CONFIDENTIAL
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Livelihood and have been threatened with transportation to "new
economic zones" where they would live in spartan conditions. These
people too have taken the chance offered by the official Government
scheme to leave on overcrowded and frequently unseaworthy boats, the
tariff includes a charge of the equivalent of £1,500 for each adult,
and further charges for various "services", but there is evidence
that the rates are being cut, as the richer emigrants leave.
1,200,000 ethnic Chinese may still remain in Vietnam, where they are
treated like a Fifth Column. There is unlikely to be any change in
the Vietnamese Government's policy as relations between Vietnam and
China are unlikely to improve.
Up to
9. We have made clear to the Vietnamese Government our concern at
their callous behaviour. We have also urged other countries to
bring their influence to bear on the Vietnamese.
Malaysian Government's Policy
10. The statement by the Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister that his
Government would "shoot" new arrivals has been disowned by the
Prime Minister, Datuk Hussein Onn. The Malaysian Prime Minister has
added that Malaysia is not prepared to be left with the residue of
refugees and that if they are not accepted for resettlement after a
reasonable time, the Malaysian Government will "send them away".
The Malaysians are evidently embarked on a harsher policy intended to
discourage new landings and they could adopt more drastic measures in
the absence of progress in removing boat refugees already in their
country.
Thai Policy
11. The Thai Government has forcibly repatriated many thousands of
Cambodians, although these people may come to grief in their own
country. We appealed to the Thais to desist. Famine in Cambodia is
likely later this year, since the countryside has been fought over
for so long and normal cultivation has been impossible.
CONFIDENTIAL
South East Asian Department
20 June 1979