[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1977GEORGE03223_c.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 01
GEORGE 03223 151230Z
ACTION SCS-06
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 L-03 H-02 HA-05 ARA-14 /031 W
——————055061 151231Z /10
P 151115Z DEC 77
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5858
UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 3223
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: CASC, (EDWARDS, JAMES)
SUBJECT: W/W: JAMES EDWARDS
REF: STATE 294454
1. POST HAS NO RECORD OF ANY PREVIOUS CORRESPONDENCE WITH EDWARDS’ FAMILY ALTHOUGH POSSIBLY EDWARDS WAS THE SUBJECT OF A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH A MEMBER OF THE CONSULAR STAFF. UNLESS DEPARTMENT BELIEVES EMERGENCY EXISTS WE STILL PLAN TO HAVE A CONSULAR OFFICER VISIT THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY NEXT MONTH. HOWEVER, DEPARTMENT MAY ADVISE MR. JOHNSON THAT CONSUL RECENTLY MET IN GEORGETOWN WITH THE GOG DISTRICT OFFICER FROM PORT KAITUMA. THIS OFFICIAL VISITS JONESTOWN FAIRLY REGULARLY AND DOES NOT BELIEVE ANY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY IS BEING HELD AGAINST HIS WILL. FURTHERMORE CONSUL HAS DISCUSSED THIS MATTER BY PHONE WITH LOCAL POLICE OFFICIALS WHO HAVE VISITED TOWNSITE AND THEY REPORTED THAT ALL APPEARS TO BE NORMAL.
2. IT IS OBVIOUSLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO DETERMINE WHETHER ANYONE IS BEING COERCED TO REMAIN AT JONESTOWN IN ABSENCE OF DIRECT CONTACT BETWEEN CONSULAR OFFICER AND INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF PEOPLE’S TEMPLE. ACCORDINGLY AN OFFICER WILL TRAVEL TO THE AREA EARLY NEXT MONTH FOR DISCUSSIONS WITH SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN THE SUBJECTS OF W/W INQUIRIES.
BURKE [U.S. Ambassador John Burke]
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