Suggested Amendments to Draft Submission on Indo- Chinese "Small Boat" Refugees
DER
DSR 11C
1
It te i)luq" 9J
}
anti 8 E,
爨
Para 3: delete 5th sentence beginning "However, many
of the countries ..." and insert "There are some countries
bordering the South China Sea (eg Singapore, Indonesia)
which refuse permission for rescued refugees to be landed
because they feel themselves to be already saturated
with Indo-Chinese refugees who departures to countries
of permanent settlement is taking an increasingly long
time, mainly because the number of resettlement places
offered by the international community does not match the
number of refugees needing resettlement. There are others
(eg Japan, Brunei) who refuse permission for the refugees
to land for a variety of other reasons, including fear
of disturbing the local population or of some communist
Through infiltration or because of a lack of local facilities with
which to cope with the refugees once landed."
Para 4: delete final sentence and substitute "Our
experience has shown that British vessels have gone out
of their way to answer distress calls from groups of
refugees; the General Council of British Shipping has,
however, expressed the serious concern of its members
over the operational burden placed upon them by the
present situation".
Para 5: penultimate sentence should read "It is understood
that similar undertakings have in the past been given by
Norway, France, West Germany, USA, Algeria, Liberia and
Israel".
/Para
D 107991 400,000 7/76 904 953