[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978GEORGE04067_d.html.]
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 01
GEORGE 04067 012146Z
ACTION SCS-06
INFO OCT-01 ARA-15 ISO-00 CA-01 SS-15 L-03 H-02 SSO-00 /043 W
——————052768 012150Z /75
O 012101Z DEC 78
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8308
UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 4067
E.O. 12065: N/A
TAGS: CDES, GY (PEOPLE’S TEMPLE)
SUBJECT: GUYANESE DEATH CERTIFICATES
REF: STATE 303080
1) EMBASSY, UPON RECEIPT REFTEL, ADVISED MINISTRY OF HEALTH THAT TIME IS NOW OF THE ESSENCE IN PREPARING D/C’S.
2) WHILE MOH PROMISED TO DO EVERYTHING IT CAN, USG SHOULD NOT EXPECT MIRACLES; THEY ARE NO MORE EQUIPPED TO CRANK OUT SCORES OF D/C’S AT A TIME THAN WE ARE.
BURKE [U.S. Ambassador John Burke]
UNCLASSIFIED
NNN