CONFENRAL
REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM
MEMORANDUM BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT
This memorandum considers the serious problen caused by the flow of boat refugees from Vietnam.
NUMBERS AND COMMITMENTS
2.
Many South East Asian states will not allow refugees to land on their territories without guarantees of ultimate responsibi- lity from the flag countries of rescuing vessels. Masters of U.K-registered ships are bound by international and domestic law to render assistance to those found in distress on the high seas. In recognition of this obligation the previous Administration agreed that an undertaking should be given, where refugees were rescued by U.K-registered vessels, that any not accepted by other countries of resettlement within an agreed period would be accepted by the United Kingdom. Such guarantees are now a common practice among
maritime states.
3. In addition, the previous Administration agreed in January, at the request of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to admit a further 1,500 Vietnames refugees. 1,000 were to come from Hong Kong and 250 each from Malaysia and Thailand. The quotas for Malaysia and Thailand have been filled, but only 400 of the Hong Kong quota have so far been selected. total of 270 have so far arrived.
A
4. Since the spring of 1975 the United Kingdom has accepted for resettlement a total of 1923 Indo-Chinese refugees (see Annex A). The USA has accepted more than 250,000, France about 60,000, Canada 11,000 and Australia 18,000. Of our EEC partners other than France, Germany has taken about twice as many as us, and Belgium about the same as us.
m.v
5.
SIBONGA & m.v. ROACH BANK
The immediate problems are the refugees on the m.v. Sibonga and the m.v. Roach Bank. The m.v. Sibonga, a U.K-registered vessel, has arrived at Hong Kong with 900 Vietnamese boat refugees on board. There are now 34,000 Vietnamese refugees in the Colony, and the Hong Kong Government regards the situation as desperate. also has a massive flow of immigrants from China. They have asked us to take the 900.
The Colony
6. It was announced last evening that the Prime Minister in consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary and myself, had decided that we should accept responsibility for the Sibonga refugees. A copy of the statement is at Annex C.
7.
The m.v. Roach Bank, another U.K-registered vessel, has arrived at Taiwan with 293 boat refugees on board. On a previous occasion involving a different vessel the Taiwanese refused to accept our guarantee and insisted that 346 boat refugees be airlifted direct to the United Kingdom. They appear to be taking the same line now.
CONE
TAL