D-2-C-28<\/p>\n
Draft of Gloria Rodriguez Carter letter to Guyana government about rise of KKK in US, August 1977<\/strong><\/p>\n [handwritten notation at top \u201c1st week of August\u201d]<\/p>\n COPY<\/p>\n To Ministers<\/p>\n An article reporting on the mood of the United States Congress is enclosed for your perusal. It was written by a prominent Time Magazine writer. I ran across it a few days ago and thought it rather succinctly portrayed a trend in the United States that has concerned me greatly for some time. It is most disturbing that racism is becoming increasingly blatant there \u2013 once again \u2013 as displayed in part by the horrendous rise of the Ku Klux Klan in all segments of U.S. society.<\/p>\n This trend is occurring even though there has been a ray of hope with President Carter. But, as the PNC has often said, Institutions of long standing go on and on, irrespective of personalities that come and go.<\/p>\n I thought this article was of particular interest because it comes from a middle-class perspective. I\u2019m just bringing it to your attention because I think you, as a government minister, might find it interesting.<\/p>\n VTY [very truly yours] —–<\/p>\n D-2- C-29B<\/p>\n [several words illegible] FOREIGN AFFAIRS FROM AN INDIVIDUAL<\/p>\n Dear Minister_________<\/p>\n The enclosed article is from the Trinidadian paper which says lets compare tiny Barbados with two Goliaths. The essence of the articles is critical of Guyana and Jamaica for not becoming economically dependent on the United States.<\/p>\n I, as a member of Peoples Temple, would never speak in reference to policy-only directly to you because this is the policy required by out Trustee and Bishop Jim Jones. It is not my business to seek out on such issues that perchance would cause difficulty for you. But I just wanted to say privately to you as a minister of this great Republic, that I believe you are taking the wisest possible course. Any alternative to economic dependance on the United States would be, I believe very wise. Even in modern USSR and China there is not the history of assassination and murder the brutal subterfuge which characterizes current American history. We have personally gone through hell and persecution for standing up for Guyana, as have [text inserted from following page: \u201cother officials we\u2019ve encouraged to speak out for Guyana such as Lt. Governor Dymally.\u201d] The mood in the United States has not changed.<\/p>\n Any President of the U.S.A. no matter how good they appear, as has often been said by the leading spokespersons for the [illegible] is just a passing phenomena. The institution of capitalism remains the same. We admire your courage and anything we can do to help develop this country, making it economically self-sufficient we will be grateful to do because we believe you have taken the wisest of all possible courses.<\/p>\n In the states or here we have not and will not denounce the United States because we don\u2019t want to create trouble for Guyana. But merely speaking out for [illegible word] in Guyana has incurred unimaginable persecution from the increasingly [illegible] wing reactionary sectors in the USA. As the Mayor of our city (and the authorities are after him for his stands) states that there is a new wave of McCarthyism that will make the old McCarthy days look pale by comparison. If this wave continues socialists and blacks are undoubtably going to be sacrificed as the scapegoats as were the Jews and socialists in Germany.<\/p>\n I appreciate your time in considering these comments and observations.<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-C-29B<\/p>\n Other officials we\u2019ve encouraged to speak out for Guyana such as Lt. Governor [Mervyn] Dymally.<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-C-30<\/p>\n Unsigned letter to Ptolemy Reid, August\u00a0 1, 1977<\/strong><\/p>\n 1 August, 1977<\/p>\n Dear Dr. Reid:<\/p>\n We\u2019ve just learned from Jonestown that all progress on road building and land clearing will be further stalled because our bulldozers are still out of commission, and our latest efforts to get them to Georgetown for repair have again been frustrated. We had arrangements with GN to bring them in this week, But Captain Benn of the Jaimito left Pt. Kaituma without them. We understand that Isaac Lambert, who helped with the arrangements on that end, was upset that this happened, as we were. This has gone on for some time, we need some way of getting those bulldozers into town. They have been out since November and we have been having trouble since then. Unfortunately this problem has delayed some of our anticipated progress.<\/p>\n Jonestown also reported that Guyana\u2019s ambassador to the United Nations, Rashleigh Jackson, accompanied a Mr. Gaskin of Georgetown to visit our settlement this week, and was very favorably impressed. The two gentlemen spent several hours touring the project and talking with our people. They were reportedly very happy to see our demonstration of concern for third world countries and the needs of mankind. We are glad they had a chance to view our work.<\/p>\n We have some affidavits on people that prove they are provocateurs and criminals which we mentioned to you before. If their names come up in immigration they should be scrutinized closely as they are dangerous. This information is in the hands of the most prominent attorney for the left in the United States, who is a good friend of ours and has now subsequently become a good friend of Guyana, Charles Garry. These people have been behind a scurrilous campaign against Guyana, ourselves, and several other processive elements in the United States.<\/p>\n We hope your health is much improved, and that this is a pleasant holiday for you and yours.<\/p>\n Cooperatively,<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-C-31A \u2013 31c<\/p>\n [Typed copy of Time<\/em> Magazine article, \u201cThe Politics of Spite,\u201d by Robert Shrum]<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-D-18A<\/p>\n Al Touchette letter to Guyana government ministers re: radio, August 21, 1977<\/strong><\/p>\n 21 August, 1977<\/p>\n Dear Minister:<\/p>\n I just wanted to let you know our radio operators out here in the jungle at Jonestown have been doing some good will\/public relations for Guyana when we have contact with other \u201chams\u201d around the world. We must have had over 1,000 contacts during our radio work for the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project (I\u2019m sending you a list of the radio numbers of people we\u2019ve talked to in just one day \u2013 and you could, if you wanted to, identify them in a QSL book \u2013 we expect to have ours in the near future.)<\/p>\n I wrote a while back to the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission in the States, telling him the good word about Guyana and the work we\u2019re cooperating on here in the jungle heartland. I\u2019ve also written to a number of the radio hams who\u2019ve had QSL\u2019s with us \u2013 that is, a radio exchange. My letters are full of good things about Guyana and the project, and I\u2019m getting some enthusiastic response.<\/p>\n It\u2019s gratifying to find so much interest in what\u2019s going on here. Often times we have contact with people who have never even heard of Guyana, or who thought of it as either British or French Guyana, as though it could be either. (A strange omission in their geography training.) Others ask if this isn\u2019t a socialist country and we say it is and then we tell how free everyone is and how much the government is helping people and assisting us, for example in getting us information about seeds and plantings or where we can find needed supplies. We\u2019ve said how helpful, too, the country has been for our youngsters who are getting the chance to return to nature and work the soil.<\/p>\n We just talk in a casual way and don\u2019t do any propagandizing. They get interested when we talk about so many coming to work here and how much we love this country. We let anyone break in and then we begin to tell them about this beautiful place. We say not one person who\u2019s come here has any negative feeling about this country. Naturally, we never say anything negative about the U.S. or the press there (though we have reason to) and we never refer to anything here in anything less than a positive, enthusiastic way. We talk about the lovely climate, the beautiful crops and above all the warmth and friendliness of the Guyanese people.<\/p>\n One station in the States stays on for hours wanting to talk and help with contacts with our California headquarters when the airwaves are blocked between here and there. He\u2019s such a helpful chap \u2013 and he says he\u2019s very much interested in Guyana.<\/p>\n Bishop Jones is a good one for making lots of contacts. He ends up talking to people almost every day in both government and other churches. It\u2019s common for ministers to have radios, so he talks to people of every denomination and tells them how much we think of Guyana. One minister reported back that he had discussed Guyana in his Sunday sermon, he was so impressed with what he heard. People have been enthusiastic about our plans for a medical clinic, and they\u2019re turned on when we tell about catching a bush cow.<\/p>\n Figuring that we\u2019ve had well over a thousand contacts and then some of those people are passing the word on to others, I guess we are reaching a lot of people with the good word about Guyana. Since I\u2019ve been telling others about all this, I thought I\u2019d tell you, too. We\u2019re making fine progress out here in the North west District, and we\u2019re more and more glad to be here. Hope you visit us soon.<\/p>\n Cooperatively yours, —–<\/p>\n D-2-D-18b<\/p>\n [Editor\u2019s note<\/strong>: This page, labeled as a \u201cSample of One Day\u2019s International Radio Contacts,\u201d is mostly illegible, and was not transcribed.]<\/em><\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-D-19 \u201321<\/p>\n [Editor\u2019s note<\/strong>: These three pages are duplicates of D-2-d-18a.]<\/em><\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-D-13<\/p>\n \u201cJim Jones\u201d letter to Natural Resources Minister Hubert Jack, September 28, 1977<\/strong><\/p>\n [Editor\u2019s note<\/strong>: Although this letter is supposedly from Jim Jones, it was likely composed for his review by a member of the Georgetown staff. The signature at the end does not match that of Jones\u2019.]<\/em><\/p>\n PAULA\u2019S COPY<\/p>\n Bishop Jim Jones Honorable Minister Hubert Jack Dear Minister Jack:<\/p>\n We just wanted to let you know how deeply grateful we were night before last for the GDF plane that flew into the Port Kaituma air strip to pick up one of our young men who had a very serious spinal injury when a piece of equipment broke and fell on him. The pilot, Michael Chan-a-sue, was ready within the hour after being called about the emergency (to fly the plane up.) Since there were no lights on the Port Kaituma air strip, our people made torches all up and down the strip to light it, much to the amazement I heard of even the pilot \u2013 it was so well done. The pilot was extremely courteous and sensitive to the seriousness of the young man\u2019s condition, and thus he was most careful not to jar or bump him in any way, as the young man was paralyzed for several hours from the waist up. Amazingly enough, the young man seems to have regained full use of his facilities now and is in a Georgetown hospital.<\/p>\n Because of the seriousness of this emergency and the fact that our own doctor felt that if we didn\u2019t get this young man to a hospital as soon as possible he could have lost all feeling in his body, we did not think about asking permission for the plane to land up there. After it landed, a local constable came up and made it known that he was extremely disturbed that we had not consulted him about the whole matter, even though we had no idea that we were supposed to contact anyone. We would deeply appreciate knowing from you which bureaucrats we are supposed to contact in this sort of an emergency.<\/p>\n You have my greatest respect and appreciation because of your commitment to socialism and Guyana. Please let us know if we can ever be of any assistance to you in any way.<\/p>\n Most Sincerely, —–<\/p>\n D-2-D-14<\/p>\n Undated notes on Temple meetings with officials of Guyana government<\/strong><\/p>\n SHIRLEY FIELD-RIDLEY<\/p>\n FRED WILLS:<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-D-15A<\/p>\n Meetings with Mingo, Jack, Barker:<\/p>\n \u2013 arsons burning churches, animals tortured, assassin attempts, seniors tantalized, attempts to provoke us into violence.<\/p>\n \u2013 Joseph Mazor<\/p>\n \u2013 Try to use various methods to undermine us and discredit JJ and PT, John, who is so precious to JJ, is a means to torture JJ.<\/p>\n \u2013 Appears that with their lies, and after what you have seen PT do to help build socialism and this economy, that G [Guyana] is willing to sit back and not defend a group which would give their very lives in defense of their right to sovereignty and to uphold the name of socialism.<\/p>\n \u2013 How can a bunch of provacateurs be given so much credibility? Has G not suffered the same character smear in the press. We never believed that the PM killed people, or that this was like a dismal plantation, etc. We knew that they were assassinating G credibility within the capitalist world because G is socialist and the more that G was slandered, the more we knew that G was adhering to Socialist principles. Capitalism and the right-wing reactionary press tries to manipulate countries and groups like they were pawns, however we are not wavering our socialist commitment one bit under their attempts to discredit us.<\/p>\n \u2013 The very persons who have tried to bring us into a picture which made us look inhumane are the ones who practiced a great deal of their accusations. They were terrorists and not only wanted to do violent things to overthrow the U.S. government (which was a na\u00efve theory), but they practiced their terrorizing on the persons living in the dormitories at Santa Rosa. We believe them to be provacateurs at that time and when they formulated plans to blow up the Santa Rota, armory, someone said something and it got back to the Bishop and he put a stop to this type of nonsense. We work through programs of human service as a living demonstration of our socialist commitment, not through violent means, although if we were ever attacked we would not lay down and die quietly.<\/p>\n \u2013 There is a conspiracy among certain agencies and low level officials. The President, Andrew Young, Rosalyn Carter, State Dept top officials (mention praising letter), have always been very supportive of us. The major officials in the state of Calif. support us. Mention about the Attorney General having never called either the Foreign Affairs Minister or Ambassador of G in Wash. The Lt. Governor of Calif. Asked him if he had called us. He said \u201cno.\u201d) [Marginal notation: \u201c(Mingo & Jack)\u201d]<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-D-15B<\/p>\n 4444. Dick McCoy from the U.S. Embassy has been getting very involved in the custody matter about John Stoen who is the son, in fact, according to our attorney, he has gone out of his way about this. And this in particular official knows that the son is JJ\u2019s. The embassy called the Police Commissioner and asked him to have an escort go up to the project with the attorney representing the child\u2019s mother. Without saying anything to us about this an escort auto, were provided for Jeffrey Haas and they appeared on the farm. Naturally we became somewhat alienated having this man sanctioned by the G government after explaining to Minister Wills and Dr. Reid what the background of this matter was. The man said he was from Home Affairs (that was with him) and was very unfriendly. When he got back to Georgetown he said that he had tried to serve papers on the B [Bishop Jones] and he was evading them. This man did not say one word about papers and we have several witnesses who will swear to this. He asked where the Bishop had gone and when he would be back, specifically if he would be back by Thursday. This was all that he said. Until two people told me that this man was saying that he was a marshall trying to serve papers, we assumed he was from Home Affairs. People keep throwing the name of Home Affairs around all of the time.<\/p>\n 5. We need some assurances that G will stand by us. We have chosen our destiny by our choice and when the Cubans disaster occurred, we never wavered. We want to know if you are going to continue to let people come in harrassing and trying to intimidate us. We have no future here if this continues to go on. We would die for you and told the man at the US Embassy that we would fight to the last person before we would let Guyana borders be attacked, but we need to know what G is going to do and whether G govt is going to stop this harassment. For the first time, we closed our gates\u2026<\/p>\n 6. It would show little character in J if he were to allow a son to go back to one who openly expressed her hate for him and said to J \u201cyou take him, I never want to see him, again.<\/p>\n 7. We do want to get some assurances that this kind of thing will stop. I am surprised that the govt has let it go so far as to almost lose the Bishop\u2019s life. We said so before that this was in some ways a test to see how G will react. Our support has come from the left in the U.S., Third World countries and as far away as Russia. We will not fail you. Our loyalty is to G and socialism, but we must know if this harrasment is going to continue. John is only one case. If it even goes into the courts, it will open the way for others, however we understand what you are trying to do in allowing it to go to court, but this is exactly what will happen.<\/p>\n 8. We believe that there are lower eschelon bureaucrats who are working with the U.S. Embassy CIA attache, Dick McCoy, according to Min. Wills. There is also some indication that there may be a conspiracy against us here which involved persons from G and the US. I am sure that some in the U.S. are surprised that it has gone as far as it has.<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-d-16a, 16c<\/p>\n [Editor\u2019s note<\/strong>: This document is a duplicate of the D-2-d-15a \u2013 15b.]<\/em><\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-D-17<\/p>\n Fred Wills<\/p>\n Note: A primary concern of ours is that 500 of our best professional and technical people who have not come yet, be allowed to come. They were the high wage earners who stayed back and who will be invaluable skilled assets to this country which suffers from a brain drain. We hope to replace the skilled who were allured by material benefits. (W)e appreciate the qualities of being on the soil, good neighbors, racial harmony and a socialist economy, and we don\u2019t need to have those creature comforts because we\u2019ve seen that they are empty as far as esoterism. We want assurances that they will be able to come in the next couple of months or earlier if there is some kind of extremist or reactionary situation. They are the best of the lot in training and expertise. People are being trained specifically in tropical medicine. All of the skills of these people who stayed back to help support the project will help Guyana beneficially. They are people who can appreciate this country and the nation\u2019s course. I send you my deepest personal regards.<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-C-15A<\/p>\n \u201cJim Jones\u201d letter to <\/strong>Deputy Prime Minister Ptolemy Reid, October 1, 1977<\/strong><\/p>\n [Editor\u2019s note<\/strong>: Although this letter is supposedly from Jim Jones, it was likely composed for his review by a member of the Georgetown staff, likely Sharon Amos. The signature at the end does not match that of Jones\u2019.]<\/em><\/p>\n [Notation at top of page] Paula\u2019s copy<\/p>\n Bishop Jim Jones Honorable Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Ptolemy Reid Dear Dr. Reid;<\/p>\n WE NEED SOME COMMUNICATION VERY VERY URGENTLY. A SITUATION HAS COME UP THAT WE NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE STAND.<\/u><\/p>\n We were visited by [Development] Minister Desmond Hoyte, along with the Regional Minister, Fitz Carmichael, Isaac Lambert, and other persons. Minister Hoyte had an arbitrary manner and said that we now had to go through the region only and could no longer have any contact with any of the Georgetown ministers. We were also told that we could not distribute any more free food in the area. AND THE MOST DEVASTATING THING WE WERE TOLD WAS THAT WE CANNOT HAVE A SCHOOL.<\/u><\/p>\n These conditions are TOTALLY UNTENABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE TO US AT THIS POINT. We would like someone like you or Minister [Fred] Wills who understands what we are about, who understands the extent of our loyalty and commitment to socialism, to come up to Jonestown and talk with us about these situations.<\/p>\n Minister Hoyte is said to be interested in projects yet he has never looked at this farm. He has been in three times and each time he has stepped out of his car, made some commands and got back in the car and drove off, not one time looking at this project. He wouldn\u2019t even sit down when he came. This doesn\u2019t sound like a man who appreciates what we are working to achieve.<\/p>\n We have met with more hostility from local officials here than we have from the white racists in the U.S. We want to amalgamate and are encouraging it, but this is the same problem that we have with people in lower levels of the conspiracy in the U.S.<\/p>\n There is an Indian tribe that thought they couldn\u2019t live on this planet \u2013 they didn\u2019t feel they could make it. This is how many of our people feel \u2013 that they are too idealistic and there is no place for them. Surely you have seen the idealism of this group. Our loyalty has been extended to you to even die if necessary for you and for Guyana.<\/p>\n IF WE ARE INDEED TO PUT ALL MATTERS THROUGH THESE INDIVIDUALS OUT HERE, AS THEY SAY WE ARE, WITH NO CONTACTING OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN GEORGETOWN, THEN WE HAVE REACHED AN IMPASSE. WE MUST BE ABLE TO KEEP CONTACT WITH YOU WHOM WE KNOW WE CAN TRUST.<\/p>\n We cannot possibly understand why we would be told not to distribute food free to the people. Is this to isolate us from the community? These officials were trying to suggest that we would make the people in the area reliant on us. This is a<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-C-15B<\/p>\n Page 2<\/p>\n ridiculous and unsocialistic concept: if people are in need, as there are shortages here, than we are not going to turn our backs on them. We cannot do it!! And obviously the amount of food we give away, though it is thousands of pounds, cannot possibly meet each Individual\u2019s need. I might add that our doctor has given his assistance to people in the community and we will continue to do so, but why do we face such hostility when all we are trying to do is help people.<\/p>\n We were told as a guarantee when we first came to this country that the school would be left intact. We are willing to take other Guyanese children in. We were told by the Headmaster that the Port Kaituma school did not know where they were even going to get food for the number they have now. They CANNOT possibly take in 300 more children. And what are we expected to do for transportation? We have no means to transport all our children each day 13 miles round trip. This would cripple our production and threaten success with this kind of an extra demand put on us.<\/p>\n We have a vast program of schooling and many people in the community have said that our school is far advanced compared to other school. We have been able to achieve a great deal with the work-study program which gives the children all of the most advanced academic education and at the same tine teaches them a healthy concept about work. Classes are taught on socialism, Guyana history, regular academic subjects, trade skills, etc. The children choose the skill which they would like to be exposed to and work with someone in that area whether it be a doctor or a mechanic. They are allowed to work with someone as a privilege when they have done well in school, but we have been told that in the Port Kaituma school that children have been known to wander through the halls at class time, and teachers have fallen asleep in class.<\/p>\n One man who has praised our school so highly in the past, as he had visited us before and toured our school, came out with Minister Hoyte today, and didn\u2019t step forward and tell what he knew about our school when we were told that they were concerned about our children getting a good education. We suggested building a school at Jonestown, but there was no comment. We want to amalgamate and have Guyanese children in our school and we have stated this many times. OUR CHILDREN ARE EXCEPTIONALLY PRECIOUS TO US. They are going through an adjustment period because of the racial harassment they met in the school system they came from. We have spent a great deal of individual time in working with both academic and emotional adjustment. To say we are not concerned about children as was implied by one of the persons who came out is ludicrous.<\/p>\n According to the law in The Regional Development Authorities Act 1977, Section 7, it appears that by nature of the fact we are an incorporated church in the laws of Guyana, we would not come under regional control. However, the attitude derived from the visit of Minister Hoyte, Minister Carmichael, and their party appeared to be, \u201cAS OF TODAY, WE ARE IN CONTROL OF YOU AND WANT YOU TO KNOW IT!!<\/u>\u201d We asked about the law, we got no cooperation and had to contact Guyanese friends in Georgetown to get this information to find out even the basis of this proclamation.<\/p>\n Perhaps the reason we are meeting with so much opposition is because a true cooperative is too threatening. Maybe they don\u2019t want a socialist experiment. Maybe they don\u2019t like foreigners. We don\u2019t know what it is. As you know, there is a documented conspiracy in the U.S. and we cannot forget what ends they have gone to already, especially when it is obvious that this conspiracy has reached here. It concerns us that some don\u2019t even relate to the racism and harassment that one would get being an integrated socialist group in a capitalist country. We have had 25 years of this kind of harassment and we are tired of it. We are peaceful people and have always lives as socialists and we will surely die as socialists but we need to know where this will all end.<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-C-15C<\/p>\n Page 3<\/p>\n Another complaint registered by these ministers was that when the GDF plane flew up the other evening (to carry to the hospital one of our youngsters who had been seriously injured in an accident) we did not inform them it was landing, There was no sensitivity expressed by these men for the young man who at the time appeared to our doctor there to be loosing spinal fluid through his mouth and nose, and who was in fact paralyzed for many hours.<\/p>\n Inspector Benjamin, who spoke to us several days ago about this situation, appeared at that time to be understanding. However, when he came out with Minister Hoyte\u2019s party, he seemed antagonistic about the whole subject, and totally reversed his attitude and comments from our previous talk with him. (We have a hard time trusting people who are friendly one visit, and hostile another.) The fact is that the GDF pilot praised us for having the airstrip lit up like a Christmas tree in one hours notice, and that hours notice gave us no time to do anything except what that pilot demanded.<\/p>\n We have told you many times of our loyalty, and today we had a case in point. Two of our secretaries attended the Guyana Council of Churches meeting. They walked out of the meeting, explaining to me that they felt disloyal even sitting there when so much anti-government discussion was taking place.<\/p>\n The lectures given by father Malcolm Rodriques and father Andrew Morrison were reacted to by Mr. Miles Fitzpatrick. The overwhelming majority of people were anti-government. The government supportive pastors did not attend and the discussion topic \u201cHuman Rights\u201d slammed at the government through examples such as the media control where Father Morrison is concerned and the middle class individual rights where Fitzpatrick is concerned. Fitzpatrick also compared Guyana to Chile and said we could learn from what happened to Chile. What a horrendous example! Laura Allende, Salvatore Allende\u2019s sister, spoke at our church as did several of the Chilean refugees who ore now assisted by us. Obviously<\/u>, the atrocities committee on them can in NO WAY<\/u> begin to compare to anything that\u2019s ever taken place in Guyana.<\/p>\n You might be interested to know that Lt. Governor Dymally was asked to speak with Andrew Young when he and Ambassador Young meet. If you would li.ke any points raised, please let me know.<\/p>\n WE HAVE RECEIVED NO ACKNOWLEDGMENT THUS FAR TO THE WAY DISTURBING SITUATIONS THAT HAVE ARISEN. WE KNOW YOU ARE EXCEEDINGLY BUSY BUT WE ARE IN A DILEMMA AS TO WHO TO TRUST AND WHERE TO TURN. WE DESPERATELY NEED SOME COMMUNICATION FROM YOU. YOU KNOW OF MY BELIEF IN YOU.<\/p>\n Sincerely and Affectionately, Copy to Minister Fred Wills<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-D-11<\/p>\n Harriet Tropp letter to Development Minister Desmond Hoyte, October 1977<\/strong><\/p>\n October 8, 1977<\/p>\n The Honorable Minister Desmond Hoyte Comrade,<\/p>\n In response to your suggestion that we apply formally for permission to have our existing school accredited, we have placed this written request to the Ministry of Education.<\/p>\n We would appreciate any further advice with respect to this matter. We know you are a very busy man, but would welcome a visit to our project from. you. At such time you could see the school in progress first hand, as well as view the development of the farm itself.<\/p>\n Yours Cooperatively cc: Sir Lionel Luckhoo<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-D-12<\/p>\n Tropp\/Chaikin letter to Regional Minister of Economic Development W.D. Wyatt<\/strong><\/p>\n Cde. Wyatt,<\/p>\n The staff of the Peoples Temple agricultural project apologizes for not notifying your office regarding a GDF plane that landed recently in Port Kaituma on an emergency. However, as we did notify your office when private charters came\u2028in on previous occasions, this oversight in no way represents our practice or\u2028policy.<\/p>\n The situation that night was extremely critical. We had only one hour\u2019s notice\u2028to prepare a runway for a landing, get it adequately lit, transport the injur ed\u2028young man, and give the pilot a weather report by radio. According to our doctor, the young man, who could not move at all, had spinal fluid draining from his mouth.<\/p>\n The pilot told us that our efforts finally demonstrated that night flights could be made for emergency purposes in this area. We would think that this would be a point of considerable value to the Regional Administration, who, after all, are responsible for the life and health of the people in this region. While we do appreciate Cde. Wyatt\u2019s time and effort in pointing out those incidents where we have been in error, we do think it is appropriate for the Regional Administration to recognize the contributions that Peoples Temple makes to the North West Region, including the above referenced incident.<\/p>\n The tone of your letter of September 22 gives us the feeling that there must be some strain in the relationship that exists between Peoples Temple and the Regional Administration. If this is true, we sincerely regret it and wish to take steps to resolve whatever difficulties you perceive to exist.<\/p>\n To this end, we propose a regular monthly meeting be established between the Regional Administration (and whosever else they say designate) and several representatives of the Peoples Temple staff, Whatever points of mutual interest or questions there are that should be addressed, could be discussed at such meetings.<\/p>\n In addition, we note that several months ago there was a request that the Regional PNC organisation include members of Peoples Temple in its activities, proportionately to the population of the project. Me also feel that representation by Peoples Temple member on regional and district councils would be useful.<\/p>\n We look forward to discussions with the Regional Administration in furtherance of these proposals. Co-operatively yours,<\/p>\n \/s\/ Harriet Sarah Tropp \/s\/ Eugene Chaikin Cc: Cde. P. Reid, Cde. D. Hoyt [Hoyte], Cde. Carmichael<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-D-8<\/p>\n Carolyn Layton letter to Vincent Teekah, Minister of Education, October 8, 1977<\/strong><\/p>\n 8 October, 1977<\/p>\n Ministry of Education Comrade,<\/p>\n As you may be aware, the Peoples Temple agricultural project is currently holding school classes for the children and young adults living on the project, a number now nearly three hundred. We most certainly wish to acquire official recognition for this school, and thus I am enclosing a report that details the current structure and program of the school.<\/p>\n At the present time all transportation at the agricultural project is carried out by our farm tractors. It would be physically impossible for us to transport 300 youngsters into Port Kaituma to school daily and still maintain an agricultural program (the tractors are imperative to the implementation of this program.) We would be more than happy to accept students from the surrounding community to participate in our school program.<\/p>\n As you will note, at all age levels the emphasis in instruction is the development of the socialist man and woman, a sensitive person who has learned not merely the theory of socialism but also the application of that theory to one\u2019s daily life. Our school does not teach religion in any form, except to point out how religion has been used to pacify oppressed people throughout the ages. The enclosed program is not simply a \u201cpaper plan.\u201d On the contrary, it was formulated and written after the school was actually in progress, and reflects the actual, ongoing program.<\/p>\n Naturally, we are anxious to learn of the official guidelines and requirements formulated by the Ministry of Education, because we want to incorporate such into our program as quickly as possible. Whatever your office could do to facilitate our getting the proper, formal recognition of this school would be most deeply appreciated. It is our firm commitment and desire to educate our young people to be fine socialists, instilled with a sense of loyalty to the PNC and the ideals it so ably represents.<\/p>\n Yours cooperatively, cc: Cabinet —–<\/p>\n D-2-D-9<\/p>\n [Editor\u2019s note: This is a duplicate of the previous letter, with an additional note at the top of the page: \u201cLionel Luckhoo\u2019s copy \u2013 left out how we don\u2019t teach religion.\u201d]<\/em><\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-D-10A<\/p>\n Educational goals for Jonestown schools<\/strong><\/p>\n PRIMARY AND PRE-SCHOOL \u2013 AGES 3-5<\/u><\/p>\n Goals<\/u><\/p>\n To promote perceptual, motor experiences intended to produce high success rates as foundation experiences for the development of a positive, assured view of self.<\/p>\n To begin the teaching of cause and effect relationships.<\/p>\n To instill a strong sense of responsibility for all actions and statements.<\/p>\n To instill a respect for collective property, collective opinion, collective qualities of leadership such as the willingness and courage to question and express individual opinions so that a true dialogue can develop and all minds can contribute to the collective.<\/p>\n To instill in each child that work is good and all that is good is the product of work. To instill that honesty and truthfulness are fundamental to comradery which is in turn fundamental to cooperative effort.<\/p>\n Time Allocation<\/u><\/p>\n The pre-school children are in a structured group setting for 8 hours. They learn and play in groups and so learn sharing at a very young age. Their day includes supervised group play, dances, songs, walks, naps and meals. Each child is encouraged to participate in the various activities cooperatively with the group.<\/p>\n With the exception of evenings and nights, the pre-school children are under the supervision of the pre-school teaching staff. The Director of the Pre-School worked for many years as a pre-school teacher in the United States.<\/p>\n No forma<\/u>l effort is made at this age to teach academic skills or information but educationally stimulating games are part of the program.<\/p>\n Daily Schedule<\/p>\n 7:30 \u2013 8:15 a.m. Breakfast<\/p>\n 8:15 \u2013 9:00 a.m. Post breakfast wash-up and journey to the pre-school playground and activity center. At the playground they have activity, an apparatus to challenge and enhance their development muscularly, perceptually and neurologically.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n At all times teachers help the children learn through their daily experience socialist principles.<\/p>\n Following a group lunch and nap, the children again have a play period. The afternoon play period is inside with toys and puzzles. At this time fine visual tactile and special discriminations and fine muscle coordination are stressed as gross motor coordination skills were stressed in the morning.<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-D-10B<\/p>\n -2-<\/p>\n The children spend evenings and nights with their families. Those children who do not have their parents with them in Jonestown spend the evenings with married couples who are their parental figures. Parents and teachers have frequent meetings to coordinate their efforts so the child is not caught between conflicting expectations.<\/p>\n ELEMENTARY SCHOOL \u2013 AGES 6-12<\/u><\/p>\n Goals:<\/u><\/p>\n Initiate new goals:<\/p>\n To inculcate the following socialistic principles:<\/p>\n Time Allocation:<\/u><\/p>\n The elementary students are awakened by their parents at 7:00 a.m. At 7: 30a.m., they eat breakfast at the community dining facility. Following breakfast the children are supervised through toothbrushing and final personal details before school begins at 8:00 a.m.<\/p>\n Classes include:<\/p>\n Language Arts<\/u>: Becoming receptive and expressive<\/u>.<\/p>\n Aspects of spoken and written English language. This includes Beading Skills.<\/p>\n Mathematics<\/u>: Includes basic concepts of numeration, mathematic symbology, computation and reasoning.<\/p>\n Perceptual Training<\/u> \u2013 Audio, visual, tactile training separately and in integrated patterns.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-10C<\/p>\n -3-<\/p>\n Physical Education<\/u>: Designed to provide mostly group or team cooperation experiences in setting that promotes development of perceptual-motor skills, strength and stamina, encouragement of the qualities of fairness and learning to be a \u201cgood sport.\u201d<\/p>\n Social Studies<\/u>: An integrated discipline including aspects of economics, politics, geography, history, philosophy and demography \u2013 interpreted within the context of the Marxist dialectic.<\/p>\n Guyanese History<\/u>: Specific details of Guyanese history with parallels drawn with the struggles of all third world peoples. Study of Guyanese heroes and historical-figures as well as current Guyanese developments.<\/p>\n Foreign languages including<\/u>: French, Spanish, Portugues, Chinese, Swahili. Depending on the age of the students, their language background and the language being taught the approach and goals may vary to include:<\/p>\n Two and one-half hours of each day are spent in apprenticeship training for the children 10-12 years of age with 1 1\/2 hours similar work experience for children ages 6-9. This work experience includes all aspects of the project life from electricity to carpentry, cooking to animal husbandry, and other fields included.<\/p>\n The initial phase permits several days experience in each project area unless exceptional interest or talent is exhibited. In such cases, the student may pursue further training of the field of interest.<\/p>\n An emphasis is made to protect the training aspect of the program. The trainees are placed with workers who have proven to be good workers with a collective conscience who have empathy and patience in working with young people.<\/p>\n The elementary school children are supervised by their teachers from 8:0O a.m. until 4:30 p.m. They are than released to their families for dinner and evening and nighttime activities.<\/p>\n SECONDARY SCHOOL \u2013 AGES 13 \u2013 18<\/u><\/p>\n Goals and Values:<\/u><\/p>\n Continuation of the values and goals from the preschool and elementary.<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-D-10D<\/p>\n -4-<\/p>\n Initial New Emphasis:<\/u><\/p>\n Goals:<\/u><\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-D-10E<\/p>\n -5-<\/p>\n moderate assurance, state problems accurately, thoroughly, and postulate solution steps, and evaluate cause and effect relationships. A Marxist focus on all problems helps keep a unified prospective.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Program<\/u>:<\/p>\n The secondary school program is a work\/study program, the work day being divided roughly equally between work and study.<\/p>\n As discussed for the\u2019 elementary program, students receive training<\/u> with the work experience. All aspects of community functions are open to apprenticeship training.<\/p>\n The courses offered are:<\/p>\n Medical First Aid<\/p>\n Nurse Science<\/p>\n Basic Biological Science<\/p>\n Animal Science<\/p>\n Literature and composition\/ Language Arts<\/p>\n Foreign languages:<\/p>\n French<\/p>\n Chinese<\/p>\n Spanish<\/p>\n Swahili<\/p>\n Portuguese<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Basic Arithmetic Review<\/p>\n Algebra<\/p>\n Geometry<\/p>\n Basic elements of spoken and written English<\/p>\n Social Science with a Marxist perspective and socialist concepts<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n It is our belief that our program will create students dedicated to the service of humanity, sensitive to the problems and struggles of others, possessing logical reasoning skills to approach problems effectively and having sufficient study and learning skills to learn technical data necessary to formulate and execute solutions to problems, i.e., the development of socialist character. The school does not teach religion, in any form, except to point out how religion has been used to pacify oppressed peoples throughout the ages. Students graduating from Jonestown School will have had training in manual arts as well as training in at least one trade or skill. Students who have the interest motivation and ability to go on to college will have completed college preparatory course work.<\/p>\n Through the program in social science, the students shall have been exposed to the histories of peoples struggling against oppression in its varied forms and shall have a strong identify with third world peoples and their struggles.<\/p>\n The graduate of Jonestown Schools we hope to be a sensitive socialist individual with well- developed problem solving skills and the ability to implement solutions. He or she will be able to work with their hands and their minds and will have their hearts in touch with the socialist cause, and will be loyal and willing contributors to the development of Guyana.<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-d-6a<\/p>\n Richard Tropp letter to Regional Minister Fitz Carmichael, October 30, 1977<\/strong><\/p>\n October 30, 1977<\/p>\n Hon. Fitz Carmichael Dear Minister Carmichael,<\/p>\n I am writing in response to discussions concerning our work here that have taken place between you and our project leadership as well as a letter recently received from your office. We are looking forward to full assimilation and absorption into the mainstream of the institutional, cultural and social life of Guyana. We want to move in this direction as fully and as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n One issue came up which needs to be fully appreciated is that of the removal of the school children from the farm. A problem which we face is that we have a relatively small number of working adults in comparison to our total population and we depend upon our older school children to assist in a number of project activities on a daily basis. These activities are in themselves educational as well as indispensible and necessary for the success of the project. Our school program is combined work\/study, and in these formative stages of our development, it is critical that all of our young people be involved. These include agricultural work in the fields, diesel mechanics, welding, carpentry, medical assisting and so forth. We cannot afford the loss of even one of our able young leaders if we are to sustain ourselves and produce in a way that we are confident will not only help Guyana, but continue to be a model for the whole world, as many of your officials have characterized us. We are making many gains: we are able to build many implements highly beneficial to the nation. To name a few, household items, exquisite furniture, children’s play equipment of high quality, educational wooden toys and games which will acquaint every child with the wealth and beauty of Guyana and its capable leadership. None of this can he achieved without our full work force, therefore we are asking for some latitude and toleration in making a request for the exemption of our school children from attending the Port Kaituma school.<\/p>\n In our case, this request is being made in the best interests of Guyana with no personal gain or untoward motivation involved. We are not a community of salaried adults that can purchase their own food. Rather uniquely, in rural Guyana, we are almost entirely self-supporting by our own efforts, and because we do have many senior members and young people, we would not have sufficient food in this sort of program if we did not have the integral participation of young people in the maintenance of the farm. This factor makes it a practical impossibility for school children to be absent from the project in these early stages of development.<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-d-6b<\/p>\n Hon. Fitz Carmichael<\/p>\n Page two<\/p>\n In earlier discussions, before our project had even been formally started we were told we could have a school of our own. This was a major decision point for us, therefore to institute full integration of our teachers and students with the Guyanese school system we would gladly take in Guyanese of the area and become a fully accredited school through the Ministry of Education. Local children have attended our school in the past and done quite well. Already the children are taught Guyana history, social and cultural courses. We invite you to test them on their knowledge of the concepts and purposes of the PNC and the political facts of the attempts made to destabilize the economy. The degree of their understanding of these subjects would astound you. We are teaching them a national pride and loyalty to Guyana which becomes a matter of automatic response and intrinsic feeling.<\/p>\n As far as Guyanese teachers are concerned, we have no problem about their competence, but there are problems of a specific nature regarding the sophisticated “asphalt jungle” background of many of the children here. We have developed methods cowards restructuring their lives and goals on a constructive, wholesome foundation. It requires a special cooperative structure and this setting of love and understanding which is helping many of them to overcome the psychological and various other damage they have suffered in the big city ghettos. That is why psychological counselling has been integrated into our educational program; part of a massive program to overcome these problems. We are, happily, making considerable progress in building character among practically all of our young people. Our only recent difficulty concerned a couple of runaways who decided to return to the community after their “adventure” in the bush.<\/p>\n We have had to put a particular emphasis upon tutoring and special help since we are trying to counteract the damage done by many American high schools, especially in the black ghetto areas where children are passed from grade to grade without any standards of achievement. Many graduate high school as functionally illiterate.<\/p>\n As is our practice on all major issues concerning the members of the community, we took a vote on the matter of going to school off of the project, and with the exception of one child (who has a long history of juvenile delinquency) all of the children voted to remain here for school. We maintain a very competent educational program, if that were not the case our families would be very unhappy, and, in fact, someone asked us to take in their fourteen year old who was attending another school and could not yet read.<\/p>\n Another major reason for our concern .about sending our children off the project is the very real threat of kidnapping. We now have proof and a witness to verify that a central figure in the conspiracy that is trying to undermine our work, a man by the name of Mazor (who has a lengthy criminal record), is intent on using conservatorship laws to effectively kidnap children on our project. Even though we<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-d-6c<\/p>\n Hon. Fitz Carmichael<\/p>\n Page three<\/p>\n have legal custody over the children, such actions would embroil us in the courts for years fighting the archaic and vicious concept of conservatorship. This makes us especially reluctant to place young people in a position in which they might be vulnerable to being seized by people like Hazor or those Guyanese without socialist concept or anti-government views who Mazor might induce through monetary enrichment.<\/p>\n Also, a problem that could cause great problem in terms of public relations for Guyana is that we have heard repeated reports from reliable sources of a small outbreak of malaria in the Port Kaituma school. We understand how that could happen, and we are in no way critical \u2013 the friendship and compliments of various delegations you have brought here make us feel accepted. We cannot thank you enough, as well as the great statesman of your nation whose life and character inspired us to settle here. But my point is that just one malaria case in our membership would doubtlessly create another round of smear campaign activity in the U.S. press, which would also reflect negatively on Guyana. To send our children to the Kaituma school before malaria prevention is ensured would be foolhardy. As you know we have a high level of medical skill which we are extending more and more to our good neighbors in the community. It was a life-saving to a Guyanese neighbor just a few days ago.<\/p>\n The water supply in Port Kaituma is very bad as was stressed by Cd. Wyatt and other officials, to a degree that the man who chairs the PNC party here, Cde. Green, lost a child recently to an outbreak of gastroenteritis. We have had a great deal of success in treating cases which have been brought to us and we were sorry to hear Cde. Green, who we find to be a very sincere and nice man, suffered such grief. We wish others would come to us under such circumstances because we have not lost one here with gastroenteritis or malaria as well. Although we wish for you to fully understand that we don’t mind venturing or facing new maladies (or we wouldn’t have come), if this were to happen to any of our young people when we are under a reactionary, political press attack there would be a new barrage of bad press about the poor water and health risks that would reflect poorly on the agricultural project and Guyana. It is just inopportune to send the children out at this time. As a people we are willing to face a few health risks but we were just thinking about what would be the best image for Guyana.<\/p>\n Another subject that was discussed was that of Guyanese being employed on the farm, We have no objection to that in principle, indeed we hire Guyanese workers presently. But we are opposed to bringing in persons who are not of the most firm support of the Guyana government and who would not be understanding of our need to maintain some careful security. This is not in an effort to be secretive as was reportedly of some concern, because we have Guyanese people working here on various shifts day and night. Without exercising extreme discretion, we know from experience that problems<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-d-6d<\/p>\n Hon. Fitz Carmichael<\/p>\n Page four<\/p>\n could arise in which some of our youth who have come from adverse social circumstances might be drawn into activities such as excessive drinking and (as happened on one occasion in the past) theft. We have experienced people coming here to work who were anti-government and anti-structure, and who created many problems for us. We also noted that the only criticism ever registered against t.ie government was by the people we employed. We were also chagrined to experience among them some outright blatant racism. For these reasons we would like to see a very selective evaluation made of who will be placed to work here. We are happy to report that all of our people are presently free from anti-social patterns. However, we are aware that this is the case largely because they are removed from adverse influences, and are part of a community that encourages and rewards good moral conduct. What We want to build upon more is our ties with very high calibre people in the PNC, who represent the best in the local community. We enjoyed our participation in the Party (PNC) meeting. We also have several persons currently employed in the Guyanese community with land clearing being done by one contractor along with several Guyanese neighbors.<\/p>\n We have shown our concern about full co-operation and sharing with our neighbors and the local community. As you know, we are now building a recreation facility to be put in the Port Kaituma schoolyard and are preparing furniture donations. We went out of our way to employ a tractor and operator to send a movie into the community and will continue to go out of our way. We would like to continue to employ local workers. All we ask is to be able to avoid the kind of problems I mentioned earlier. Actually, the only reason we didn’t resume full-scale employment was a matter of income \u2013 the expense was too great.<\/p>\n We have 100% support of all minority U.S. media and we have been able to isolate the reactionary press attacks on us to a very small segment. In what Lt. Governor Dymally has called an open smear campaign on all black elected officials based on race, regardless of their political views, Andrew Young has come under heavy attack of late. The minority press which has been absolutely supportive of us, has even given in to attacking Andrew Young, calling him a traitor because of his support (or black majority rights in South Africa and other such views. This being the result of personal gain made by some journalists working for the minority press. Enclosed is a copy of a letter to the NAACP, which shows the extent of reactionary thought in the San Francisco area which mentions the call for impeachment of Andrew Young for his support or simply his willingness to have open discussion with countries such as Guyana. Some of the major medias have played into the hands of those who are desperately trying to impeach him.<\/p>\n We would of course do everything in our power to keep any adverse situation from being reported to the U.S. media that would in any way reflect negatively on the Nation, but with so many children writing their friends and even some of our seniors who are sensitive people but probably too trusting, it would be bound to leak out. Though we have full support of the minority press and support from all segments of the progressive and left liberal press, we would<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-d-6e<\/p>\n Hon. Fitz Carmichael<\/p>\n Page five<\/p>\n not like to see any, of it eroded. Neither our agricultural project nor Guyana could afford problems that might come out of bad publicity, and we would like to take every precaution against it. The conspiracy against us is quite active (we will soon be making available a letter from Lt. Governor Dymally with details that will reveal it’s extent). People involved in it will stop at nothing to cook up schemes such as paying off people to seek conservatorships on people here in Guyana, (a very dubious and often vicious practice that has been outlawed in many parts of the U.S.), as well as other forms of harassment. We do not need any more of it, and the ounce of prevention we can take will avert situations that would hamper our production here.<\/p>\n I am sure that you know that we at the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project are proud to be here in Guyana. We want to participate with all of our energies and resources in helping the North West Region and the nation build, and to identify with the aspirations of Guyana towards achieving it’s great potential.<\/p>\n We want to communicate frequently on how we can best serve. Please do not hesitate to contact us at any time. We trust you will be understanding of the need we have for our youngsters to pursue their education here on the project for the time being, for the reasons outlined above, during these stages of development.<\/p>\n We look forward with enthusiasm to our work ahead of us in Guyana, and wish you, Minister Carmichael, the very best of success. Bishop Jim Jones conveys to you his very best, warmest regards.<\/p>\n Cooperatively Yours c.c. Prime Minister Forbes Burnham Enclosure: —–<\/p>\n D-2-d-7a \u2013 7e<\/p>\n [Editor\u2019s note<\/strong>: This is a duplicate of the previous letter.]<\/em><\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-K-5A<\/p>\n Letter from \u201cJim Jones\u201d to Guyanese Ministers, November 29, 1977<\/strong><\/p>\n [Although this letter is supposedly from Jim Jones, it was likely composed for his review by a member of the Georgetown staff. The signature at the end does not match that of Jones\u2019.]<\/em><\/p>\n SENT TO: [Ptolemy] Reid, [Vibert] Mingo, [Fred] Wills, [Forbes] Burnham Nov 29, 1977<\/p>\n Dear Cde. Mingo,<\/p>\n In an effort to improve the course for integration of our organization into the Guyanese stream of living, we wish to beg a few moments of your time to keep you abreast of developments and select matters which are felt to affect us both.<\/p>\n HARASSMENT<\/u>:<\/p>\n In a letter to you dated November 15, the topic, \u201cExamples of harassment\u201d did not give the background required in understanding just how situations like that were able to develop. The location of the incidents of the arrest frame-ups of myself and my son, Lew Eric (who has a new son born in Guyana) was Los Angeles which is notorious for a fascist and racist police force. The late Cde. Claude Worrell (who was a courageous warrior against political repression and a great friend) was versed in the tactics of the Los Angeles Police force and mentioned to me the times when frame-ups were also attempted on him; a young woman he was seeing was approached by the L.A. police and offered a bribe to claim that Claude had raped her \u2013 enough of a charge to disbar him from ever practicing law again. Another time they tried to get a friend of his, who was a deputy sheriff, to lie on him. When the sheriff refused he was demoted and taken off of active duty. Claude confided to me the frustration of living in a racist legal system knowing that it was hopeless in receiving a fair trial for his clients. He felt a great pride in giving his life to Guyana and to a leadership which is working for a socialist economic justice.<\/p>\n A book which gives a great of background to the operations of the L.A. police is called the Glass House Tapes,<\/u> written by Louis Tackwood, a black man who had worked for the L.A. police as a paid informer. He was later stricken by his conscience and told what he knew of the goings on within the \u201cglasshouse\u201d (as the political section of the police department was called). He told of the coordinated efforts of the L.A.P.D. with the C.I.A. In fact, it was Claude Worrell who first put Tackwood on the witness stand about the role he played as both informer and provocateur. (If you should wish to read this book, I\u2019ll gladly provide it).<\/p>\n Several years ago before either of the arrest frame-ups mentioned occurred, there were simultaneous attacks on different black groups on the same Sunday morning. We were not expected. An apparent \u201cset-up\u201d was made by the L.A. police force, although to this day we don\u2019t know the full background. Just outside our church some white ambulance attendants were trying to force an older black woman into an ambulance. She had evidently suffered a slight sunstroke, but had completely recovered and stated she did not wish to get in. The ambulance attendents started calling her \u201cnigger bitch\u201d and tried to shove her into the ambulance. We heard the commotion and went to her rescue. Evidently they radioed for help, although I don\u2019t know when they found time, because within minutes an L.A. \u201criot\u201d squad was there beating our people, women, and children over the heads with clubs. They had submachine guns pointed on us, and helicopters circled overhead. I kept most of my people indoors because we were, and are pacifists and did not want a scene like that which ensued through no provocation of ours. The outcome was the arrest of my wife,<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-K-5B<\/p>\n 2.<\/p>\n my oldest adopted son, Johnny (who is here with his wife and daughter), another married man who has a wife and son here, Michael Prokes [married on paper to Carolyn Layton to give legitimacy to her son, Jim Jon \u201cKimo\u201d Prokes, a biological son of Jim Jones], and another black male member, C.J. Jackson. None of them had ever been arrested before and were only taken in after trying to stop the ambulance attendant from shoving and forcing the woman into the ambulance after she stated she did not wish to go. There were no grounds for arrest.<\/p>\n I could see what was happening: they were trying to provoke our pacifist people into violent action but I controlled the people and kept them inside. I told my people not to get alarmed, that I would go to the police station, try to reason with them and get our people out of jail.<\/p>\n I walked into the police division with officials of our church, member-attornies, and visiting officials. While in conference with the p.r. man for the police department, three white officers stepped up to me and said that I was going to be taken into custody also. They put me in a cell with blood splattered all over the floor, possibly to intimidate me. My wife, who was at that time a high state official, was put into a room without windows. It was as if they knew the one problem she had not overcome was claustrophobia. One man (who I don\u2019t even remember the name of because they all looked the same to me) came up to me and said, \u201cWell, you\u2019ve got lots of people, you can afford bail,\u201d I told him that being we hadn\u2019t done anything wrong, I wouldn\u2019t dream of putting up any bail, and in the first place poor people can\u2019t afford bail, I am a socialist and I don\u2019t believe in bail system. He said that I couldn\u2019t stay in jail \u2013 it will be at least six weeks before I would get on the court docket. I said, \u201cthat\u2019s your problem, I don\u2019t take bail.\u201d This went on for a few hours when finally a police commander came in and said that he understood that I had refused bail and that there had been some mistakes: my wife and I were to be released. I said, \u201cNo you won\u2019t, You will have to release all of us because we\u2019ve done nothing wrong.\u201d I told him that I had instructed my entire congregation to wait for our return, I was getting weary of this and so was my congregation and they\u2019d probably be down to find out what is going on.<\/p>\n He left saying he had to call somebody, who it was I never knew. After three hours had passed he came back and said charges were dropped on all of us. I told him that we wanted someone to come to our church and apologize to the people because it is difficult enough keeping pacifism. On the following Thursday a police officer apologize publicly to our congregation. Thereafter we paid for it.<\/p>\n Harassment went on and on for several weeks until it finally culminated in a second arrest (described in the November 15 letter). My arrest was not made at the scene of the \u201cset-up\u201d, but our in a hallway, a public place. I suppose it was meant to cause embarrassment. They said something like, \u201cwe warn you, don\u2019t resist,\u201d which showed that they were evidently counting on me to resist. Another attempt at intimidation occurred when we were crossing over a bridge, The policemen slowed down the car and said, \u201cIt would make a fellow in your position feel like jumping off a bridge, wouldn\u2019t it?\u201d So I went through the same old process: told them I wouldn\u2019t take bail. I told them we didn\u2019t care what they did, that we knew their workings and we will consider anything they say \u201ca badge of honor.\u201d The district attorney knew the judge I was to get was a conservarive, or moderate at best, but even he knew the despicable tactics they use and the charges were dropped, as the record, which was ordered sealed, shows, with \u201cno stipulation to probable cause \u201cand\u201d no evidence that a violence occurred.<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-K-5C<\/p>\n 3..<\/p>\n My wife, my son, and all persons involved in both incidents have been completely exonerated. We will gladly produce affidavits as well as a copy of the sealed records showing that there was no evidence that any violation occurred. Amazingly, there was never a word in the press about it because of the adacious stand I took by telling all of my people about it. I have told all this to my people because I believe in being open and direct.<\/p>\n Two activist from integrated groups have had similar frame-ups this past week. Although they were not members of our organization nor have they expressed a desire to come live in Guyana, they have been very supportive of us. This same department has even tried to frame the mayor of Los Angeles on two different occasions. His opinion of this department was drastically modified.<\/p>\n Now the head of the entire Los Angeles Police Department, a man by the name of Davis, is running for governor of California. A man with a reputation as a reactionary fascist running for governor of our state clearly shows which way the political scenario is moving. In the black sections of Los Angeles there is an average of two slayings of innocent blacks each week.<\/p>\n POST RIOT<\/u>:<\/p>\n After the riot they tried to start \u2013 a man working in the L.A.P.D. came to me in confidence because he shares some of our views, and warned us to be very, very careful and watch out. Unfortunately, we weren\u2019t careful enough. This same man has come to us again, speaking to my associate minister in Los Angeles. Again in confidence, he said for us to watch out, that the police department is starting these tactics again. He wasn\u2019t referring to us this time, but warned us (because of our association with Guyana) that any Guyanese official working in their line of duty was in imminent danger. These racists tactics have not involved any of our people, but they have involved black people we know. This warning about your officials worries me because it was through the knowledge of your consulate in L.A. that we met Claude Worrell and how we came to be in Guyana. Claude was a fighter and he knew the police state consciousness, but he is no longer there: I am a scrapper and a fighter but I am not there.<\/p>\n This is the same man with the same warning and his warnings came to reckoning. We have instructed all of our people to not go to any public places because we know we can\u2019t be too careful \u2013 the last incident took place down the street from our church in a theater.<\/p>\n There have been only two situation with the law but we\u2019ve had many \u201cclose shaves\u201d with police harassment especially on our educational cross-country trips in our fleet of greyhound buses. One time on a street corner in New York there was a black lad and a Puerto Rican lad with knives in their hands going at it. We jumped off the bus asking what kind of inhumane treatment is this for a policeman standing to the side yelling things like \u201cget on with it; get on with it,\u201d to whip up temperament. The policemen told us to get back on the bus and stay out of it, they would break up the fight, which they subsequently did. Had our presence not been there, I don\u2019t know what would have happened. (possibly one of them might have been killed; the other charged with murder).<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-K-5D<\/p>\n 4<\/p>\n There are strong neo-fascist signals and right-wing turns, therefore I want to forwarn you because I know you have an office there. I don\u2019t know if the man knows what he is talking about. But, he is in the right department to know and he was accurate on the last occasion.<\/p>\n PNC INVOVEMENT<\/u>:<\/p>\n The PNC Conference held at Matthews Ridge within the past couple of days enthusiastically received the performance of our various talents of music, singing, and the Peoples Temple drill team. Our delegates and performers told us of the delighted reception we were given for our participation and we deeply appreciate this.<\/p>\n Minister [Hubert] Jack\u2019s remarks about us publicly and also privately when he came in to visit us were filled with goodwill and encouragement. The Regional Minister at the conference also publicly acknowledged our contributions to the community with a spirit of fellowship. Minister [George] King mentioned the absurdity of bringing in and using soft drinks when the most delicious drinks are right there only waiting to be prepared. We couldn\u2019t agree more. We only use local drink and find soft drinks to be inferior in quality and a costly indulgence.<\/p>\n Members of the conference were very understanding of the fact that our people were not in the best of appearance because they lost some clothing and had no clothing to change into after bring involved in the long train ride and the self-help program in the area before the meeting.<\/p>\n The conference was most stimulating to our delegates in attendance but they couldn\u2019t help noticing the boredom displayed and the mannerisms of whom they found out to be, Gregory Gaskin\u2019s wife. Because our new home means so much to us, they found it quite odd that she didn\u2019t even sing the National Athem. The little girl sitting between her and her husband (apparently her little girl) must have found her behavior strange also because she kept looking up at her in stoney silence. However, the woman left early so she could have been sick.<\/p>\n On local PNC meetings in Kaituma are attended weekly by approximately twenty delegates from Peoples Temple. We are making up the deficit to meet the Kaituma Party goal.<\/p>\n REGIONAL COOPERATION<\/u>:<\/p>\n Our medical program has been called the most advanced and thorough performing for any hinterland or rural project. Dr. [Larry] Schacht, our young doctor, is now going into the local community to reach people with medical attention.<\/p>\n ENTERTAINMENT<\/u>:<\/p>\n During the tour of our farm one Minister made favorable comments about our elimination of violent films from our up-to-date selection of educational, entertaining, and comedy features shown on our video T.V. We found it very encouraging that the government shares our views about the association of violent films anti-social behavior. We also agree that the wrong sort of films tend to encourage an improper emphasis on materialism.<\/p>\n We are attempting more assimilation and many of the young members at the Matthews Ridge conference were very friendly to our young people but all they could talk of was wishing they could get married so they could move to the U.S.A. We found this to be the only discouraging thing about that otherwise absorbing conference.<\/p>\n We feel it would be helpful if a different kind of film was brought into the country; which didn\u2019t give a Hollywood version of life as<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-K-5E<\/p>\n 5<\/p>\n greener on the other side of the fence. We know it is difficult for a small developing nation to do much educating about the racism in the U.S. but we have seen our own children develop by leaps and bounds since we brought them only films with moral themes, or documentaries, or ones carrying messages about the bad social conditions of the Western Society (even Hollywood has made some good ones with these themes).<\/p>\n NECESSITY: THE MOTHER OF INVENTION:<\/u><\/p>\n We have completely elimated the need for cooking gas in our meal preparation for nearly one thousand people. Wood burning outdoor ovens and stoves proved to be more efficient, more reliable and less expensive in our communal cooking. Our boat took nearly twenty empty cooking gas cylinders to Georgetown to be filled. No gas was to be found anywhere so we had a meeting of our inventive people with practical skills and within a couple of days we developed a method of cooking which turned out to be superior.<\/p>\n A steam generator, which will operate on wood and waste, is on order to supply power to the entire community. This will eliminate any need for the very expensive fuel to operate our generators. We are doing what we can to become as \u201clocal\u201d minded as possible and to save what foreign dollars we can for the important development necessities for Guyana.<\/p>\n Cooperatively yours, Enclosure : Common Sense<\/u> article<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-K-6<\/p>\n Text of Common Sense<\/em> article enclosed in Jones letter<\/strong><\/p>\n October 1977, COMMON SENSE Page 7<\/p>\n Peoples Temple \u2018Smear Campaign\u2019<\/p>\n The Peoples Temple, an organization of poor, mostly Black, working class people, has recently been un-der severe attack in San Francisco. New<\/em> West<\/em> magazine, the SF<\/em> Examiner<\/em> and the SF<\/em> Progress<\/em> have run headline stories, based on interviews with former Temple members, attacking the Peoples Temple.<\/p>\n These major media reports have been one-sided, failing to cover the positive work of the Temple or the sentiments of its current congregation of 20,000 statewide and the Temple\u2019s community supporters.<\/p>\n The following are excerpts from the Temple\u2019s official statement:<\/p>\n During the last few weeks there have been concrete efforts to launch a massive smear campaign against the humanitarian and especially progressive activities of Peoples Temple\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n We are not really appeased at the charges that have been made against us. Movements for fundamental social change have always been subjected to sophisticated and well-coordinated attempts to discredit their goals and destroy their leaders\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n The Temple is targeted for destruction because it represents a determined effort to deal with the most fundamental problem of our society oppression of the poor\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n The charges made against us are an inevitable result of the success of the work the Temple is engaged in. We represent the antithesis of the profit\/greed system that<\/em> thrives on ruthless exploitation of the poor. We represent an answer that the real power-brokers do not want, because if it succeeds, they fear that their power will be taken out of their hands and returned to the people\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n But in the face of if all<\/em>, we plan only one course of action; to proceed with our work.<\/em><\/p>\n —–<\/em><\/p>\n D-2-d-2a<\/p>\n Michael Prokes letter to Guyana government ministers, December 8, 1977<\/strong><\/p>\n [Editor\u2019s note<\/strong>: This letter also appears as BB-29-ooo-1 \u2013 BB-29-ooo-2 at<\/em> https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/?page_id=125541<\/em><\/a>.]<\/em><\/p>\n Dec. 8, 1977<\/p>\n AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL MINISTERS OF GOVERNMENT<\/p>\n From: Peoples Temple Agricultural Project Dear Comrade:<\/p>\n Enclosed are some materials which we thought would be of interest to you:<\/p>\n First, a news item by the West Coast\u2019s (USA) for most journalists, Herb Caen, regarding Bishop Jim Jones. (Caen, who is also a prominent author, is a good friend of ours \u2013 though, of course, he can\u2019t show it too openly \u2013 and has said positive things about Guyana at our direction.)<\/p>\n Second, a Resolution on the US House of Representatives calling for the impeachment of Ambassador Andrew Young for, among other things, promising increased US financial assistance to Guyana. (Young is being harassed for speaking out on the same issues of social, racial, and economic justice the Peoples Temple stood for in the States.)<\/p>\n Third, an unsigned letter to Bishop Jones threatening his ministry if he doesn\u2019t pull its money out of Guyana defense bonds. (This insidious letter is typical of many we have received over the years.)<\/p>\n Fourth, a letter to the Prime Minister from a journalist who has known Bishop Jones for over 20 years and is thus familiar with his background.<\/p>\n Before I joined Peoples Temple five years ago, I personally checked into Jim Jones\u2019 history where he grew up and started his ministry. I was easily able to confirm the kinds of things that Mr. Preston says in his letter (enclosed). I found that Bishop Jones had operated a free kitchen for the poor and that he received constant harassment for his efforts to integrate businesses and fight for the civil rights of minority persons in an extremely racist area of the US (Indiana). He was finally forced to leave the area for the safety of his family. He went to Brazil for two years where he started an orphanage, then returned to the US and ended up basing his ministry in California.<\/p>\n A recent study has documented a nationwide conspiracy to destroy the careers of Black elected officials at every level of government in the US. Presently, 50% of all Black congressman in the US House of Representatives are under investigation. (Of course, this is hardly true of white congressmen.)<\/p>\n One of the victims of the conspiracy his Lt. Governor of California, Hon. Mervyn Dymally (who was born in Trinidad, and who visited and praised Guyana last year). Lt. Gov. Dymally<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-d-2b<\/p>\n came through two years of dozens of investigations \u2013 which, in effect, put his career in limbo \u2013 without ever being charged. However, it cost him many thousands of dollars in legal fees, not to mention the human cost of extreme torment to he and his family. His story is quite typical of scores of others contained in the report, which was sponsored by the National Association of Human Rights Workers and the Committee on the Status of Minority Elected Officials. (If you are interested in seeing this report, let us know and we\u2019ll arrange to get it to you.)<\/p>\n As a result of identifying with and supporting the humanistic goals of progressive, enlightened public servants in the States, Peoples Temple has been targeted for the same harassment and persecution aimed at them. As a relatively large group that is having significant impact on life in the Northwest Region (as we are told), we believe you have a right to know all about the people in your midst, and we feel an obligation to do what we can to provide the necessary background and perspective.<\/p>\n If you have any questions whatsoever regarding our plans or goals (which are in essence the same as yours), or anything else about us, please don\u2019t hesitate to ask; or better yet, come to Jonestown for an intensive look at fgerribleour program and facilities, as some ministers and officials have already done. We would sincerely appreciate any suggestions and criticism you might offer that will better help us to integrate ourselves into the Guyanese culture.<\/p>\n Cooperatively yours, \u00a0—–<\/p>\n D-2-d-3<\/p>\n [Editor\u2019s note<\/strong>: This letter appears several places on this site, including as page <\/em>https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/?page_id=113899<\/em><\/a>.] <\/em><\/p>\n Jim,<\/p>\n I consider it my duty to do all possible to set the record straight. It is imperative that you and your people realize what is going on, and where you are all headed. You are playing right into the hands of international renegades who are preparing to betray you and let you go down the drain\u2026 when they present the US administration their comming deal with Jaggan [Guyana opposition leader Cheddi Jagan].<\/p>\n Why do you think Jaggan is coming to the USA so often these days? Your money is your appeal in Guyana. They are just waiting until you get all your money transferred there along with 50,000 dollars you put into defense funds and the government will take it all over. We know all your transactions in Guyana and we know some other things you have done for Guyana. It is all part of a scheme to get all your members on your location so that you can be isolated and systematically exterminated. It is difficult to understand how you could be so gullible. You have only to read a few newspapers to find out the international conspiracy is behind the whole thing, and you are being used as scapegoats, just like the many other communist sympathizers back here in the US. You say you believe in conspiracy but you can\u2019t even see the conspiracy which is temporarily winning there too. We know about people in government there and believe me you have been sold out for money. It would be in your best interest if you redeem yourself with United States. If you don\u2019t you will regret it. Get those defense bonds out now, or you will pay more than money. We can get the child for you if you cooperate. You can\u2019t win. In the end, so the best thing for you is to save yourself now, before we proceed with our plans to get the child away from you. We have guarantees. You can count on our word that the transfer of money into Guyana and you not only lose the child, but the future for you and your people. You had better plan our way, or you will not forget soon how sorry you will be. Face facts, the Guyana Government is not loyal to you, so why be so stupid as to place confidence in them.<\/p>\n If you want the child and to save you and your people, let us know by placing an add in the San Francisco Chronicle for \u201cJames S. Black, Meet you at the picture show at ten\u201d. Otherwise, lose everything.<\/p>\n PS Of course you must understand that you are not going to last longer anyway, because the USA and Guyana have already agreed to extradite you.<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-d-4<\/p>\n [Column by Herb Caen, San Francisco Chronicle<\/em>, Fri, Nov. 18, 1977.]<\/p>\n Friday’s Fickle Finger<\/strong><\/p>\n ENTIRE NEWS: After long investigation, Dist. Atty. Joe Freitas has no plans whatever to\u2028prosecute him, so why does the Rev. Jim Jones, leader of Peoples Temple here, continue to live in self-exile at the church\u2019s South American jungle outpost in Guyana? The reason has nothing to do with the blasts, some of them outlandish, which have appeared in the media. It revolves around a five-year-old boy who lives at the church mission in Guyana. His father and mother, both San Franciscans, were divorced recently, and she won custody of the child. The Rev. Jones is afraid that if he returns to S.F., she will take the boy away from him \u2013 and why does he care about that so strongly? Because, according to well-informed sources. the true father of the child is \u2013 Jim Jones.<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-D-5A-5D<\/p>\n [Congressional resolution to impeach Andrew Young, U.S. Ambassador to United Nations]<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-A-3A<\/p>\n Note of Sharon Amos on Laurence Mann, February 11, 1978 <\/strong><\/p>\n LATEST HAPPENINGS 11\/2\/78 (Sharon Amos)<\/p>\n Then we told [Guyana Foreign Minister Fred] Wills yesterday (Friday) that Bunny [Guyana Ambassador to the U.S. Laurence Mann] hit Paula [Adams], he went and told [Rudy] Collins and it got back to Mann and Mann quoted it to Paula saying it came from Wills. Paula said to take out the parts in the Reid letter that relate to Mann and we shouldn\u2019t mention anything anymore to Wills about Bunny<\/p>\n (I think we should confront Wills with this\/ last time we confronted him with quoting us to Collins about the [U.S. State Department official Frank] Tumminia\/Mann conversation, he said he didn\u2019t do it and it must be a leak in his department) but this time we can say that Bunny definitely said the info came from Wills.<\/p>\n \u2013 Wills told us recently in regard to Bunny that he Wills wants to plant something on Bunny thru Paula. (Tim interpreted this as planting info thru her but I don\u2019t know, maybe it would be drugs as he keeps asking if Bunny takes drugs.<\/p>\n \u2013 meeting with UPI, Mr. [Clarence] Kirton<\/p>\n \u2013 he said that the last time he submitted material on PT to UPI they didn\u2019t believe what Kirton said about Jonestown and JJ \u2013 they said that JJ mobilized people and was in politics \u2013and that JJ collected a lot of money for different reasons<\/p>\n \u2013 Kirton talked to the Ministry of Information and they, the Min. of Info, put out a story, an official story about PT which coincided with Kirton\u2019s and Kirton said now UPI seems quite satisfied with material on PT.<\/p>\n \u2013 the man at the Caribbean desk of UPI, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Peter Von Bennoken was asked by his clients in the US for more info about PT\/he said he was inquiring into PT<\/p>\n \u2013 Kirton said that Von Bennoken hadn\u2019t stopped the material we sent by Kirton or changed it, but just said he was requested to inquire. (we wonder if we shouldn\u2019t send some material to von Bennekon)<\/p>\n \u2013 Kirton appeared to be kindly, his article that he showed to us that he first wrote about us was very positive.<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-P-20<\/p>\n Sharon Amos Report of meeting with Foreign Minister Fred Wills, March 1978<\/strong><\/p>\n Sharon Amos<\/p>\n WILLS (3\/78)<\/p>\n \u2013 in regard to JJ coming in to town, if JJ comes to town, the opposition will or could object by saying there are warrants out for this man\/ it would appear to be flaunting it<\/p>\n \u2013 he said to check with Mingo and see if the PNC could live with the opposition being bothered by it<\/p>\n \u2013 he said however that he realizes that Mingo is very busy with the election referendum because Mingo handles that<\/p>\n \u2013 he said that the PNC needs our project<\/p>\n IMF:<\/p>\n \u2013 he said they were already here and found the country full of corruption and larceny and they are playing tough\/ he doesn\u2019t think they will help<\/p>\n RE CHINESE AID<\/p>\n \u2013 he said the Chinese are turning inward and he doesn\u2019t think they will help<\/p>\n \u2013 he hadn\u2019t heard anything about the case<\/p>\n \u2013 he said if JJ did come in to town and anything developed, J could go right back as it takes time to serve someone with papers anyway<\/p>\n \u2013 he said that JJ should have an unpredictable schedule\/ make appointments and then switch them at the last minute<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-P-24<\/p>\n Sharon Amos Meeting with Burnham aide Rashid, April 10, 1978<\/strong><\/p>\n Sharon Amos<\/p>\n RASHID 10\/4\/78 (Debbie [Touchette], Mike [Prokes], Sharon)<\/p>\n \u2013 we asked him about the nurse at the hospital and what she said<\/p>\n \u2013 he said he didn\u2019t know her name but said attacks will come and we shouldn\u2019t take it seriously<\/p>\n \u2013 (asked if the nurse said anything to him about checks and old people) and he said that the nurse said something about us taking checks<\/p>\n \u2013 explained to him that when we are asked to deposit checks in people\u2019s accounts, while they are in the hospital, we do so<\/p>\n \u2013 he said he understands<\/p>\n \u2013 he said he has read the Bentley [Brindley] Benn Articles but we shouldn\u2019t pay attention to such things as Benn is against the government<\/p>\n \u2013 he is going with the PM [Prime Minister Forbes Burnham] to Russia<\/p>\n \u2013 we gave him the article about Stoen going to East Germany<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-P-21<\/p>\n Report of Meeting with Aaron Adams, Ministry of Information, April 12, 1978<\/strong><\/p>\n Aaron Adams, Ministry of Info 12\/4\/78<\/p>\n \u2013 we went in to talk to Van Dyke about the article not being published<\/p>\n \u2013 showed Aaron the booklet about Jonestown (A model Community) and showed him and Ron VanDyke some pictures of the project<\/p>\n \u2013 he said he \u201csincerely wants to help\u201d<\/p>\n \u2013 said if we gave him some booklets he\u2019d get them out to reporters with a note on them (I gave him some)<\/p>\n (He was going to send them to the CITIZEN paper with a note that they should cover our story)<\/p>\n \u2013 he sees what we mean about our story (Cultural show) being ignored\/ says that happens to them too sometimes when they send in a story<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-P-17<\/p>\n Sharon Amos Report of meeting with Foreign Minister Fred Wills, April 1978<\/strong><\/p>\n [Editor\u2019s note<\/strong>: This memo also appears <\/em>here<\/em><\/a> at D-1-I-4.]<\/em><\/p>\n Sharon Amos<\/p>\n Wills (Sharon, Debbie, Mike)<\/p>\n CHINA<\/p>\n \u2013 Wills suggest we invite the Chinese to visit Jonestown after a couple of weeks (since the Russians just came, let them forget it)\/ [Deputy Prime Minister Ptolemy] Reid prefers China to Russia<\/p>\n \u2013 Reid prefers them not only because they gave aid but for other pragmatic reasons as well\/ for instance the Chinese when they do a project here have a \u201cscrupulous regard for natural customs\u201d \u2013 they don\u2019t make \u201coutlandish requests\u201d (for instance the Soviets in Yugoslavia asked for salaries they were used to in Russia which was too much to ask<\/p>\n \u2013 the Chinese don\u2019t expect to stay at the Pegasus but will stay 9 to a dormitory<\/p>\n \u2013 also China has more understanding of a developing nation and will help you go for \u201cintermediate industries\u201d like textile skills, cotton gins etc.<\/p>\n RE National Development (Debbie and I working on that committee)<\/p>\n \u2013 he mentioned again us checking with Mingo (to go to Reid) about this<\/p>\n EMBASSIES<\/p>\n \u2013 he said that the Soviet Embassy has a staff (not counting wives) of 24<\/p>\n \u2013 he says the reason they have 24 is that\u2019s the number of staff of the Amer. Embassy<\/p>\n \u2013 the Cuban Embassy has the most (120) the last time Wills counted them<\/p>\n \u2013 Russians have servants in their houses in Georgetown but Wills said it is an excuse to have extra KGB\/ for instance their chauffiers are KGB and when he had dinner at the Russians he noticed that the man serving dinner had a gun (so he knew he was no more servant)<\/p>\n \u2013 he said that the cook can throw several people (karate or whatever she uses) and all the people around can defend the Ambassador etc.<\/p>\n \u2013 re: who will be the next from the Russian Embassy that would visit, he said probably the 1st secretary Caval (Caval he said is the cleverest of them all at the Embassy)<\/p>\n Cubans:<\/p>\n \u2013 he said that the Cubans won\u2019t come until they find out what the opinion of the USSR is about their trip to Jonestown\/ they rely on aid from the USSR SO they would take the second position on things and let USSR go first<\/p>\n \u2013 they will come he said if the report is favorable<\/p>\n \u2013 the Cubans would have more interest in us in a sense and that is that tey would see us as a Latin American progressive force (the Marxist-Leninist principles \u20184 principles\u2019 includes that you work with progressive forces whenever they are)<\/p>\n \u2013 Cubans might use us as a multi-racial example of socialism<\/p>\n \u2013 he even thought Cuba might invite some of us to Cuba eventually<\/p>\n RE NORTH KOREA (by the way you don\u2019t refer to No. Korea as North Korea \u2013 you have to call it the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea as we made the mistake of writing North Korea on a letter to them (to go to their Prime Minister for his birthday greeting) and they called us and asked that we change it as they said that only imperialists refer to them as No. Korea) so we changed it (after apologizing profusely)<\/p>\n \u2013 anyway Guyana got So. Korea rejected when she attempted to be part of the non-aligned movement in 1975 (August), Lima Peru and at that time No. Korea was accepted (Wills said he was there to accomplish this) \u2013 he said it was the same time as the coup-de-etat in Lima, Peru and the president that said goodbye was not the president that greeted them<\/p>\n \u2013 he said that Jamaica and East Germany have semi-Embassy\u2019s here in Georgetown (only 1 representative)<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-P-18<\/p>\n Sharon Amos Report of meeting with Foreign Minister Fred Wills, April 14, 1978<\/strong><\/p>\n [Editor\u2019s note<\/strong>: This memo also appears <\/em>here<\/em><\/a> at D-1-I-6.]<\/em><\/p>\n Sharon Amos<\/p>\n WILLS 14\/4\/78 (Mike, Debbie, Sharon)<\/p>\n \u2013 he said that in most cases there is an automatic stay until the appeal but there are a few kinds of cases that you have to especially ask for a stay and he will check into those kinds of cases<\/p>\n he said that Lionel is going to have the job that they formerly offered Wills, with the Elections commission<\/p>\n \u2013 he called Hines about our Medical problem (the medical committee) \u2013<\/p>\n \u2013 he said it\u2019s a confrontation between peti-bourgeoisie standards in conflict with the practical needs and the problem of overextending oneself\/ in other words the doctors want to keep standards up but then end up with not enough doctors to cover things<\/p>\n \u2013 he said the medical profession is even questioning Indian, Phillipine, and Cuban doctors that come here regarding certification<\/p>\n \u2013 there was an incident in Jamaica that people refer to\/ Jamaica has a strong middle class and strong right wing\/ most of the doctors are migrating out and Cuban doctors came ot help\/ fascist paper said people were dying because of poor medical care\/ finally Manley proved it wasn\u2019t so (but Dr. Baird used the incident when talking to Larry Schach and me as if to say, we can\u2019t have that happen here, an incident like that)<\/p>\n Regarding the people that were on the medical staff we talked to<\/p>\n \u2013 Wills said that the woman Sandifor is a lesbian and she has to tow the line and can\u2019t oppose the doctors because they know she\u2019s a lesbian<\/p>\n \u2013 he called the team the \u201cmedical Mafia\u201d<\/p>\n \u2013 re Dr. Baird, he said Baird\u2019s father used to be the headmaster of the Moravian Church<\/p>\n \u2013 he said that Commissioner Barker is the distant cousin of the PM\/ he said there was an incident with a man (the case was called Carl Batson and Emmanuel Fair) and the case didn\u2019t even reach the jury as the PM got Barker out of it\/ a tear gas canister was exploded by a man\u2019s genitals and his scrotum was terribly swollen<\/p>\n \u2013 regarding Barker making a big fuss about parents not being able to visit their children (the Olivers) when we have parents come all the time<\/p>\n \u2013 he said Barker is probably relating personally to it because his daughter ran away with a man and Barker begged to see his daughter, he begged everyone around and he couldn\u2019t see her<\/p>\n \u2013 Barker was the one that pulled the guard off Wills right away before the guard was supposed to be pulled off<\/p>\n RE POLICE HAVING TO GIVE IDENTIFICATION (we asked him about this)<\/p>\n \u2013 he said they mudt show ID, it\u2019s called the Elias and Passmore case<\/p>\n ARREST ORDERS<\/p>\n \u2013 order Nisi, (this is the order that was originally made for JJ to produce the child)<\/p>\n \u2013 the orders are bad\/ absence of proof, they should dismiss the action and award the child to JJ<\/p>\n CUSTODY CASE<\/p>\n \u2013 regarding that committee of parents<\/p>\n \u2013 he said that if any more cases are tried, it should be orchestrated (by Barnwell) so that the cases of those over 18 are tried first<\/p>\n \u2013 Wills feels that the current of govt will move left into more anti-American leadership style<\/p>\n \u2013 regarding the pro-American people in Govt. he said they will do what the PM said\/ he feels they can\u2019t face the masses without the PM\/only he can face them (the PM) and this they won\u2019t vote for anyone but the PM<\/p>\n \u2013 he feels the tide has been running pro-PT ever since the Stoens left as he feels we have had good publicity (regarding the show etc)<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-P-10<\/p>\n Mike Prokes meeting<\/strong> with Foreign Minister Fred Wills, April <\/strong>18, 1978<\/p>\n From: Prokes<\/p>\n Meeting with Mario on Tues. April 18th: [Fred] Wills was worried about [Northwest Regional Minister Fitz] Carmichael disappearing because he said they are distant relatives and he (Wills) may be linked to the disappearance. He was worried that Carmichael may have taken money with him \u2013 he didn\u2019t say from where. When he first told me about it, he said his word was that Carmichael was \u201con the lam.\u201d Since Wills guard \u2013 Gaul \u2013 told some people that Wills gave him (Gaul) half a million to deposit in a New York bank, Wills feared that some people might link him to Carmichael\u2019s disappearance \u2013 particularly if Carmichael took $$$ with him.<\/p>\n I asked Wills if he ever had us investigated and he said of course he did. He said what would I expect when a bunch of women come into his office with our type of approach (I presume he meant aggressive.) Sharon asked him what he found out. He said nothing, or I would not have had you come back. She asked him how he investigated us and he kind of smiled and said that there were some<\/u> things we can\u2019t talk about. From this I concluded one of two things: he didn\u2019t have much of an investigation and this didn\u2019t want to reveal it because it would show he wasn\u2019t as sophisticated as he led us to believe (as far as intelligence gathering), or he is still keeping tabs on us for someone and doesn\u2019t want to give anything way as far as techniques that might be used against us. This guy is an enigma to me. What is he getting out of our relationship? I don\u2019t think he is seeing us out of loneliness because people come to see him all the time. He has given us inside information but maybe he thinks it\u2019s necessary to keep our trust. Frankly, I\u2019m suspicious of him. Looking at the other side, however, I suppose he is grateful to us for various things. He said if it weren\u2019t for Larry, he would not have quite smoking and would not be getting an operation. He said he had a death wish and mentioned that when he thought about it on three occasions, something JJ had said to him made him want to keep going. I think he believe that JJ was sincere in offering our people up to protest his firing. He mentioned this to one of our people when I wasn\u2019t there. Perhaps that means a lot to him. I don\u2019t know. Like I said, he\u2019s an enigma.<\/p>\n I asked him how many people the Soviets have in their Embassy (because I had seen a lot of different faces). He told me they demanded the same number as the American embassy has \u2013 which is 24. I asked why that many were needed and he said they were not, but by the time he became foreign minister, it was too late \u2013 the Americans already had that amount and there was no way to cut back without causing diplomatic problems. The Americans actually have more than the Soviets because the U.S. has other agencies here, such as USAID, USIS, and others. WILLS SAID GUYANA IS A HIVE OF ESPIONAGE, BECAuse it is the only Socialist country in South America. He referred to it variously as a spy base and hunting ground. He said the fact that there are many British and Canadians here is also significant in terms of foreign embassy interests.<\/p>\n HE SAID WE ARE VALUABLE TO THE SOVIET AND CUBAN EMBASSIES IN THAT WE REPRESENT A FORCE THAT CAN HELP WITHSTAND THE ONSLAUGHT OF CAPITALISM IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD. Plus, he said it was significant that we are multi-racial. I think he meant that it gives what we stand for, more credibility.<\/p>\n He said he was checked out by someone who he knows is a CIA agent \u2013 he could tell by the guy\u2019s question. Wills interprets the visit as an attempt to see who would be the best successor to Burnham. (The guy came ostensibly to get Will\u2019s advice on some matter, which Wills said was a poor cover. Something to do with agriculture I think.)<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-P-3A<\/p>\n Sharon Amos meeting with Deputy Police Commissioner Skip Roberts, April 21, 1978<\/strong><\/p>\n Sharon Amos<\/p>\n SKIP ROBERTS<\/p>\n 21\/4\/78 Sharon Amos, Debbie [Touchette]<\/p>\n \u2013 I casually asked him if there was an investigation into PT (said I had heard a rumor from a good source)\/ he said that he could absolutely assure us that there was no official investigation<\/p>\n \u2013 there is a unit dealing with subversives and he wouldn\u2019t necessarily know if they were investigating us or not but he doesn\u2019t think so\/ the only person he heard is bring investigated is House of Isreal (interesting [Fred] Wills told us that this guy is<\/u> being investigated and Bishop Washington told Wills we were also\/ he said that in the case of Washington, he is swindling people so he deserved to be investigated<\/p>\n \u2013 he said tho definitely the CID is not investigating us<\/p>\n \u2013 I asked if Mentor was the one who investigated subversives and he said \u201cno, he\u2019s too busy with things like the sugar strike\u201d<\/p>\n \u2013 he said we were checked initially (as all churches are that come into Guyana) but nothing was found to be wrong<\/p>\n \u2013 he said one of our men had asked him about a film that came into thru customs and we hadn\u2019t been able to get it\/ he said that the film wouldn\u2019t be with the police, but would be held in customs until they could view it as that is the rule for all movies coming into the country\/ they have to be viewed. He said that it is probably just waiting to be viewed in customs<\/p>\n \u2013 said he has heard nothing suspicious about is and thought things are easing off\/ said that when he responded to Interpol with 5 lines saying that he was responding to their letter of such and such a date and that there was nothing that we were doing illegal \u2013 that after that he heard nothing so he wondered if his letter had helped\/ he said that we would have problems for awhile with harassment but they should get less and less<\/p>\n \u2013 Papmore, he said, who came out and checked on us came back (and he said he showed the report to Paula), he said that he questioned Papmore when Papmore was suspicious of us because he couldn\u2019t understand why 1000 Americans would leave a \u201cgood\u201d life with all the conveniences in the US to come to Guyana (Skip said he said to Papmore that it was Papmore that should look at himself), and Skip said the PM always gets exasperated at people who think life in the US is a panacea as the PM says to them they could make it good here if they tried<\/p>\n \u2013 I toldhim about Bruce and the \u201cso called\u201d special policemen who came to the house and their questioning Bruce when they met him in town\/ he said recently a robbery was committed and the man said he was a policeman<\/p>\n \u2013 he was friendly, relaxed\/ apologized for keeping us waiting\/ gave us a drop down town<\/p>\n \u2013 I told him about the fact that if there were rumors about drugs in Jonestown we\u2019d take in 100 people and let them look at every inch of the place\/ he joked back that it would be quite a cost to do that (at our expense), said he was pulling my leg<\/p>\n \u2013 he says he knows we are not subversive and he doesn\u2019t see any problem<\/p>\n \u2013 regarding relatives (I told him about the reactionary relatives) and told him about the relatives who are visiting, Muldrow, Moore. He said that if a relative came in, it wouldn\u2019t be a police matter, tho he said if they came to Kaituma then a policeman might come with them to Jonestown and ask what the situation was\/ -he said he thought that\u2019s better than for the relative to make statements that we wouldn\u2019t let them in<\/p>\n \u2013 I told him about Dick McCoy saying the State Dept sent out letters saying Tim Stoen lied etc.<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-P-3B<\/p>\n Sharon Amos meeting with Minister Robert Corbin, <\/strong>First Vice Chairman of PNC<\/strong>, April 21, 1978<\/strong><\/p>\n Sharon Amos<\/p>\n Minister Robert Corbin (Dr. Reid\u2019s office) 21\/4\/78 Debbie & Sharon<\/p>\n \u2013 he was quite friendly, I told him about the fact we wanted to check it out with Dr. Reid about our working with the May Day Committee and the mobilization door-step meetings etc\/ he said that he would check it out formally with Dr. Reid if I wanted but he didn\u2019t think it was necessary, he could assure us that it was fine<\/p>\n \u2013 he said however that the meetings in Kitty and Campbellville (we mobilized for Campbellville) haven\u2019t been a success<\/p>\n \u2013 we told him about the conspiracy (Clive Gaul) (he knows him but doesn\u2019t think Clive is employed right now)<\/p>\n \u2013 he said he\u2019d check into it<\/p>\n \u2013 he said that he knew officially we weren\u2019t being investigated\/ I said what about non-officially but he said he hadn\u2019t heard of an investigation<\/p>\n \u2013 he said \u201cI wonder if it is your people, CIA, FBI\u201d<\/p>\n \u2013 I told him about the informer who came forward (didn\u2019t give all the details about this but the basics) and the state dept. call Dick McCoy told us about mentioning kidnap and the plan to kidnap John and Wesley<\/p>\n \u2013 I told them about the concerned relatives and how they planned to hire mercenaries\/ he said if they hire mercenaries, it wouldn\u2019t be a matter for us but for the integrity of Guyana and they\u2019d throw them out<\/p>\n \u2013 he said (re FBI and CIA) that they are capable of insidious things<\/p>\n \u2013 said he had gotten my calls inviting him and his wife over (his wife thought I might be a girlfriend of his but he reassured her) and he said he would come over for cocktails Wednesday (told us we could call him at home or work)<\/p>\n \u2013 said he had traveled widely over the world studying in depth the systems<\/p>\n \u2013 I complimented him on the Speech in the paper he did on South Africa\/ said he likes to speak but has learned to listen too\/ I told him we\u2019d like to hear of his travels\/ he seemed interested in our interest<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n D-2-P-1A<\/p>\n Sharon Amos Report of meeting with Foreign Minister Fred Wills, April 22, 1978<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nGM [Gloria Maria] Rodriquez
\nGeorgetown<\/p>\n
\nAl Touchette<\/p>\n
\nPeoples Temple Agricultural Mission
\nP.O. Box 893
\nGeorgetown, Guyana
\n28 September 1977<\/p>\n
\nMinistry of Energy and Natural Resources
\nBrickdam
\nGeorgetown, Guyana<\/p>\n
\n\/s\/ Jim Jones
\nJim Jones<\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
\nPeoples Temple Agricultural Project
\nP.O. Box 893
\nGeorgetown
\nRepublic of Guyana
\n1 October, 1977<\/p>\n
\nCamp St
\nGeorgetown
\nRepublic of Guyana<\/p>\n
\n\/s\/ Jim Jones
\nJim Jones<\/p>\n
\nMinister of Economic & Regional Development
\nAvenue of the Republic
\nGeorgetown, Guyana<\/p>\n
\nHarriet Sarah Tropp
\nAdministrative Assistant to Bishop Jim Jones<\/p>\n
\nCde. Harriet Sarah Tropp
\nAdministrative Assistant to Cde. Jim Jones<\/p>\n
\nCde. Eugene B. Chaikin<\/p>\n
\nCde. Vincent Teekah
\nGeorgetown,
\nGuyana<\/p>\n
\n\/s\/ Carolyn Layton
\nCarolyn Layton
\nSchool Administrator
\nPeoples Temple Agricultural Project
\nPort Kaituma, N.W.D.
\nGuyana<\/p>\n
\nRegional Minister Carmichael<\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\nRegional Minister
\nMatthew’s Ridge
\nNorth West Region
\nGuyana<\/p>\n
\nF. Richard D. Tropp
\nAdministrative Assistant
\nTo Bishop Jim Jones<\/p>\n
\nDr. Ptolemy A. Reid
\nCde. Wyatt Regional Development Officer<\/p>\n
\nCopy of NAACP letter
\nCheck for $200.00 to PNC to be used in any way possible for Region #1<\/p>\n
\n[signed] Jim Jones
\nJim Jones<\/p>\n
\nPO Box 893
\nGeorgetown, (Phone numbers: 68787 & 71924)<\/p>\n
\n\/s\/ Mike Prokes
\nMike Prokes
\nAssociate Minister<\/p>\n