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18. PASSENGERS WERE REFERRED TO AS "FROZEN DUCKS' THE SHIP WAS 'THE BRIDE'' AND THE PROPOSED DATE OF THE SHIP'S ARRIVAL OFF
THE VIETNAM COAST WAS 'THE WEDDING DATE''. THE SHIP PURPORTED TO BE ON A VOYAGE FROM BANGKOK TO A TIWAN PORT, AND THE CODE WAS PART
OF THE CAMOUFLAGE NEEDED TO JUSTIFY THE DIVERSION OF THE HUEY FONG TO HONG KONG. FOR THE SAME PURPOSE, FALSE ENTRIES WERE MADE IN
THE SHIP'S LOG.
19. THE COURT WAS ALSO TOLD ABOUT A CHANGE OF POLICY'' INTRODUCED BY THE VIETNAM GOVERNMENT LAST OCTOBER IN ITS HANDLING OF THE ENFORCED EXODUS FROM THE COUNTRY OF CITIZENS
OF CHINESE ETHNIC ORIGIN.
20. ACCORDING TO A STATEMENT TO THE POLICE MADE BY ONE OF THE ACCUSED, TIET QUOC LIEN, UP TILL OCTOBER THE REFUGEES HAD HAD TO LEAVE ILLEGALLY, THOUGH THE REGIME WAS VIGOROUSLY SPURRINO
THE EXODUS AND PROFITING FROM IT. AFTER OCTOBER, STATED TIET, THE GOVERNMENT TOOK AN OFFICIAL HAND IN THE GAME. ITS SECURITY OFFICERS OPENED CONTACT WITH OVERSEAS CHINESE ENTREPRENEURS TO GET THE DEPARTURES SPEEDED UP AND ORGANISED ON A MORE SYSTEMATIC AND
PROFITABLE BASIS,
21. AT ABOUT THIS TIME, TIET CONTINUED, THE VIETNAM GOVERNMENT INVENTED THE SLOGAN: YOU CHINESE SHOULD RESCUE YOUR OWN
CHINESE PEOPLE''.
22. THE COURT WAS ALSO GIVEN VIVID ACCOUNTS OF HOW THE VIETNAM AUTHORITIES PERSECUTED THEIR CHINESE CITIZENS AND SYSTEMATICALLY MADE LIFE IN VIETNAM IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM.
23. ONE WITNESS, A FORMER VIETNAM MERCHANT NAMED YAN SUN, TOLD HOW AFTER HIS BUSINESS WAS SUPPRESSED BY THE GOVERNMENT HE WAS OBLIGED TO GIVE 86 AELS OF GOLD TO COMMUNIST OFFICIALS FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ALLOWED TO LEAVE TOGETHER WITH 16 MEMBERS
OF HIS FAMILY.
24. YAN, AGED 51, ADDED THAT THIS INJURY WAS FOLLOWED BY THE FINAL INSULT: HE WAS FORCED TO WRITE A STATEMENT TO THE EFFECT THAT HE HAD SURRENDERED HIS PROPERTY VOLUNARILY AND HE WAS GRATEFUL TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR BEING SO KIND TO HIM.
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125.