Revisiting Jonestown | Deep Dives 13 | The Wikileaks Archive

“Divine Socialism”

November 18, 1978, in the South American country of Guyana, a socialist commune became the center stage of a massacre of more than 900 American citizens. The settlement was first established near the border of Venezuela, by an American preacher of the Pentecostal church, by the name of James Warren Jones.   

As per the mainstream narrative, Jones is said to have come from a humble family of union workers in Indiana, which he claims helped him relate to the black American population. He preached not only religion, but also social justice, and socialism to his audience of mostly blacks. He even adopted Asian, and black children, to raise a “rainbow family”. His father on the other end, was an active Klu Klux Klan member. And one of his childhood friends was the infamous CIA torturer Dan Mitrione.

Jones took his church from Indiana to California, supposedly under the auspices of finding a location to protect himself and his followers from a nuclear holocaust. There he became well liked among politicians as a king-maker, even meeting with First Lady Roslyn Carter. However things began to turn sour in California, as a group defected and began to reach out to  the media about the hypocrisy and abuse in the Temple. Jones began to claim that the CIA and the FBI were conspiring against him, and then fled to Guyana with his Peoples Temple.

 A Convenient Spot

The Public Library of US Diplomacy files tells us a bit about the beginnings of the establishment of Jonestown in Guyana:

"THE EMBASSY'S FIRST RECORDED CONTACT WITH MEMBERS OF THE PEOPLE'S TEMPLE WAS IN JUNE 1974, WHEN TWO OF ITS MEMBERS APPEARED BEFORE THE CONSUL TO SIGN ON AS CREW ABOARD A U.S. FLAG SHIP JUST PURCHASED BY THE TEMPLE, THE MS CUDJOE.  AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, THE VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT REPORTS OF U.S.CITIZENS ESTABLISHING COMMUNITIES IN GUYANA NEAR THE VENEZUELAN BORDER, AN AREA IN DISPUTE   BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES."

The State Department also says that Venezuela and international media were calling Jonestown a “Trip Wire” by the US:

"VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR ENRIQUE PEINADO BARRIOS SPECULATED AT SOME LENGTH AS TO WHY THE GOG HAD SITUATED THE JONESTOWN COMMUNITY IN THE EXTREME NORTHWEST PART OF THE COUNTRY. IT APPEARS FROM HIS REMARKS THAT AMBASSADOR PEINADO BARRIOS IS INCLINED TO ACCEPT THE THESIS ADVANCED BY OTHERS THAT THE BURNHAM GOVERNMENT HAD POSITIONED THE JONESTOWN COMMUNITY IN TERRITORY WHICH IS STILL IN DISPUTE BETWEEN THE GOG AND GOV SO THAT ANY OCCUPATION OF THE TERRIORY BY THE VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT WOULD BRING ITS OCCUPATION FORCES DIRECTLY IN CONTACT WITH A COMMUNITY OF AMERICANS. THUS, STILL ACCORDING TO THE HYPOTHESIS, A U.S. INTEREST WOULD BE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE CONFRONTATION BETWEEN VENEZUELA AND GUYANA."
 
The document also show the State Department was well aware of the Shalom Project, which involved mercenaries used by the CIA against Angola:

"IN JULY 1974, EMBASSY OFFICERS VISITED THE TWO AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES BEING ESTABLISHED IN THE VICINITY OF KAITUMA--THE PEOPLE'S TEMPLE AGRICULTURAL MISSION (NOT YET CALLED JONESTOWN) AND THE SHALOM COOPERATIVE, WHICH LATER FAILED. NINE AMERICANS WERE THEN LIVING AT THE PEOPLE'S TEMPLE SITE AND BEGINNING TO CLEAR IT FOR DEVELOPMENT."

Guyana's Prime Minister Forbes Burnham, was also well involved in the Shalom Project.   

Money Makers

Much of Jones' following was the elderly, handicapped, and poor people. Communication to various US government groups, and the US Embassy in Guyana, from family of temple members, can be found in Wikileaks.

A chunk of that communication is mostly from family in the US, asking about their love one's well being. Some were concerned that temple members sold all of their belongings before going to Guyana. One even left his wife behind:

"DEPARTMENT CONTACTED BY MRS. EUNICE COOPER, SISTER OF MARSHALL FARRIS. FAMILY CONCERNED ABOUT FARRIS WHO LEFT UNITED STATES IN EARLY AUGUST TO JOIN PEOPLES TEMPLE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY. MRS. COOPER STATES THAT MR. FARRIS SOLD ALL PERSONAL BELONGINGS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, LEAVING HIS WIFE WITH CAR AND HOUSE AND NO REAL INCOME."

"HE ALLEGEDLY RECEIVES ABOUT DOLLARS 600 (SIX HUNDRED) PER MONTH IN RETIREMENT BENEFITS. SINCE HIS DEPARTURE HE HAS WRITTEN ONLY ONE LETTER, TO HIS MOTHER (AGED 90) WHICH FAMILY DESCRIBES AS ABSOLUTE DRIBBLE. FAMILY ALSO NOTED THAT BOTH MOTHER'S NAME AND ARKANSAS SPELLED INCORRECTLY ON ENVELOPE. FAMILY BELIEVE HAND WRITING TO BE THAT OF FARRIS BUT STATE THAT LETTER SOUNDS FORCED AND ARTIFICIAL."

The US House Committee on International Relations said in response to this issue:

"IN RESPONSE TO ALLEGATIONS THAT ELDERLY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WERE BEING  DEFRAUDED OF SOCIAL SECURITY PAYMENTS, IN JANUARY OF 1978 THE CONSUL PERSONALLY DELIVERED THE PAYEES CHECKS THAT HAD BEEN TRANSMITTED TO THE EMBASSY FOR DELIVERY.  DURING THIS VISIT HE ALSO INTERVIEWED ANNUITANTS AT JONESTOWN WHO SAID THAT THEY RECEIVED THEIR CHECKS AND PERSONALLY ENDORSED THEM. MANY JONESTOWN RESIDENTS   ADMITTED MAKING DONATIONS TO THE COMMUNITY BUT SAID THAT THEY WERE VOLUNTARY AND THAT IT WAS THEIR RIGHT TO MAKE THEM."

However, the checks were worthless in Jonestown, a place isolated in the deep jungles of Guyana, which grew most of its food. And only Jim Jones and his inner circle were allowed to leave the settlement.

This, and other documented blackmailing practices by Jones, proved to be effective money makers.

Other issues, such as custody battles, between those residing in the US and those in Jonestown, are also documented:   

"LOCAL ATTORNEY, SIR LIONEL LUCKHOO, MADE A MOTION TO ADD ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE  PEOPLE'S TEMPLE ORGANIZATION TO THE CUSTODY PROCEEDINGS. LUCKHOO INDICATED THAT MISS JOYCE TUCHETTE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS CASE ON THE GROUNDS THAT SHE HAD BEEN  GIVEN CUSTODY OF THE CHILD BY HIS MOTHER, GRACE STOEN. HAAS' LOCAL ATTORNEY ARGUED THAT BEFORE ANY CONSIDERATION CAN BE GIVEN TO ADDING NEW MEMBERS, JIM JONES  MUST BRING THE CHILD INTO THE CUSTODY OF THE COURT AS REQUIRED BY THE SUMMONS ISSUED BY THE COURT ON SEPTEMBER 10."

The Guyanese courts were having a lot of difficulty trying to reign in Jonestown, regarding legal matters:

"ATTEMPT BY GUYANESE COURT MARSHALL TO SERVE SUMMONS ON PEOPLE'S TEMPLE LEADER JIM JONES WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HAAS STATED THAT HE ACCOMPANIED COURT MARSHAL AND TWO POLICE OFFICERS TO JONESTOWN WHERE GROUP MET WITH HOSTILE RECEPTION."
 
"MARSHAL ALSO ATTEMPTED TO SERVE ADDITIONAL COPY OF THE SUMMONS ON PEOPLE'S TEMPLE REP., BUT SHE REFUSED TO ACCEPT IT. THE SUMMONS FELL ON THE GROUND AND MEMBERS OF THE PEOPLE'S TEMPLE THEN ACCUSED THE GROUP OF LITTERING THE AREA WITH QUOTE GARBAGE AND TRASH UNQUOTE. AT THIS POINT THE GROUP WITHDREW."

More cases can be found here labeled as “W/W”.

These issues then prompted several consular visits, but most of them were reporting positive things about the temple, and claimed nobody wanted to leave.  

“THE MEMBERS THEY MET APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD HEALTH, MENTALLY ALERT (CONSIDERING THE ADVANCED AGE OF SOME OF THEM), AND GENERALLY HAPPY TO BE AT JONESTOWN. THEY ALL SEEMED TO BE ABSORBED IN THEIR VARIOUS DUTIES SUCH AS SHOP WORK, TEACHING OR GARDENING. NO ONE INDICATED ANY DESIRE TO RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES."”

The two main custody battles, the Griffith and Stoen cases, led to the creation of an “organization of concerned relatives”.

Joseph Mazor, a Private Investigator was also hired by families to investigate and pressure the US Embassy. However Mazor was later hired by movie producer, Paul Jericho, to visit Jonestown. Mazor then made a 180-degree turn in his views claiming after that Jonestown was “a marvel of significant scope”.

It's worth adding that before his flip, Mazor had included in his investigation, the hundreds of state-ward children “awarded” to Jones and his followers by the state of California.

FRANKLY, ENTIRE SITUATION SEEMS VERY STRANGE SINCE CHILDREN FOR MOST PART HAVE ONLY BEEN IN GUYANA NO MOARE THAN FOUR MONTHS. SOMEONE HAD TO APPLY FOR PASSPORTS FOR THEM AND ALLOW THEM TO TRAVEL. A SEPARATE QUESTION PERTAINS TO THE CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN AWARDED TO JONES AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PEOPLE'S TEMPLE BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. PRESUMABLY COURTS THERE AGREED TO THEIR REMOVAL FROM STATE JURISDICTION WHEN THEY WERE BROUGHT HERE. IF NOT, ARE THEN JONES AND PEOPLE'S TEMPLE IN VIOLATION OF CALIFORNIA LAW?"

5. ACTION REQUESTED: SINCE ABOUT 130-150 CHILDREN ARE HERE WHO REPORTEDLY WERE FORMERLY CONSIDERED TO BE WARDS TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, REQUEST DEPARTMENT CONTACT APPROPRIATE STATE OFFICIAL CONCERNING THIS QUESTION AND INFORM EMBASSY WHETHER THIS WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL PROBLEM."
 
However, the State Department documents on the consular visits do not tell the whole story. A Wikileaks document by the Consular Affairs itself, exposes various issues by quoting a Washington Post article titled “State Department Faulted in Jonestown Warnings”:

“THE STATE DEPARTMENT WAS SO PREOCCUPIED WITH BUREAUCRATIC NICETIES AND LEGALISTIC  CONSTRAINTS THAT IT WAS VIRTUALLY BLIND TO WARNINGS OF IMMINENT DANGER AT JONESTOWN  LAST YEAR, ACCORDING TO A STUDY COMMISSIONED BY SECRETARY OF STATE CYRUS R. VANCE.”

“THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT SUBSTANTIVE FAILURE,' THE REPORT SAID, OCCURRED LAST JUNE, FIVE MONTHS BEFORE THE JONESTOWN TRAGEDY. ”

"AFTER RECEIVING REPEATED ALLEGATIONS CONCERNING CONCENTRATION CAMP TYPE CONDITIONS AND MASS SUICIDE THREATS AT JONESTOWN, THE U.S. AMBASSADOR IN GUYANA CABLED WASHINGTON JUNE 6 FOR AUTHORIZATION TO SEEK GUYANESE INTERVENTION."

"BY MAY 1978, OFFICIALS HAD HEARD UNVERIFIED REPORTS OF PEOPLE HELD IN BONDAGE, ARMS SMUGGLING INTO JONESTOWN, THREATS OF MASS SUICIDE, A DRUGGED APPEARANCE OF JONESTOWN RESIDENTS AND THE MENTAL INSTABILITY OF JONES HIMSELF."

"--CONSULAR OFFICIALS IN GUYANA WANTED TO TREAD CAUTIOUSLY BECAUSE THEY WERE DEALING WITH TWO COMPETING GROUPS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS, EACH OF WHICH HAD ENLISTED PROMINENT PEOPLE, INCLUDING PUBLIC OFFICIALS, IN THEIR CAUSE. THE PEOPLE'S TEMPLE ALSO HAD HIGH-LEVEL FRIENDS IN THE GUYANA GOVERNMENT."

The article goes on to state that the ambassador was attempting to raise awareness of the issues, through classified documentation, but because of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), he feared the temple would find this out before anything would be done. However what this article does not state, but is stated by the NYT, is that the Embassy itself was providing the temple any documents regarding the organization, through FOIAs.

The Washington Post article goes on to make several other statements:

"THE SAME THEME--OVERCAUTIOUSNESS--DOMINATED HANDLING OF THE MATTER AT ALMOST ALL  LEVELS. OFFICIALS EITHER DIDN'T TRUST THEIR OWN INSTINCTS OR FELT CONSTRAINED IN REPORTING THEM UP THE LADDER, EVEN WHEN THEY HAD DEEP SUSPICIONS, THE STUDY FOUND."

"ONE DESK OFFICER VISITING JONESTOWN, FOR EXAMPLE, 'WAS STRUCK BY THE FEELING THAT  MANY OF THE PERSONS WITH WHOM HE MET AND SPOKE APPEARED DRUGGED, OR ROBOT-LIKE IN THEIR REACTIONS,' THE REPORT SAID. BUT 'NOTING HIS SHORT STAY--FOUR HOURS--AND HIS LACK OF TRAINING IN WHAT WOULD AMOUNT TO A PSYCHIATRIC SKILL, HE QUALIFIED THE STATEMENT BY SAYING IT WAS A PERSONAL REACTION PROBABLY INFLUENCED BY READING ABOUT RELIGIOUS BRAINWASHING.'"

The obvious inconsistencies, and bizarre accounts then lead Congressman Leo Ryan to become involved.

Onward to Jonestown

Despite the inconsistencies regarding the reports at Jonestown by inspectors, and families in part 1, the State Department claims that there was nothing to worry about before Congressman Leo Ryan visited the place.

“THE DEPARTMENT AND THE EMASSY HAD NO REASON TO ANTICIPATE THE POSSIBILITY OF THE VIOLENT ATTACK AGAINST CONGRESSMAN RYAN'S DELEGATION WHICH OCCURRED ON NOVEMBER 18, 1978. THERE WAS NO PRIOR INSTANCE--KNOWN OR ALLEGED-OF THE USE OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE AGAINST A VISITOR.”

At the behest of the “organization of concerned relatives”; California Congressman Leo Ryan, also a CIA critic, decided to make a trip to Jonestown. He took with him, an aide, family of temple members, and reporters from several news groups, to Georgetown, a major city closest to Jonestown.

The planning was plagued by delays, and Richard A. Dwyer, the CIA representative at the Guyana Embassy, advised him that he and the others with him, might be turned away. However after meeting with Jim Jones' attorneys, Mark Lane, and Charles Garry, the Ryan party was able to go in and interview people. Ryan also made a speech that was met with cheers, which made them feel “unsettled”.

This continues in Part 2