CONFIDENTIAL
GR 515
PRIORITY
APHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 091005Z
CONFIDENTIAL
See 101
T
La 102
Lee (103
No
TO PRIORITY F.C.O TEL NO.712 OF 9 JUNE 78,
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HKK 243/1
RECEIVED IN REGISIM NO. 51
12 JUN1978
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
RESTRY
Action ten
INFO PRIORITY: UKMIS GENEVA, PEKING, WASHINGTON,
VIENTIANE, HANOI,
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG.
100
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with hus
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1. SINCE 1 JUNE, 317 REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM HAVE ARRIVED IN SMALL
agreed
BOATS (MOST ARE ETHNIC CHINESE). THIS BRINGS TO 711 THE TOTAL with UND.
OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES NOW IN HONG KONG PENDING RESETTLEMENT
ELSEWHERE.
2. WE HAVE MAINTAINED THE POLICY THAT SUCH PERSONS ARE ALLOWED
TO LAND HERE TEMPORARILY AGAINST A UNHCR GUARANTEE. ACCOMMODATION
AND MAINTENANCE IN HONG KONG IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF UNHCR THROUGH THEIR LOCAL AGENT ICEM. SO FAR REFUGEES HAVE BEEN ACCOMMODATED IN COMMERCIAL HOTELS. HOWEVER, AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IS ICEM'S INABILITY TO PAY ENOUGH TO OVERCOME THE RELUCTANCE OF HOTELS TO ACCOMMODATE REFUGEES BECAUSE OF ADVERSE EFFECTS ON THE TOURIST
BUSINESS.
3. THE SITUATION HAS DETERIORATED IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. THE
LATEST BATCH OF 95 WERE BROUGHT BY VIETNAMESE JUNKS ON 7 TO 9 JUNE. ICEM HAVE SO FAR BEEN UNABLE TO FIND HOTEL ACCOMMODATION FOR THEM
THIS AND THEY ARE STILL IN THEIR JUNKS IN A TYPHOON SHELTER. SITUATION IS CLEARLY UNDESIRABLE AND IF ALLOWED TO PERSIST WILL
ATTRACT ADVERSE PUBLICITY.
4. ICEM HAS RECENTLY ASKED US TO PROVIDE GOVERNMENT ACCOMMODATION
FOR REFUGEES OR TO OPEN A REFUGEE CAMP ON AN OUTLYING ISLAND. WE
HAVE RESISTED THIS BECAUSE IT COULD BE COMPARED UNFAVOURABLY WITH OUR FOLICY OF REPATRIATING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA. IN ADDITION, OUR EMERGENCY HOUSING FACILITIES MUST BE KEPT FOR THEIR PROPER PURPOSE, I.E TO DEAL WITH SUDDEN DISASTERS SUCH AS TYPHOONS, FLOODING OR FIRE.
CONFIDENTIAL
15. FOR THE