R 395
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FROM HONG KONG 121101Z MAR 79
TO PRIORITY F.C.O.
TELEGRAM NUMBER 356 OF 12 MARCH 1979
HKCK 243/1 CORK 13 MAR 979
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INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENT
OFFICE LONDON.
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: SITREP M.V. ''SKY LUCK''
1. DURING THE MORNING OF 11 MARCH A DEMONSTRATION WAS ARRANGED BY SOME OF THE REFUGEES ON THE MV SKY LUCK. THIS TOOK THE FORM OF 150 OF THE YOUNGER MEN AND BOYS JUMPING OVER THE SIDE TO SWIM TO LAMMA ISLAND ABOUT HALF A MILE AWAY. 87 OF THEM WERE PICKED UP BY POLICE LAUNCHES AND RETURNED TO THE VESSL BUT THE REMAINDER
REACHED THE ISLAND.
2. ALL BUT THREE WERE ROUNDED UP, TAKEN TO THE POLICE POST ON THE ISLAND AND RETURNED TO THE VESSEL. TWO OF THOSE TAKEN TO THE POST WERE SENT TO HOSPITAL SUFFERING FROM EXHAUSTION. A 15 YEAR OLD BOY MANAGED TO EVADE THE POLICE AND GET TO KOWLOON WHERE HE WAS INTERVIEWED BY TVB. HE WILL BE RETURNED TO THE SHIP TOMORROW AFTER
EQNUIRIES. TWO OTHERS ARE MISSING.
3. THE DEMONSTRATION WAS STAGED IN AN ATTEMPT TO PERSUADE US TO
ALLOW THE REFUGEES ASHORE.
4. THOSE ON BOARD ARE BEING DETAINED BECAUSE OF THE EXTREME PRESSURE ON ACCOMMODATION FOR REFUGEES. THIS IS ACUTE. THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM IS 16,033 AND IN THE SHORT TERM THERE IS GREAT DIFFICULTY IN PROVIDING MORE ACCOMMODATION ASHORE THOUGHT SOME SHOULD BECAOME AVAILABLE IN APRIL. HOWEVER BY THEN MORE REFUGEES WILL HAVE ARRIVED (738 HAVE ARRIVED IN THE LAST THREE DAYS). THIS UNDERLINES THE NECESSITY OF OBTAINING ADDITIONAL RESETTLEMENT OFFERS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES AND TO DO SO AS QUICKLY
AS POSSIBLE.
5. THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WILL BE CONSIDERING THE IMPLICATIONS OF A POSSIBLE CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMME FOR CAMPS TOMORROW BUT THIS IS INEVITABLY A MEDIUM TERM SOLUTION FOR THE PROVISION OF ACCOMMODATION FROM ABOUT MAY/JUNE.
CONFIDENTIAL
/6. WE WILL