOT RESPONSE, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE RELEVANT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS. ACCORDING TO CWPF, THE CENTRE WAS STAFFED BY SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICERS HEADED BY, INTER ALIA, TREVOR BEDFORD. P B WILLIAMS. AND A MR PRIMROSE TOGETHER WITH SOME 10 CHINESE OFFICERS FROM VARIOUS BRANCHES IN THE COLONIAL SECRETARIAT.

3.

ACCORDING TO CWPE, THE WORK OF THIS EMERGENCY CONTROL CENTRE INCLUDED COORDINATION OF MILITARY AND TACTICAL OPERATIONS, SUPPLY OF MILITARY AND POLICE EQUIPMENT TO VARIOUS STRATEGIC LOCATIONS SUCH AS POLICE STATIONS CURFEW CHECK-POINTS, HOSPITALS AND ESSENTIAL UTILITIES, AND DISPATCH OF CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE SECRETRIAT AND GOVERNMENT HOUSE. EMERGENCY CONTROL OFFICERS WORKED IN A QUOTE COMBAT ATMOSPHERE UNQUOTE.

4. CWPF SAY THAT THE OFFICERS CONCERNED WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN MAINTAINING THE STABILITY OF HONG KONG IN 1967. PERSONAL WRITTEN COMMENDATIONS FROM THE COLONIAL SECRETARY WERE ISSUED TO SOME OF THESE QUOTE WARTIME HEROES UNQUOTE. CWPF ARGUE THAT ALTHOUGH THE NATURE OF WORK DID NOT INVOLVE INTELLIGENCE WORK IN ITS PUREST SENSE, THEIR SENSITIVE DUTIES WERE REGARDED BY THE CHINESE AS VERY UNPATRIOTIC AND THAT THEY WERE SUBJECT

TO THREATS AT THE TIME. CWPF ADD THAT THE DUTY ROSTER WAS NOT KEPT CONFIDENTIAL AND SOME OFFICERS WERE THREATENED EVEN AFTER

THE DISTURBANCES CEASED.

5.

CWPF ARE PRESSING FOR THE AUTOMATIC INCLUSION IN OUR ASSURANCES SCHEME OF THESE OFFICERS, SERVING OR RETIRED, IN

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