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PPS
We now have initial UNHCR figures for arrival and resettlement of boat refugees during October in Malaysia (in 960, out 8,027), Indonesia (in 329, out 3,592), Thailand (in 128, out 1,518) and the Philippines (in 410, out 462). These mean that some of the figures in para 5 above and para 11 of the fact sheet can be provisionally updated. The following table summarizes the position at 31 October for the 5 main places of first asylum for boat refugees:
Hong Kong
Boat refugee
Population at As % of
end 1978 +
arrivals
Jan-Oct 79
79,007 101,888
Resettlement
As % of total
as % of end
1978 population
(for these + 1979
total
(for these
Resettlement
places)
Jan-Oct 1979
places)
arrivals
31.0
16,468
17.1
20.8
39.9
59,207
61.4
58.1
Indonesia
50,396
19.7
9,681
10.0
19.2
Thailand
14,140
5.5
7,542
7.8
53.3
Philippines 9,765
3.8
3,506
3.6
35.9
Total:
255,196
100%
96,404
100%
37.8%
Malaysia
These figures illustrate the continuing poor rate of resettlement from Hong Kong compared with other places of first asylum. This is most succinctly shown by the fact that resettlement this year to 31 October from Hong Kong has been 20.9% of the end-1978 refugee population plus 1979 arrivals, compared with an average of 45.4% elsewhere.
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