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CALCULATED AT 12 TAELS FOR EACH ADULT (10 OF WHICH WENT TO THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT), 1.5 TAELS FOR CHILDREN UNDER 16 AND ONE TAEL FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVER YEARS.
WHEN THE HUEY FONG SAILED INTO HONG KONG WATERS THERE WERE 3313 PEOPLE ON BOARD 1700 OVER THE AGE OF 15.
HE CLAIMED THAT A VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT LANDING CRAFT HAD TAKEN HIM AND HIS FAMILY TO THE HUEY FONG.
ANOTHER FORMER CHINESE RESIDENT OF VIETNAM, HO MAN, SAID THAT HE HAD PAID 24 TAELS OF GOLD (FOR TWO ADULTS) TO FACILITIATE HIS DEPARTURE FROM THE COUNTRY.
EARLIER IN THE COURT HEARING MR DUNCAN TOLD A STORY OF INTERNATIONAL INTRIGUE WITH CODED MESSAGES BEING PASSED TO AND FROM SEVERAL ASIAN CITIES. THESE MESSAGES REFERRED TO THE REFUGEES AS ''FROZEN DUCKS'': THE SHIP AS A ''L/C (COMMERCIAL LANGUAGE
FOR LETTER OF CREDIT), OR THE BRIDE': AND THE VESSEL'S
犀
RENDEZVOUS TIME OFF THE COAST OF VIETNAM AS THE 'WEDDING DATE''.
ONE OF THE DEFENDANTS, LO WING, A 58-YEAR-OLD CHINESE AND LONG-TIME RESIDENT OF VIETNAM, HAS ADMITTED INVENTING MUCH OF THE
CODE AFTER HE CAME TO HONG KONG IN 1978.
LO ALSO SAID THAT HIS ELDEST DAUGHTER HAD TRIED UNSUCCESS- FULLY TO ESCAPE FROM VIETNAM THREE TIMES AND HAD BEEN DETAINED FOR
MORE THAN ONE YEAR.
BUT IN ABOUT MAY 1978 THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT HAD GIVEN HINTS THAT OVERSEAS CHINESE COULD LEAVE VIETNAM. LATER THEY AUTHORIZED ABOUT 54 LOCAL OVERSEAS CHINESE GROUPS TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE REFUGEES TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY.
EACH REFUGEE HAD TO PAY 12 TAELS OF GOLD - 10 TAELS OF WHICH WAS HANDED OVER TO THE GOVERNMENT BY THE GROUP. THE REMAINING TWO TAELS. WERE FOR THE GROUP.
LO SAID HE GAVE HIS DAUGHTER 12 TAELS OF GOLD AND SHE EVENTUALLY REACHED MALAYSIA ON THE SS HOI HONG AND HAD SINCE
MIGRATED TO WEST GERMANY.
ENDS
MACLEHOSE
FILES
OID
SEAD
HK & GD
NEWS D
MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY
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