OR 355
UN
SIFIED
*
FM HONG KONG 051612Z JAN 79
243/1
HKK 243 RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
TO PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICEN。
TELNO.36 OF 5 JANUARY,
8 JAN1979
OFFICER
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
M.V. HUEY FONG.
REGITRY Action
1. AN ARTICLE ENTITLED 'NEW VIETNAM PROFITS FROM HUMAN TRAFFIC'
APPEARED IN THE FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW 5TH JANUARY,
REVIEW
36
2. THE ARTICLE STATES THAT HUEY FONG AND TUNG AN PICKED UP THEIR
HUMAN CARGO IN THE MEKONG DELTA NEAR HO CHI MINH CITY AS PART OF A HUGE PAID EXODUS ORGANISED BY THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT. INVESTIGATIONS SUPPORT A STATEMENT MADE BY THE AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION MINISTER YESTERDAY THAT AN ORGANISATION RESPONSIBLE TO AND UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT 13 CONTROLLING
ALL ASPECTS OF REFUGEE TRAFFIC.
3. SIX MONTHS AGO THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED A SPECIAL
DEPARTMENT HEADED BY A POLITBURO MEMBER TO CO-ORDINATE AND MONOPOLISE THE EXODUS.
5000 REFUGEES
4. OBSERVERS IN THE VICINITY OF THE SMALL TOWN OF CAT LAI, 16 KM
FROM SAIGON, REPORT THAT HUEY FONG AND TUNG AN MOORED IN A SHELTERED ANCHORAGE NEARBY IN EARLY DECEMBER. BOARDED THE VESSELS UNDER THE GAZE OF THE LOCAL OFFICIALS. THREE OTHER FREIGHTERS WITH PANAMANIAN REGISTRATION WERE ALSO MOORED. ONE LEFT TWO WEEKS AFTER HUEY FONG TO GO TO HONG KONG BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN HEARD SINCE.
5. SENIOR VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TAKE NO DIRECT PART IN THE TRAFFIC, WHICH IS HANDLED BY CHINESE BUSINESSMEN OPERATING IN
CHOLON. EACH CHINESE REFUGEE PAYS ABOUT US DOLLARS 2670 TO THESE MIDDLEMEN, WHO PAY HALF TO THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT, FOR EVERY ADULT LEAVING.
16.
IN