CONFIDENTIAL
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO HONG KONG REPATRIATED TO VIETNAM
Talking points
1. We are concerned about the fate of the group of South Vietnamese
citizens repatriated from Hong Kong to South Vietnam on 17 June.
2. The Hong Kong Government repatriated the group after assurances
had been given in Saigon and Hong Kong that they would be treated as
innocent victims of the syndicate which had smuggled them out of
Vietnam.
There
There will be serious local repercussions in Hong Kong if any
of the group receives a severe sentence or other harsh treatment.
would also be a strong adverse reaction in Britain (e.g. press,
Parliament, Amnesty International). This would make future cases more
difficult to resolve; tarnish South Vietnam's image internationally;
and provide ammunition for hostile propaganda.
3. We assume that there is no truth whatsoever in the allegation in
Le Monde of 28 June that a Saigon police spokesman has said that the
Hong Kong authorities did not impose any conditions on the repatriation,
of the refugees and had not received any assurance that they would not
face any harsh treatment.
4. We hope that you will be able to confirm that the death sentence
passed in his absence on one of the group, Truong Hong, is no longer
valid.
Background
5. On 2 June a junk intercepted in Hong Kong waters was found to have
on board 119 illegal immigrants of Chinese descent from South Vietnam.
The majority were males of conscription age who said they were seeking
to avoid the draft. The South Vietnamese Government asked for the
return of the group.
6. The South Vietnamese Consul General in Hong Kong gave assurances
CONFIDENTIAL
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