CRS 303
ESTRICTED
·FM BRUNET 2383332) DEC 78
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 285 OF 23 DECEMBER
RESTRICTED
HKK 243/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 29 DEC 1978
DLOK OFFICER INDEX
No
INFO ROUTINE KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE, MANILA, JAKARTA, HONG KONG (FOR GOVERNOR), UKM13 GENEVA
INFO SAVING MANOJ, BANGKOK, TOKYO
PA
M2 29/12
See (381
371
CE
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
1. FIRST SIGNIFICANT ATTEMPT TO LAND VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, IN BRUNET HAS JUST OCCURRED.
2. FREIGHTER TONG AN ABOUT 520 TONS BELIEVED TO BE OF HONG KONG ORIGIN BUT WITH 'PANAMA' RECENTLY PAINTED ON STERM AND WITH NO FLAG OF REGISTRY ANCHORED ABOUT 3/4 MILE OFF
APPROACH MUARA POINT AFTER DARK ON THURSDAY 21 DECEMBER.
#
WAS DETECTED BY RECENTLY INSTITUTED POLICE AND RBMR PATROLS AND LANDING PREVENTED, CAPTAIN REPORTED HE HAD 2580 VIETNAMESE ON BOARD (ALTHOUGH SUBSEQUENT OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST FEWER, PERHAPS 850-1000).
3. BRUNET GOVERNMENT ADAMANTLY REFUSES TO ACCEPT
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, SO RBMR AND POLICE HAVE REPLENISHED
*7
*
SUPPLIES (5 DAYS RATIONS, 45 TONS OIL, ABOUT 300 TONS WATER) AND TENDED SUCH SICK AS WERE PRODUCED. BEING SATISFIED THAT VESSEL WAS SEAWORTHY AND COULD PROCEED WITHOUT HAZARD ABMR ARE NOW TOWING AWAY FROM COAST WITH OBJECTIVE OF SLIPPING TOW ABOUT 53 MILES OUT.
4.
AFTER TOW! COMMENCED ABOUT 53 VIETNAMESE JUMPED OVERBOARD
AND WERE PICKED UP BY RBMR. INTENTION IS TO RETURN THEM
TO TONG AN AFTER THEY HAVE RESTED.
5.
BRIGADIER ROBERTS HAS TOLD ME THERE IS NO DOUBT THIS
COMMERCIAL VENTURE, APPARENTLY WELL PLANNED SINCE VESSEL
COULD NOT HAVE REACHED ANCHORAGE WITHOUT ACCURATE CHARTS.
NO VIOLENCE OF ANY KIND HAS SO FAR OCCURRED. ABMR DID
HOWEVER PICK UP FROM SEA BODY OF BABY WHO HAD APPARENTLY
DIED ON 30ARD.
RESTRICTED
16.
THIS