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TO IMMEDIATE F.C.0.
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TELEGRAM NUMBER 783 OF 13 JUNE 1979
INFO IMMEDIATE JAKARTA AND KUALA LUMPUR
INFO ROUTINE MANILA, BANGKOK, SINGAPORE, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON,
CANBERRA, HANOI AND
HANOI AND HONG KONG GOVT, OFFICE LONDON.
seef 1111
(1113)
•
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: CHANGES OF POLICY IN MALAYSIA AND INDONESIA.
1. WE HAVE SEEN FRESS REPORTS TODAY OF OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS BY MALAYSIA AND INDONESIA THAT THEY WILL NO LONGER GIVE TEMPORARY ASYLUM TO BOAT REFUGEES. IN THE CASE OF MALAYSIA THIS LARGELY CONFIRMS CURRENT PRACTICE, WHICH HAS CAUSED MUCH OF THE RECENT INCREASE IN ARRIVALS IN INDONESIA. (WE HAVE JUST SEEN JAKARTA TELNO 174 TO YOU).
2. AS SEEN FROM HERE, THE EFFECTS OF THESE NEW POLICIES ARE LIKELY TO INCLUDE:
A. INCREASED LOSS OF LIFE AT SEA:
B. BOATS BEACHING ON REMOTE ISLANDS WITHOUT SUPPLIES (SOME
*
MAY DIVERT TO THE PHILIPPINES, BUT FEW ARE LIKELY TO BE
ABLF TO REACH HONG KONG, OR AUSTRALIA)
C. MORE DEPARTURES FROM SOUTH VIETNAM TO HONG KONG, POSSIBLY
ON LARGER BOATS (E.G. THE HA LUNG'', A CONVERTED RIVER PATROL CRAFT
WHICH ARRIVED HERE AT EASTER):
D. INCREASED RELUCTANCE BY REFUGEES TO LEAVE ON SMALL BOATS, PARTICULARLY IF OCEAN-COING VESSELS REMAIN AN ALTERNATIVE: E. MORE SOUTHERNERS ATTEMPTING TO LEAVE VIA THE NORTH.
3. FOR OBVIOUS REASONS WE DO NOT WISH TO PUBLICIZE POINTS 'C' TO 'E' ABOVE.
CONFIDENTAL,
14. LOCAL PRESS