Questions from N.I. [National Inquirer]
- Why did you decide to move to Guyana?
- When you move down there a year ago, how many acres had the Peoples Temple reclaimed from the jungle?
- How many acres have now been reclaimed from the jungle?
- How does the community down there earn its living? Do they still produce, etc.?
- What are the living conditions there? How many people to a hut? Toilet facilities? Washing and bathing facilities? Medical facilities? Teaching facilities?
- What is the breakdown in the community? How many toddlers? How many children? How many young adults? How many adults? How many senior citizens?
- How often does the boat tie between Georgetown and Jonestown?
- Do you have private planes flying into Port Kaituma? Or do people sometimes fly into Matthews Ridge?
- How do you receive mail?
- Are people free to leave the colony whenever they wish? How many have left? Can I talk to them?
Debbie Layton has brought some very serious charges against you. I would like you to answer them in order:
- the mass suicide threat
- people being beaten by armed guards
- a guard pressing on Peoples Temple [probably just “people”] until they collapse in pain
- people being placed in a small underground box from 1 to 7 days
- children at night being thrown into a well for misbehaving
- a child informing on his father who is planning to escape
- people being placed on a learning crew and being forced to work throughout the night
- people being down there living mainly on a diet of rice
- former members of the Temple have said before the Temple moved to Guyana, they were victims and have seen other people beaten on the backside up to 150 times
- __________ [left blank]
- What is the net worth of your organization?
- What is your net worth?
- What about the charge that you have 2 concubines?
- What about the serious allegations that people have signed all their possessions over to you?
- What about the allegations by former members of the temple, and even outsiders that they have been harassed by telephone, by mail and have received threats against their lives?
- How do you ans. [answer] allegations of 70 relatives saying you are holding people down there against their will?
- Why do you refuse to acknowledge 3 Superior Court orders by not allowing children to see their parents in Georgetown, including John Stoen?
- Are you prepared to come back and face these charges in an open court in America?
- Will you also face charges brought against you by Steve Katsaris? Jim Cobb and the Medlocks?
- What about the fact that you have, or are said to have, a squad of 50 armed guards down there?
- Is it true that if people misbehave, their privileges of contacting relatives are taken away?
Gordon Lindsay: I think this is a general idea of what I would like to ask.
Tim Clancey: Okay. Well we’ll have to get this to the radio later, and talk to our attorney about which matters are under litigation and cannot be discussed.
Lindsay: You say the matters under litigation are the children –
Clancey: I’m not sure what he will say, I’m just letting you know that we will ask them which matters fall into that. We will get back to you in the morning to see if a phone patch or direct line to the capital can be arranged.
Lindsay: Okay. Like I say these are allegations that have been made, so I think they are very objective questions.
Clancey: They are certainly allegations, right.
Lindsay: I’m not saying they are fact now.
Clancey: They certainly aren’t.
Lindsay: I am now giving Rev. Jones the opportunity to rebut them.
Clancey: Right, well, we’ll see what we can do about that. Talk to you tomorrow.