[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978GEORGE03939_d.html.]
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GEORGE 03939 260216Z
ACTION ARA-08
INFO OCT-01 SS-14 ISO-00 SSO-00 INRE-00 NSCE-00 INR-04 CIAE-00 NSAE-00 SCS-01 CA-02 IO-06 HA-02 SY-02 PA-01 SP-02 L-01 H-03 OC-01 CCO-00 /048 W
——————085291 260225Z /20
O 252345Z NOV 78
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC NIACT IMMEDIATE 8209
C O N F I D E N T I A L GEORGETOWN 3939
LIMDIS
E.O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: CASC OREP BY
SUBJECT: NEW NATION EDITORIAL AND CARTOON IMPLYING AN INTERNATIONAL CONSPIRACY WAS THE CAUSE OF THE MASS MURDERS/SUCIDES AT JONESTOWN
REF: GEORGETOWN 3936
1. AS SOON AS THE AMBASSADOR SAW THE EDITORIAL AND CARTOON IN THE NEW NATION (THE RULING PNC’S WEEKLY) (REFTEL) HE FOUND OCCASIONS TO RAISE IT SEPARATELY WITH MINFORAFFAIRS RASHLEIGH JACKSON, MIN NATURAL RESOURCES HUBERT JACK AND MIN OF HEALTH, HOUSING AND LABOR HAMILTON GREEN. WITH EACH, AMBASSADOR EXPRESSED HIS CONSTERNATION AND INCREDULITY THAT SUCH AN EDITORIAL AND CARTOON COULD APPEAR IN THE OFFICIAL PARTY WEEKLY. HE NOTED THAT OVERTHE PAST WEEK OUR TWO GOVERNMENTS HAD WORKED TIRELESSLY AND WELL IN AN EFFORT TO COME TO GRIPS WITH A MASSIVE TRAGEDY OF OVERWHELMING PROPORTIONS. THE EXCELLENT COOPERATONON BOTH SIDES HAD BROUGHT US TO THE POINT WHERE THE TASK OF THE REPATRIATION OF REMAINS WAS VIRTUALLY COMPLETED. NOW TO HAVE SUCH A COMMENTARY APPEAR WAS INCOMPREHENSIBLE.
2. ALL THREE MINISTERS WERE OBVIOUSLY ACTUELY
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EMBARRASSED BY THE NEW NATION COMMENTARY. JACKSON AND JACK RETREATED BEHIND THE EXCUSE OF SAYING THAT THEY HAD NOT YET SEEN IT, BUT EXPRESSED SURPRISE AND REGRET WHEN IT WAS DESCRIBED TO THEM. GREEN, TO HIS CREDIT, APOLOGIZED DEEPLY FOR IT, SAID THAT IT HAD NOT BEEN APPROVED BY THE GOG BEFORE ITS APPEARANCE, AND BLAMED YOUNG LEFT-WING MEMBERS OF THE PNC, WHO EDIT THE NEW NATION, FOR ITS APPEARANCE. HE PROMISED TO RAISE IT IN CABINET INAN EFFORT TO FIND OUT WHO WAS TO BLAME AND JUST HOW IT HAD COME TO BE PUBLISHED.
3. COMMENT: DEP PRIMMINISTER REID, THE PNC GENERAL SECRETARY, IS WELL-KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN LEADING PATRON OF THE PEOPLES TEMPLE AND INSTRUMENTAL IN ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN GUYANA. SINCE THE EVENTS OF LAST WEEKEND, HE IS WIDELY REPORTED TO BE UNDER HEAVY FIRE AS A CONSEQUENCE. UNDOUBTEDLY, THE EDITORS OF THE NEW NATION DECIDED THAT SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO COUNTERATTACK ON HIS BEHALF. WHETHER HE PERSONALLY APPROVED THE EDITORIAL AND CARTOON IN ADVANCE IS NOT KNOWN AT THIS TIME, BUT WE’LL FIND OUT.
BURKE [U.S. Ambassador John Burke]
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