[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1979GEORGE03303_e.html.]
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GEORGE 03303 281638Z
ACTION OCS-06
INFO OCT-01 ARA-15 ADS-00 L-03 JUS-01 CA-01 LOC-01 /028 W
——————040704 281743Z /46
R 261632Z JUL 79
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 175
UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 3303
FOR L/ARA FORTUNE
CA/OCS/CCS REED CLARK
EO 12065: NA
TAGS: CDES, GY, (PEOPLE’S TEMPLE)
SUBJ: PERSONAL EFFECTS OF JONESTOWN DECEDENTS
REF: A) GEORGETOWN 2018, B) STATE 091863, C) GEORGETOWN 1585, D) 78 STATE 299110, E) GEORGETOWN 3027, F) STATE 185986
1. ON JULY 13, 16, AND 17 CONOFFS WITNESSED INSPECTION BY GUYANESE CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES OF BAGGAGE OF PEOPLE’S TEMPLE MEMBERS HELD AT GUYANA STATE WAREHOUSE AND AT GUYANA AIRWAYS CORPORATION STORAGE SITE.
2. CONTENTS CONSISTED MOSTLY OF COMMUNAL EFFECTS SUCH AS HOUSEHOLD ITEMS, MEDICAL SUPPLIES, AND BOOKS ON MARXISM. THE ONLY ITEMS OF A PERSONAL NATURE WHICH WERE FOUND (AND RELEASED TO CONOFF) WERE PERSONAL PAPERS OF DONNA STANFIELD. CONOFF IS IN COMMUNICATION WITH MRS. STANFIELD’S NEXT OF KIN AND REPRESENTATIVE REGRADING SHIPMENT OF HER PERSONL PAPERS AND HER HUSBAND’S DOCUMENTS.
3. ALTHOUGH REF F HAS GIVEN US AN INTERIM REPLY REGARDING STATUS OF STUDY OF TREASURY CHECKS BEING HELD, WE WOULD APPRECIATE
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REPLY TO REFS A AND E REGARDING DEPARTMENT’S DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO TREAT EFFECTS AS CORPORATE PROPERTY AND WHETHER OR NOT CONSULAR RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE POSSESSION AND INVENTORY PERSONAL EFFECTS OF DECEASED U.S. CITIZEN MEMBERS OF THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE MAY BE NEGATED.
BURKE [U.S. Ambassador John Burke]
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