On this day 33 years ago, over 900 people committed ritual suicide in Jonestown, Guyana. Shortly beforehand, US Congressman Leo Ryan and his delegation were ambushed and killed at the Port Kaituma airstrip, a few miles to the north east.
Jonestown was built by the People's Temple, a religious group founded in the 1950s in Indianapolis. They preached a doctrine of "apostolic socialism," that is to say religion was only the first step towards enlightenment of socialism. The group moved to California in 1965 after being heavily criticized for their integrationist views. When the press continued to portray a negative image of the group, they decided to establish an "agricultural mission" in 1973.
Guyana was chosen because the two groups agreed politically. They were both socialist. The man behind the People's Temple was Jim Jones, who thought he would be able to gain official protection through the nation's government. 500 built the town that would, at its peak, house about 1000. Jonestown was meant to be a benevolent communist community, but no one was allowed to leave.
Residents were indoctrinated with Soviet-style propaganda films from every Communist power in the world. Much like the Khmer Rouge, ties between parent and child were destroyed, all members expected to treat Jim Jones as their father. Jones himself was suffering from declining health, and paranoia. He was convinced that the CIA and numerous capitalist entities were out to destroy his vision.
In 1978, Congressman Leo Ryan agreed to investigate Jonestown after learning that the father of one of his friends was found dead near tracks leading out of the camp. He landed in Georgetown on November 14, but lawyers representing the People's Temple initially refused to let them in. After some negotiations, they were permitted entry. Jones was able to put up a good image. Ryan assured him that his report would describe Jonestown as "basically in good terms." But Jones' paranoia led him to believe that "all was lost."
At 5:20pm on November 18, just as Ryan and his delegation were preparing to leave at the Kaituma airstrip, the Temple's security force, the Red Brigade, attacked. In five minutes, five people, including Ryan himself, were killed, and eleven injured. Port authorities later rescued the survivors.
Realizing his mistake, Jones called an emergency meeting. He told his followers that their community was in danger from an imminent attack, and their children would be taken away from them. A large vat of poison was hastily concocted, containing a variety of chemicals. Death usually occurred in five minutes or less, but survivors later testified to hearing constant screaming. Jones himself was shot in the head, probably by a trusted aide.
Three high-ranking members (Tim and Mike Carter and Mike Prokes) were not ordered to kill themselves. They were ordered to visit the Soviet embassy Georgetown. With them were written instructions for the USSR to wire all of the Temple's assets to the Communist Party in Moscow, a total of about 7.1 million dollars. They never completed their mission. By this time, news of Ryan's death had reached Washington. US and Guyana military forces were en route to Jonestown. The three men were captured shortly after leaving their city. Only five other people intended to be poisoned survived by hiding.
Jonestown took the world by storm, and became one of the most heavily reported stories in media history. The town was later used to temporarily house Hmong refugees from Laos in the 1980s. Although looted by nearby Guyanese, no one ever lived there again. Most of it was destroyed in a fire. Only two people were arrested in connection with the death of Congressman Ryan. One was acquitted, claiming he had been brainwashed. The other was paroled in 2002. Nine people are suspected to have been involved, but cold never be tried.
Jonestown witnessed more American deaths than any single incident until 9/11. The phrase "drinking the Kool-aid" was born, referring to anyone who blindly accepts what a person tells him, even if it is harmful. Ironically, the catalyst for the poison was Flavor-aid, a similar drink introduced two years after Kool-aid.
