CONFIDENTIAL·
EL NO 2 SAVING
BY BAG
FM FLO
TO: HANOI
CONFIDENTIAL
SAVING TELERげます
MKCK 243/
KELEIVED IN
1 MAR 1979
R.
FA
TELNO ? SAVING 28 FEB 79.
No
Jr.3.
438
REPEATED SAVING TO (FOR INFO): WASHINGTON, CANBERRA, SINGAPORE,---
MANILA, BANGKOK, JAKARTA, BRUNEI, KUALA LUMPUR, UKMIS GENEVA
REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM: THE HUEY FONG AND THE SKYLUCK
1.
Cortazzi handed to the Vietnamese Ambassador on 27 February a
piece of paper in the following terms:
BEGINS.
The Ambassador has asked for evidence about the involvement
of officials of the Vietnamese Government in the organisation of the exodus of people from Vietnam on large ocean-going vessels and in the financial arrangements made in that connection. Investigations. of the circumstances concerning the arrival of the Huey Fong and the Skyluck have provided a good deal of information on this question. Further corroboration has been obtained from statements made by refugees from Vietnam who have been allowed ashore elsehwere
in South East Asia.
1
In October 1978, leading members of the ethnic Chinese community in South Vietnam were approached by Vietnamese officials and instructed to arrange for people wishing to leave Vietnam to register with local officials and make payment for their passage in gold or
other valuables. Officials also indicated how much of the charge
made would be reimbursed to the organisers in order to
organisers in order to pay the owners, masters and crew of large ocean-going vessels. The price charged has varied from Province to Province but generally the amount returned to the organisers has been two taels per adult and one tael per
juvenile.
f
One person who travelled from Bangkok to Vung Tau on the Huey Fong was allowed ashore by arrangement with Vietnamese officials and taken to Ho Chi Minh City. While there, he was taken to 175 Tran Hung Dao Q5, Dong Da (opposite the Palace Cinema).
He was
shown into a room with a long table. On one side residents of Vietnam passed gold leaf, jewellery and rings for weighing by
Government officials on the other side of the table. payment had been made an official receipt was issued.
•
When sufficient
The same /person
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CONFIDENTIAL