Mark Lane Letter to Richard McCoy

Note: Rikke Wettendorff transcribed the document for this page. The editors of this website are deeply grateful for her invaluable assistance.

Nov. 6, 1978

Richard McCoy
Guyana Desk
AF/U Room 4250
Department of State
Washington, D.C. 20520

Dear Mr. McCoy:

As you know, various agencies of the U.S. Government have participated in the persecution of the People’s Temple in the U.S. and Jonestown, Guyana. This letter should put you on notice that in the event that these efforts continue through the actions of a Committee of the U.S. Congress, or through the actions of any other agency of the United States Government, that the People’s Temple will give serious consideration to accepting one of the offers that has been made to them to move the entire community to a country which does not enjoy friendly relations with the U.S. I need hardly point out to you how embarrassing this might be to the Government in view of President Carter’s continued references to abuses of human rights in other countries. I enclose a copy of a letter that I mailed this day to Congressman Ryan.

Sincerely,
Mark Lane

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