[Editor’s note: This document was released both as a State Department cable as part of its 1981 FOIA release, and as Serial 62 of the FBI’s RYMUR release.
[The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978STATE295259_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
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STATE 295259 TOSEC 130004
ORIGIN ARA-15
INFO OCT-01 EUR-12 NEA-11 ISO-00 H-01 SS-15 SY-05
INR-10 CA-01 MCT-02 SCS-06 PA-01 AID-05 OC-06
L-03 CG-00 CCO-00 SYE-00 SSO-00 NSCE-00 USSS-00
INRE-00 TRSE-00 DODE-00 CIAE-00 FBIE-00 JUSE-00
NSAE-00 DOTE-00 /094 R
DRAFTED BY ARA:GWG:ASLEGHT:CFC
APPROVED BY ARA:JBUSHNELL
S/S-O:JTHYDEN
——————002631 220452Z /21
O 220301Z NOV 78 ZFF4
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN IMMEDIATE
USDEL SECRETARY IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY PANAMA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY CARACAS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY KUWAIT IMMEDIATE
CINCSOUTHCOM QUARRY HTS CANAL ZONE IMMEDIATE
CINCMAC SCOTT AFB ILL IMMEDIATE
US REDCOM/RCJ2 MACDILL AFB FLA IMMEDIATE
USCINCARRED FT MCPHERSON GA IMMEDIATE
CDR 18TH AIRBORNE CORPS FT BRAGG NC IMMEDIATE
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE ATTN: J-2 IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 295259 TOSEC 130004
LONDON FOR MICHAEL FINLEY, TOKYO FOR SENATOR HAYAKAWA
E.O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: CASC, OREP (RYAN, LEO), GY
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PAGE 02
STATE 295259 TOSEC 130004
SUBJECT: SITUATION REPORT NO. 11
REF: STATE AND PREVIOUS
1. THE GUYANESE CABINET HAS OFFICIALLY REQUESTED THE USG [U.S. GOVERNMENT] TO REMOVE ALL REMAINS FROM GUYANESE TERRITORY ASAP. THIS DECISION WAS CONVEYED TO OUR AMBASSADOR [JOHN BURKE, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO GUYANA] AND DCM [RICHARD DWYER, DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION] BY PM BURNHAM [PRIME MINISTER FORBES BURNHAM]. THERE IS ALSO A RUMOR THAT THE GOG [GOVERNMENT OF GUYANA] IS PLANNING TO RELEASE A LIST OF 150 VICTIMS SHORTLY, AND WE ARE EXPECTING DELIVERY OF THE 800 AMERICAN PASSPORTS RECOVERED BY THE GOG TO THE EMBASSY SHORTLY.
2. US ASSETS ON THE GROUND AT THIS TIME INCLUDE TWO HELICOPTERS (ONE HUEY, ONE OH-58), ONE U-21, TWO C-130S (SCHEDULED TO LEAVE SOON), AND ONE C-141 DUE TO DEPART TODAY AT 1600 EST. EN ROUTE ARE TWO C-141S, ONE CONTAINING CONSULAR PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT (DUE TONIGHT) AND ONE WITH ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT AND THE GRAVES REGISTRATION TEAM (DUE 2120 EST). DUE TOMORROW FROM PUERTO RICO ARE THREE HH-53 “JOLLY GREEN GIANT” HELICOPTERS.
3. THE DOD COMMUNICATIONS TEAM HAS ARRIVED IN-COUNTRY BUT IS NOT YET ESTABLISHED IN JONESTOWN AND ON THE AIR. TWO CONSULAR OFFICERS WILL ALSO GO TO JONESTOWN SOON, EITHER TONIGHT OR TOMORROW MORNING.
4. THE GOG HAS REQUESTED TWO REPLACEMENT AIRCRAFT FOR THE GUYANA AIRWAYS CORPORATION; THIS REQUEST IS UNDER STUDY BY AID. THE GOG ALSO WANTS HELICOPTER SPARE PARTS AND OTHER RELATED EQUIPMENT. SINCE THE GOG IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FMS WE ARE REVIEWING THIS REQUEST TO DETERMINE HOW TO PROVIDE ITEMS NEEDED AS A RESULT OF THIS EMERGENCY.
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PAGE 03 STATE 295259 TOSEC 130004
5. AID IS DOING CONTINGENCY PLANNING ON REQUIREMENTS FOR TEMPORARY LODGING (TENTS), FEEDING AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES FOR JONESTOWN SURVIVORS.
6. WE HAVE ASKED THE EMBASSY TO ADVISE US AS TO ADDITIONAL STAFFING REQUIREMENTS. THE EMBASSY IS REVIEWING ITS NEEDS.
7. GUYANESE AMBASSADOR LAURENCE E. MANN IS RETURNING TO WASHINGTON TONIGHT. HE HAS REQUESTED APPOINTMENT WITH THE ACTING SECRETARY [Deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher] TOMORROW.
8. COST ESTIMATES FOR OUR EFFORTS IN GUYANA TO DATE ARE VERY PRELIMINARY, BUT FOR AIRLIFT ALONE PROBABLY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF DOLS 1.5 MILLION.
CHRISTOPHER [Deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher]
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