[Editor’s note: This document has numerous misspellings. Only those whose original spelling may be unclear have been corrected. The copy is of poor quality, likely a second- or third generation carbon copy.]
P-1-D-17a
DEBORAH TOUCHETTE
APRIL 5, 1978
NOTES TAKEN FROM APPTS.
W/THE FOLLOWING
DICK MCCOY/AMERICAN EMBASSY
KOREAN EMBASSY/CDE. JOE & CDE. LEE
RON VAN DYKE/MIN OF INFORMATION
DICK MC COY/AMERICAN EMBASSY: Visited by Sharon [Amos], Deb, [Mike] Prokes, Marceline [Jones]…
-People from the Embassy thought the Cultural show was very good.
-Dan Webble [U.S. Vice Consul Dan Weber] mentioned assanation attempts were mentioned in the speech, was surprised.
-to say that to a group of Guynese, in that you are a foreign country..to talk of Pres Kennedy’s assanation. Dan took it in a political sense, our political stand.
-Dan thought the show was very professional, but long.
-Dan mentioned that part of speechthat said the Embassy had been helpful in defending the Peoples Temple, but he was puzzled that there was a great deal of politics.
-Dick said from Dan’s explanation it sounded as if we were practically explaining why we were forced out of the United States. Why did you do that? he sked.
-Mike Prokes said yes, but it’s due to the fact that we were asked to explain, to let people know because there was so much crap going around,
-Dan Webble was in the Peace Core in Afghanistan before he came to Guyana.
-a man named Ellis [Doug Ellice] will be [r]eplacing McCoy. he’s a young officer, Dick said very fine officer, he served in Luxemburg, then Manila, has a little girl.
-Sharon told him what Shirley Feild-Ridley [Guyana Minister of information Shirley Field-Ripley] said we practiced for hours, she wished some of her people could have been there to see the example, they have trouble with this, also mentioned Min. Kennard had praised us.
-McCoy said it went on and on and one. They could be a pretty tough audience here, he said a Russian group performed and they were really third class, they were bad. he left at intermission, he had to appoligise to Cheddi Jagen [Jagan], and even Cheddi was upset by the performance.
-Sharon ask him if he knew Cheddi? McCoy- were [we’re] on speaking basis, sure I know the man, his daughter went to a moscow university and couldn’t stand it, shes now living in the states. Dr. Jagen spends most of his time in the states. He’s a communist, but every time he wants to go, he had to go through this office.
-Sharon mentioned to Marceline that Dick said his sons were young fasicst. Dick agreed. Yes, their young facicst. they go to a school run by a babtist church but it’s set up likea military-run by military ciriclum.
-(ref. To Stoen issue) Dick said, all this about a cheif court order is a strancous [likely “extraneous”] issue. Both sides have reputable attorneysf, he tells [unreadable] is hard nosed and independent. no one is going it influence him. Dick said
-people in power want to get from him what they can give as answers back there.
-Sharon asked to see [illegible words] us. Dick said they were getting it, it was on it’s [its] way. Sharon asked to see his copy. Dick said it was a classified U.S. document and he couldn’t just give it out. To see the more recent reports we would have to apply again, each time a new one comes out.
-Dick said he told state Dept. he didn’t feel it was any further use to explain too peoples that people in Jonestown were not being held against their will.
-the Embassy could be charge with harassment. When they get inquires about their children, well we will check it out when we go up there.
-as soon as all this press came out in the U.S., enquires about you were inevaitable, Dick said. He told us of a situation in Equador and Iseral when peopl inquired about there [their] children, certinly three times more then they did about the P.T.
-Dick said basically the only time the U.S. will interfer is 1) if a person is being discriminated against solely because he is American. 2) if a person has been subject to physical brutality. 3) People can be put in prison for years and years without knowing what they are being tried for, before they even have atrial.
-Dick tells those that pressure him. I’m not in a position to say what they will do, State dept. Keeps presuring them to tell them what the Guyana Government
—
P-1-D-17b
-2-
will do. Dick he didn’t want to commit himself. Hesaid Stoen contacted ninety congressmen. Hyacawn [U.S. Senator S. I. Hayakawa] was not interested in this, said it was a case for the courts.
-Dick said he did impressed w/Hyacawa, he had done alot for the school system.
-McClusky [U.S. Rep. Pete McCloskey] has shown interest for Tim Stone [Stoen], an Interstate Foreign Congressmen in the United States, friend of Dick’s said mostly all staffaids respond to Tim Stones letters.
-Stoen in saying this court order is not being obsurved, theres no basis for this in National Law. Dick said Hass [Stoen attorney Jeff Haas] didn’t uynderstand why Dick wouldn’t take John and give him Hass to fly to the U.S. Dick said he didn’t mind a man being aggressive for his job, but he started throwing threats
-Dick we don’t have (letters regatory) when one court makes a decission based on another courts decission=doesn’t apply in Guyana.
-Dick said these people showed interest for Stoen: Dellems [U.S. Rep. Ron Dellums], Bryon, Burton, Phillip/ and John, one didn’t care, the other showed interest for stoen, he couldn’t remember which one it was.; Rayon [likely Leo Ryan], [Alan] Cranston, McClusky, [U.S. Sen. Frank] Church, Lugan [U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar]
-they showed him alot of things on filein Washington. Frank Dominion showed him. Dick is taking Frank Dominion’s job. Frank speaks [Illegible word]
-Dick Yo…. [Illegible words] fact, they have a lot of theory, but drive mercedies b nze [Mercedes Benz], there are some upperclass, so Dick used to lease them, not everyone has jobs, depends on the republic, about 16 unemployment. They have a welfare system theoretically. Have free medical care, some are good facilities, some arent, but there system is better than some because they allow for some freedom of expression, they’re tough people, he was very impressed with them. theres a certain oppressive police system, couldn’t live there all his life. In terms of criminal law, thats different, but in terms of politics, they are much tighter. Dick said there were three nuculer reaction in Yogoslavia from the U.S. also Petro state Chemicle, and American Co. in Hungrey as well. We have a certain amount of military systems in Yogoslavia. He mentioned something about Tito as one of the three lenders of the non-alined policy, they were the corner stone of our Eastern-Policy…I didn’t quite understand this part…
-Sharon asked what he though [thought the decision would be. Dick: Stoen ask me that, everybody ask me the outcome. It as mention that Cheif Justice Bolders [Harold Bollers] was at our program. Dick said he knew.
-Dick-I think it is up to Joyce Touchette, one of these days shes going to have to appear in court and testify. Dick said “Sharon, I can’t see where any country would go against it’s [its] foreign policy in a dispute where none of it’s citizens were involved. To them, (Guyana) it’s a simple case of four or five people. If we don’t pressure them, and it comes from this side, don’t forget the government has enemies here too. We as the U.S. cant go to the Guynese Govt. and say, hey, we want that child to be given back to it’s parents. Suppose Touchette has custody and Stones go berserk, how does the Embassy prove that the Embassy didn’t have political intervension. He told Stoen to send him something in writting.
KOREAN EMBASSY/CDE, JOE & CDE. LEE…Visited by Sharon, Deb T., Marceline, Ava [Jones], Mike P, Kim Yoon Ai,…Cde. Lee mentioned to Marceline, “you said the U.S. Embassy had given assistance to you”, in what way?
-Marceline-only in that they visited our project and when families as about the welfare of our children, they kept us from any harm in this way. Lee asked about project location, how close to water, they said they would like to travel together with us to J-town, they offered to take the tapes to our house in their car because they said our car was crowded.
—
P-1-D-17C
-Lee said they may go up in May or June, Lee thought Jim had strong asiatic features. He asked Kim to come next time with her husband, and that Lew come with wife and child. Wanted photos of Jim JOnes, family & sons, Kim’s children and husband. Asked age of Stephen, told him another son was married to Sandy, Avas sister.
-Lee wanted to know the educational level, all could read and write?
-Do we have primary and secondary schools, did we intend to establish college?
-Would we send our children to the U.S. colleges or a school here? or in another Socialist Countr[y]
-Asked if we were self sufficient in food. We explained we have enough, but all is not producing yet.
-What do we sell on the market?
-Sharon said were sorry we didn’t introduce Marceline to your Embassador.
-Lee said the Embassador was engaged and would see us another time.
-Asked if we’ve performed at another place besides the Chinese Dragon.
-He said their natural resources were-gold, zinc, copper, magnisum, in abundance and they had over three hundred minerals in Korea. they are refered to as the “Sample of Minerals”.
-they showed us a couple of films on Korea, as we left, the Embassador came agreeted Marceline and all of usf good by, sent good wishes to Cde. Jim Jones in his endeavors.