[Editor’s note: The following three letters were signed by “Mary Ann Conners” (although the name is spelled “Maryanne” in the third letter). It should be noted there was no such person by that name in Jonestown, and that the letters were likely written by someone on the Peoples Temple staff in Georgetown.]
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21 February, 1978
Hon. Dr. Ptolemy Reid
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Development
Camp Street
Georgetown
Dear Doctor Reid;
We have never found Minister [Desmond] Hoyt to be that friendly with us but we would like to know how we can make him realize that we have always praised him and upheld him in his department. We try to work closely with the government in its goals and it is a credit to him if we have any successes in this district. It certainly is a credit to no one when the situation is handled in this matter with a public statement made and signed by a Minister of Government.
We just wanted to be helpful and that’s what we thought we were doing. That article Minister Hoyt objected to, which mentioned Lt. Governor [Mervyn] Dymally, was not meant to be self-serving. Jim Jones didn’t dictate that article word for word anyway and when he heard it, he said, “I wish they hadn’t put in that phrase” (the phrase that mentioned Peoples Temple providing medical services to the entire North West District). For one thing, that statement certainly doesn’t mean that we are the only medical service in the district. And also, we who did put the article in the paper, did it on instructions from two other officials who stated to us that it needed to be mentioned that we were extending our services to others besides our own cooperative.
If some way we could just get some kind of approval from the government, we would feel more secure. We don’t expect the government to praise us to everyone, but we don’t understand why it is necessary for someone like Minister Hoyt to detract from our program. The article he wrote opened up problems for us. Somebody called us immediately and stated that “Tim Stoen is going to get assistance from Minister Hoyt.” Yet we were told that the John Victor situation was all right now and we were glad for such assurances. We have to be able to operate with some semblance of security that our members won’t be taken away from a secure and loving community in a socialist nation into racist and reactionary homes. We cannot allow (from a moral standpoint) people to be used as pawns. John’s parents both abandoned him. Grace [Stoen] said she did not like John and did not want to be burdened by him. She left him long ago to the care of others and now when he is secure with his dad and others who love him, she and Tim Stoen raise a fuss just to use him to get even against a socialist group. This is a moral question that we as a group have decided is important to us. It is not just a question of Jim Jones’ child, but the principle of the thing: we feel that if you come for one you come for all. We, of course, would never be in any conflict with the government of Guyana, but we would rather die than have a child taken away from his own security to disrupt his life. If they do this with one, they can feel they can do this with others on some trumped up lie.
There has been difficulty for some in understanding our position here. Some who have been against us and who now see an article criticizing us say, “Well, now we can move in.”
We would appreciate the opportunity of seeing you at least once to communicate about these things as communications are very important. Some feel that you won’t see us so that you can disassociate yourself from us if you want to do this in the future. One
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person told us bluntly that you have this approach towards us: Don’t get too close, so you can criticize, disassociate yourself, or throw us out. We’d rather die than go through this. We’ve never been accustomed to a put off from you. We would like some input in how to deal with Minister Hoyt because we have heard from many that he is a man of quick temperament. All he would’ve had to do is tell us “don’t do this” or “don’t do that” and we would have followed that line he gave us. We just don’t see any point in any evidence of division.
We are very glad to communicate with Minister [Vibert] Mingo. He is a kindly, attentive and loyal person to you, Dr. Reid. We tried to take our problems to Minister Mingo only. It is difficult to communicate at times unless you know what is going on and you are up-to-date on issues. We like to face reality, whatever it is.
We do not expect VIP treatment in any way. Obviously Jim Jones doesn’t expect this because he has spent eight months doing manual labor in agriculture and evenings QSLing (ham radio operation). He doesn’t envy you your work; he empathizes with you deeply, as the burden is great when one is a deeply committed leader.
Jim Jones has found fulfillment in his life in serving other people. He does nothing for himself and has given up his home. His fulfillment is in adopting children. What he doesn’t have in talent he makes up for in continual hard work; of course he is very humble. We’d all be able to do more, however, if we didn’t have to worry about John’s situation.
In order to present our side on John’s situation, Marceline Jones and other leaders went to Washington, DC and spoke to many influential people. Not only are they reaching those who Tim Stoen attempted to lobby and employ on his side but they are getting new support. Those Tim Stoen influenced are now stepping out of the situation and no longer will be party to Tim Stoen’s manipulations. Thus, not only those of socialist or progressive persuasion but even moderates are seeing that the Stoen case involves more than what Tim and Grace Stoen have stated in regards to John.
Our delegation told those people that the Guyanese people have a great sense of good will towards the United States and that the media in Guyana respects the US. We know that some people don’t feel that way, in fact far more than you know, but we know that when we feel secure and understood, we can make an invaluable contribution in this area. We aren’t making any demands for material assistance or any requests.
If Jim Jones could just get this case off his mind, he is a very good planner and his energies would help Guyana immeasurably. We can get ourself established basically and then we could put our money into the economy of Guyana and help in areas like tourism. Tourism might help both Guyana and the United States and we would be willing to help in this area if you are interested. We are primarily interested in developing our agriculture and our cooperative but if it would be of use to bring in tourists, in terms of the economics of this country, we have some ideas in this area. We have made a lake that could become a tourist attraction and we are going to be stocking it with fish. We can make a tourist team in the area and Kaituk Falls as well as other tourist attractions could bring in money. We could use our pilots to fly in charters. Hunting and fishing could be a big thing. Of course, tourists would bring in hunting supplies but they could be checked. We are also getting a zoo together. Jim Jones loves this country and is teaching us to love it more every day and we just want to do what we can to be of help to Guyana.
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Our loyalty is based on you and the Prime Minister. We always stand ready to help you if there is a problem internally or externally in the country. Minister Mingo recently allayed our fears that you were in jeopardy. Rumors arise and so it helps to be able to talk with someone like Minister Mingo.
We are trying to follow what we know to be the course that you’re taking, whatever pain we’ve had with the US. We realize the invaluable contribution some people can make when they feel secure and understood. We are slow about bringing people in because we wanted to be sure everybody was just right for Guyana and therefore hundreds and hundreds wanted to come but they were screened carefully. We can say at this point that we have no anti-social behavior and that it is a matter of open investigation. We have no racism, no sexism and no ageism.
Your kindness and warmth when we talked to you at the District Conference gave us a great deal of reassurance. We hope you will be able to visit Jonestown soon so that you can see for yourself that we are attempting to be productive and that we are trying to exemplify the goals of Guyana.
Cooperatively yours,
/s/ Mary Ann Conners
Mary Ann Conners
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22 February, 1978
Prime Minister Forbes Burnham
Public Buildings, Brickdam
Georgetown
Dear Prime Minister Burnham;
I am writing to let you know that Marceline Jones (Cde. Jim Jones’ wife) is presently in Washington DC. She is trying to counteract what Tim and Grace Stoen and their attorney, Jeffrey Haas, did in Washington when they made a few contacts with right-wing Congressmen. We were told by Richard McCoy of the American Embassy that he even felt that it was unfair that Jeffrey Haas was using such high-pressure lobbying in this case.
To present the other side of the story, Marceline Jones spoke with Congressmen. Most of the people she spoke to like Congressman Burton told her they were very glad she was able to come and talk to them and give some background information about Tim and Grace Stoen. She showed them the papers that Tim and Grace wrote; the paper Tim signed that requested Jim Jones to father a child by Grace; the paper in which Tim states his feelings about Grace being an unfit mother who is a racist reactionary, and the paper in which Grace requested counseling for Tim because he has a compulsive problem of transvestitism. The Congressmen stated that this information removed them from any responsibility in the matter and relieved them. They had heard a few opinions from right-wingers but were glad to hear the other side of the story. We will be able to provide you with a list of all those people that Marceline talked to who are positive to what we are doing in Guyana. Of course, Marceline used the opportunity to speak of Guyana in glowing terms, the respect here for human rights, the integrity of people in official positions and of course the beauty and friendliness we have found. She encourage the Congressmen to support Guyana in all ways.
With the contacts Marceline is making in Washington, we certainly hope that will counteract the few reactionary contacts that Haas has been able to collect. John Victor [Stoen] is vital to the total survival of our program. We cannot allow this child to be sacrificed to fascist reactionaries.
We are doing all we can, in general, to be good will ambassadors for Guyana and for the United States. We have a list of 2000 people we had contacted so far all over the world, but mostly in the United States, through our ham radio operation. This media has great potential (humanitarian potential) between countries as there has been cooperation of many doctors and offers of pharmaceutical supplies.
Many people you talk to on the ham radio are interested in talking to you because they want to add Guyana to the areas that they have talked to elsewhere in the world. But many people are sincerely interested in Guyana. And after hearing about the qualities of Guyana, many would like to vacation here and some are interested in settling here. We give them a generalized picture of the beauty, the friendliness of the people, the loveliness of the land and the government, without asking them for anything. They ask that we correspond with them (this whole process of radio communication and subsequent letters is called QSLing in radio lingo). In our correspondence we have made up for any charges that have been circulated by the Stoens against Guyana because we have suggested in an indirect way that they could be helpful to Guyana. Frank Tumminia when he visited Jonestown stated that he was very pleased that in one day alone he received 150 letters from people in the US asking that the US [illegible word] Guyana and mentioned Jim Jones.
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Minister [Frank ] Wills’ reassuring attitude was most helpful considering Bunny Mann [Guyana ambassador to the US Laurence Mann] told us that we would lose the Stoen case. We don’t think that you would like Bunny Mann to make that kind of communication as it certainly is not diplomatic.
We also heard from Richard McCoy at the American Embassy that Brintley Benn who wrote a negative article about Peoples Temple asked him for CIA help to overthrow the Government of Guyana because the government’s goals and our goals of Socialism are the same. The same loyalty that we have for a child, John Victor, we have for you.
We would be willing to stand up vehemently if there is a problem internally or externally in whatever comes we are committed to you and Dr. Reid and the PNC. We like to face reality and would like to be kept informed on issues. We appreciate the opportunity you have given us to serve in Guyana, and if we can serve with some assurances that we will not be denied survival as a total group without threats to any individual or child within the group, we will give our complete and undying loyalty to Guyana and to those of you who stand up for socialism.
Cooperatively yours,
/s/ Mary Ann Conners
Mary Ann Conners
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Dear Cde. Minister
We wish to share with you some concerns of mutual interest in the building of goodwill and friends for Guyana. We have found such a channel in amateur radio. It is known as “QSLing” in the radio slang, or making contact with other licensed operators around the world, exchanging conversation, etc. All three of our licensed amateur radio stations – Georgetown, Jonestown, and San Francisco – engage in QSLing, with the purpose of improving goodwill for Guyana. The enclosed list, taken from this week’s traffic, shows part of the nearly two thousand contacts that have been made recently. Cde. Jim Jones has made many of these contacts personally, working late into the night instead of sleeping.
This communications first started when we were helping a British Honduras patient with a medical emergency. Many other stations already knew of us and have been listening for some time. Doctors, medical people, pharmacists, drugstore owners, people in agriculture, university professors, and prominent officials also they respected what we are doing, and were very impressed. We said that it was due to the cooperation and help of Guyana, as we naturally always give all credit to Guyana. Although we can’t change people, all we talked to seem very sincere and responsive. Frankly, we were a bit taken aback by the overwhelming favorable response.
We praise Guyana to everyone we talk to, explaining what we are doing with our agricultural project, medical program, and other mutual concerns with Guyana. We explain how the new administration must recognize the growing nationalism this part of the world, and how Third World nonaligned countries must be allowed to pursue their own course. All seemed to understand this. We also told them that our group was thoroughly integrated, and although we know there is growing racism in the states, these people did not demonstrate racist attitudes. Even one who seemed to be initially racistic was moved by the descriptions of Guyana. We have also talked of the cooperation of the Guyana Defense Force in taking people out from our project in emergencies, and how one very high ranking officer even gave up his own place on the plane to a woman of humble circumstances.
The response to the QSLing has been significant in many ways. We have had all kinds of positive offers from many different people just from the descriptions we give. We always talk of the high standard of living, the economics of the country, the beauty of the capital, how Guyana is an example of democracy at work, the good things the government does, the beauty of the scenery, the harmony of the people, and the loveliness of our project. We’ve had offers of equipment and farm information. Many universities have come on frequency and offered their assistance and knowledge, including the University of Arizona, Duke University, and the University of Florida. One University of Oklahoma professor even had his entire class listen. Doctors have offered their assistance with medical consultations, some traffic even going into detailed and complicated surgical procedures. Other doctors offer to get us medical supplies, including some vitally needed medications that are much in demand. One doctor is considering retiring here, and many people have talked about coming to Guyana to visit.
There have been over 300 letters of praise this week offering services, assistance, and support, and we’d be more than happy to show all of them to you if you’d like. It is too costly to photocopy all of them, but we are
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sending a few as examples. It is proving to be a wonderful way of opening up relations between people who have never been friendly. The communications over ham radio seem to break down differences of opinion, break down differences in general, and interests people in Guyana and our program. It is solidifying us, and getting rid of the polarization between peoples. You can see the tremendous potential, I’m sure. If you have any questions you can check with these stations by dropping them a letter. In fact, I’m sure they would appreciate any letter of encouragement you could write.
We want to assist Guyana in whatever way possible. We are giving our energies in terms of agricultural production because it is a debt we owe. We want to help with the course you have determined you must take. Whenever possible we are doing that with the US, (even though we’ve had our pains with racists and certain segments of the US media that have been outrageous in their coverage). Cde. Jim Jones’ wife, Marceline, and a delegation of prominent leaders were well received in Washington DC by a host of civil rights leaders and people of influence and prominence. There is even a good possibility they will be meeting with Mrs. Rosalyn Carter (as I’m sure you know, Jim Jones met and dined with Mrs. Carter last year) to get that kind of positive support for Guyana.
Our sole desire is to do what is best for Guyana. We want to clearly known that our loyalty is to the Peoples National Congress. We are trying our best to show assimilation, and to do it we are extending our services to the community. In no way do we feel that we are the “teachers” in Guyana when it is we who have been taught a great deal by fellow Guyanese. We offer our medical expertise, and share our information and knowledge, and appreciate greatly the medical knowledge and information that is shared with us. There have been some mutually very beneficial things done in several different areas, and we try to offer our services to as many people as possible. At the time the press release was written about Lt. Governor [Mervyn] Dymally’s visit to Jonestown, there were six people from different surrounding communities waiting to be treated at our medical clinic. In no way do we feel that we are the “sole” giver of things positive, and we owe our very existence to the openness and hospitality of the Guyanese people.
Rumors seem to abound in every society, and we have heard that people are saying that we intend to branch out. This is simply not true. We are merely striving to build a model community and agricultural cooperative, where there is no racial division, no sexism, no ageism, and no anti-social behavior. Several have made comments that we have succeeded in this, the latest being Dr. Peter Fernandes, who said he didn’t mind being quoted at all. His observation was that Jonestown is “the purest form of socialism I have ever seen practiced anywhere in the world.” We have never even talked about branching out, and we are even taking great care in bringing our people over slowly so they can be screened properly and so that they have plenty of time to adjust to the cultural shock. That is one of the reasons we ask people to sympathize with the fact we need our own school and medical clinic.
Our cooperative isn’t religious, as we are ecumenical, and have all religions represented in our community. We wish to be of assistance to everyone, and if, for example, we could help Guyanese children by taking them him, we would be more than happy to do so as long as they don’t oppose the cooperative lifestyle we choose to live in as our solution to human problems. All members of the Jonestown community participate in decision-making (all are fully informed as to all aspects of events pertinent to life on the project). We have already decided unanimously that any result of the cooperative undertaking should be put back in to help assist and support Guyana – absolutely and totally. We know that people are usually
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motivated by self-interest, but we’ve found enlightened self-interest: humanitarian concerns such as adopting children (Jim now has seven) are much more fulfilling!
Certainly, Jim Jones has proven where his interests lay. He has stayed for over 8 months in one area, working the fields by day and QSLing at night, usually only getting 2 or 3 hours sleep. And though there are too many who can keep up that pace, he would rather be active than sitting and worrying about things. He has seen the political life in the US and is tired of it and disappointed. He has said many times he doesn’t envy your role, or your responsibility. He knows the awesome weight a leader feels when people depend on him for guidance, and deeply empathizes with you in that respect. He has no interest whatsoever in political gain. If you were in the US with his many civil rights leader friends he could inform them of the beauty of Guyana’s position of nonalignment, as his wife is done. However, since he is not with them he takes on the role of goodwill ambassador through QSLing on the radio. As we said earlier, his QSLing has caused countless numbers of people to want to assist Guyana and visit. The QSLing could not be going better, and even the media in the US is turning positive, and is giving positive coverage as result of amateur band contacts.
One last thing: We have grown to love agriculture and the challenge of producing and farming the Jonestown project more than we have loved anything. Every member of our community comes to our agricultural meetings (except for the toddlers who see a movie or go to bed early). During these meetings we sing songs about our work which depicted graphically and beautifully life on the project and our love for Guyana. We have even taken gospel songs and changed them to songs about the joy of work, the beauty of Guyana, and the equality of all peoples. It is most touching, and the entertainment is of professional quality. We don’t like to brag, but we been told it’s some of the best you could hear (we know you’ve heard some of our entertainment, but not our best). If it could ever be of benefit to you, please let us know.
If you like to speak to us in person, we would be more than pleased. We only hope that we have conveyed the commitment and loyalty we feel for Guyana and the Peoples National Congress. Cde. Jim Jones and all members of the Jonestown community will continue to strive to build a model cooperative – an amalgamation of all the races working together in harmony, without prejudice, sexism, ageism, or elitism – for the benefit and glory of our beloved Guyana.
Cooperatively yours,
/s/ Maryanne Conners
Maryanne Conners