condemned to death on smuggling charges. He has since been re-tried and sentenced, instead, to life imprisonment. About 29 of the remaining 117 (comprising women, children and old people) have now been released; and the remainder, after having spent a brief period in the prison on Con Son Island soon after their repatriation, are now being held in prisons in or near Saigon while they await trial for illegal emigration.
Allegations to the contrary that have appeared in the press, that a number of the group have died, been sent to the front or been tortured, are, to the best of our knowledge, quite untrue. Certainly those who have spread these rumours have failed, despite repeated requests, to produce any evidence to support them.
When considering whether Hong Kong is able to accept illegal immigrants, we have to remember that this tiny colony already contains over four million people, one of the highest population densities in the world. Over half the inhabitants have themselves come to Hong Kong as refugees, and this has put an immense strain on the Colony's social services, particularly housing. The Government of Hong Kong have launched a massive drive to rehouse half the population in ten years, but they simply cannot accept the further increase of population which could come from a new wave of immigration.
Having said all this, I should add that the British Government shares your concern that, where illegal immigrants into Hong Kong or any other dependent territory are found to be genuine refugees, or where there are real humanitarian reasons for allowing them to stay, their cases should be fully and sympathetically considered. Before the 118 South Vietnamese were returned to Vietnam the Hong Kong Government made individual investigations into the case of each member of the group; and similar consideration will be given to individual cases in any comparable situation which arises in the future.
Yours sincerely
A.C.SE
A C Stuart
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Department
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