55. Kung Lok Road, Kwun Tong,
KOWLOON.
20th. June, 1974.
The Acting Governor,
Government House, Hong Kong
Dear Sir,
I should like to enter a plea on behalf of the 22fpersons, relatives of refugeeo from Vietnam, that the charges against them may be dropped.
These 22 persons are charged with entoring a restricted area, and two of them are charged with assaulting police. They are due to appear in court on 28th. June, 1974, and they will probably not be represented, unless friends con raise money for their defence.
I have spoken to some of these accused, and am convinced that they had no intention of breaking any regulations, but that in their desperation and worry, they may not even have realised what they did. Ao to the alleged assault on police, it appears to me that the relatives themselves are the injured persons, and at least one injurgd(that-do IT. Smith of the Folice) was most likely to have injured his hand in wielding hig baton I believe the split between the finger and thumb would suggon✨ this. The relatives of the deportees had no weapons and no intention of exerting violence.
The British have a reputation based on the cliche "Dritish Justice". I have to admit that I have not seen this quality on display in the Colony of Hong Kong, though I am sure that lir. Godber in Britain is banking his future on it. The same standards do not apply to working-closs Chincec here in Hong Kong As a Britisher who would like to meintain our standardo for all, I would say that these relatives, whatever law they may or may not have broken, were acting in dcoperation, the same way in which any humm13) being would react in a moment of fear that his kith and kin will be crposed to serious danger. What man would not try everything in his power to rescue his wife and child from a situation which will separate then forever from one another? What young man of 13 will not take any drastic stepa he can to save his one and only relative, a seventeen-year-old sister whose family is dead and brothers killed in Vic tuen? Phese are the cireunatences behind some of the persone charged with 11legal entry into a restricted
They were like wild persons making a last desperate attempt to GH70 their nearest and dearest. Does Writish compassion not stretch to so much understanding, or have we become hard-headed money graspers without sones of justice or compassion?
area.
•
You have „asured me Sic, that life is not in danger in returning theda refuzeem to Vietnem. I should pay kinne naanrannan VIO
pov monally hava
*14
the Vietnam war for many years boonuse upchtig would do no good. ant thla wae iu having ila effects on Hlour: Kong and I can no longer reanin silent. There is emple evidence that the Vietnam Government will stop at nothing to root ouť any who are not prepared to fight against the Vietcong, First-hand evidesen de an indisputable en evidenes of Beleen in Beeld Bag 11.
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