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INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES
5. Mr Wilson said he saw a dilemma over the Indo-chinese refugees and did not see how a legally organised departure could be arranged. The act of controlling it denied them the right of emigration. Sir Jack said he detected signs of impatience in the Vietnamese. He had doubts about the moratorium and thought
the outflow could be resumed as early as October.
It was
creditable that the moratorium should be arranged by the Vietnamese but he did not think they wanted this. In-action by re-settlement
countries would afford the Vietnamese an excuse to evade their
Further, they were winning the propaganda game. Mr Simington said that although the overall number of refugees leaving Vietnam had dropped off since just prior to the Geneva Conference, the "genuine escape" rate had increased. He saw no decrease in departures. Moreover, the terms legal and illegal should be fully spelt out. As for the sincerity of the Vietnamese, their moratorium showed that they could do what they previously
said they could not.
responsibilities.
6. Sir Jack said the Chinese were assisting the passage of refugees along their coast towards Hong Kong. The quickest passage detected so far was five days. The monsoon would have little effect on the rate of arrivals. In response to a cuestion from Mr Dick, he said Hong Kong legislation to counter the traffic in refugees had been drawn up hurriedly and there were a few loopholes. However, a Bill was being passed in the Legislative Council on 1 August to close these and to increase the fines to HK$5million and impose life imprisonment. The legislation would take into account conspiracies outside Hong Kong jurisdiction. A challenge in the UK courts was likely to be only on technical grounds. Sir Jack said that the Huey Fong had earned the Vietnamese and middlemen about HK$25-30million, although the ship itself was worth only about $200,000. The profits were therefore astronomical. He said Australia's interest in Hong Kong should be that it was not de-stabilised by the influx of refugees; Australia should offer to help more.
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