[Editor’s note: The State Department FOIA release of 1981 withheld all names associated with the relatives of a Peoples Temple member from this cable. They are denoted below in red type.
[The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1977STATE303147_c.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 01
STATE 303147
ORIGIN SCS-06
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 /007 R
DRAFTED BY CA/SCS/EAPOWERS/CEH
APPROVED BY CA/SCS/SADOBRENCHUK
SCS/RLRIVERA
——————109986 202359Z /66
P 202245Z DEC 77
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN PRIORITY
UNCLAS STATE 303147
E.O. 11652:N/A
TAGS:CASC, (GRIFFITH FAMILY)
SUBJECT: W/W GRIFFITH FAMILY REF: DEPOM DEC 19
1. MRS. CARNELLA GRIFFITH TELEPHONED DEPARTMENT REQUESTING ATTORNEYS LIST AND ASSISTANCE IN HAVING HER PARENTS AND SIBLINGS RETURNED TO U.S. (GRIFFITH’S OWN DAUGHTER, DANA, SUBJECT OF SEPTEL). DEPT. EXPLAINED THAT ADULTS PRE- SUMED TO BE ACTING OF OWN VOLITION AND THAT NEITHER DEPT. NOR EMBASSY COULD FORCE THEM TO LEAVE GUYANA. FAMILY MEMBERS: PARENTS: MARY AND EMMETT GRIFFITH, CHILDREN: AMANDA, AGE 17, MARILYN, AGE 15, AND EMMETT, JR., AGE 19. MARILYN WENT TO JONESTOWN TWO YEARS AGO BUT REST OF FAMILY TRAVELLED IN JUNE, 1977.
2. DEPOFF EXPLAINED THAT CONOFF PLANNING VISIT JONESTOWN IN JANUARY, 1978 AND PROMISED TO FORWARD LETTER FOR FAMILY TO CONSUL FOR HAND DELIVER DURING VISIT. MRS. GRIFFITH FORWARDING SUCH LETTER ALONG WITH CUSTODY ORDER
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PAGE 02 STATE 303147
FOR DANA MENTIONED SEPTEL.
2. POST REQUESTED MAKE APPROPRIATE INQUIRIES ABOUT GRIFFITH FAMILY AND REPORT VIA DIRECT RELAY CABLE TO MRS. CARNELLA GRIFFITH, 5121 FOOTHILL BOULEVARD, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA 94601, 415-751-8858.
3. REF OM TRANSMITS LLTR FROM CONG. PHILLIP BURTON RE W/W EMMETT GRIFFITH FAMILY ON BEHALF REV WESBY GRIFFITH, 463 ANDOVER DRIVE, PACIFICA, CALIFORNIA 94044.
VANCE [Secretary of State Cyrus Vance]
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