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FM HONG KONG 280928% JUN 79
TO POUTINE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO.880 OF 28 JUNE,
INFO UKMIS GENEVA, HONG KONG COVT OFFICE LONDON.
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES : KAI TAK NORTH.
1. ALTHOUGH THE FRONG PAGE OF TODAY'S SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST AND STANDARD REPORT A ''RIOT' AT THE KAI TAK NORTH CAMP YESTERDAY IN FACT THIS WAS A GROSS EXAGGERATION. FACTS WERE
AS FOLLOWS:-
(A) AT ABOUT 9. 0.M A REFUGEES WAS ASSAULTED BY A PARTY OF OTHER REFUGEES IN THE DINING HALL AND RECEIVED INJURIES REQUIRING SUBSEQUENT HOSPITAL TREATMENT:
(B) AT THE SAME TIME A DISTURBANCE BROKE OUT IN BLOCK 7 WHERE PRISON OFFICERS WERE CONDUCTING THE NIGHTLY HEAD COUNT, PERHAPS AS A COVER FOR (A):
(c) A GENERAL DISTURBANCE ENSUED INVOLVING ABOUT 500 PEOPLE SHOUTING AND THROWING STONES WHICH CAUSED COME SLIGHT DAMAGE TO THE ADMINISTRATION BLOCK:
(D) MESSAGES ATTACHED TO STONES WERE THROWN OUTSIDE THE CAMP CONTAINING HIGHLY COLOURED ACCOUNTS OF CAMP LIFE FOR CONSUMPTION
BY LOCAL PRESS:
(E) THE TROUBLE QUICKLY SUBSIDED ON ARRIVAL OF POLICE
REINFORCEMENT AND THE SITUATION WAS NORMAL IN THE CAMP TODAY WITH LITTLE OR NO SIGN THAT ANY INCIDENT HAD OCCURRED.
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