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O 251340Z NOV 77
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5732
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E. O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: CASC: (STOEN, JOHN)
SUBJECT: W/W JOHN STOEN
REF: STATE 279720 AND PREVIOUS
1. Consul contacted chief GOG immigration officer George on Nov. 25 as requested by Department in para two reftel. George stated his office has order from Supreme Court here that the child is not permitted to leave Guyana until the present case is resolved. Under these circumstances his office could not enforce any new request by the parents to revoke John’s visa and order his immediate departure from Guyana.
2. FYI: Embassy does not agree with attorney’s fears regarding fairness of hearings. His client is very well represented by local attorney who was recommended to U.S. attorney by Solicitor General of Guyana (the second ranking career legal officer of the GOG). Frankly, our opinion is that Mrs. Stoen and U.S. attorney hurt their case by not revoking custody order earlier. Their failure to do so greatly strengthened the case of Joyce Touchette and People’s Temple.
3. The Department’s attention is also drawn to statement regarding child custody matters by Guyana’s Ambassador
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to the US Lawrence [Laurence] Mann to Consul on Nov. 13, 1977 that was reported in paragraph five of Georgetown 2890. Embassy believes that Mann’s comments should indicate GOG intention not to take sides in these matters and to ensure that court decisions are fully implemented.
Burke
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