RESTRICTED
13. Since February, the "LEAP DAL" has been in halaysian waters without permission from the Malaysian authorities. The Thai authorities will not allow the ship to return to unload its passengers there. Indeed, Thailand would probably welcome another ship to take away some more of its 80,000 refugees. Some of the passengers have already been resettled in Europe and Australia, but 96 remain aboard. We understand the ship is in a bad state.
1. As with the "ROLAND", we have said we would accept a small number of applications from those on the "LAP DAL" but added the caveat that such applications must come from refugees who were
originally" boat people". This was a llome Office decision.
15.
UNHCR are saddled with the general problem; all things considered, they seem to be making reasonable progress in resettling
some of these groups.
Conclusion
16. We have every sympathy for the plight of those still on board the "LEAP DAL", but we believe that the Home Office would have difficulty in accepting applications from any who were not originally "boat people". To do so, given our small quota, would have to be at the expense of genuine "boat people". Furthermore, it is quite possible that some of those on board, who are not registered.refugees, are illegal immigrants into Thailand who paid large sums of money for places on the ship as an easy means of entry to Australia or
Guam.
17. I recommend that Mr Luard reply to Mr Boyden on the lines of the
attached draft.
18. SEAD, HKD and MVD concur. The Home Office have also been
consulted and concur.
19 July 1977
cc: PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts
SEAD
HKD
FED
MVD
RESTRICTED
}
MK O Simpson-Orlebar United Nations Department