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A/34/627 English Annex I Page 4
14. From the total of 277,000 arrivals by sea since 1975, by 30 June 1979, 82,000 persons had been resettled, including 7,550 from Hong Kong, 3,650 from Indonesia, 350 from Macau, 45,400 from Malaysia, 4,600 from the Philippines, 2,500 from Singapore and 12,950 from Thailand.
15. Over the last months there has been a marked increase in the rate of arrivals. This has particularly affected Malaysia, Hong Kong and, recently, Indonesia.
A total of 26,600 boat people arrived in the area in April 1979, 51,150 in May 1979 and 56,950 in June 1979. These figures would, of course, be higher if asylum had been granted to all who sought it. Faced with the increase, however, certain of the countries most directly affected have refused permission to land and have expelled many thousands of boat people to the high seas.
16.
Given the apprehension concerning future arrivals and despite the availability of funds from UNHCR, certain Governments have been reluctant to allow the expansion of the centres for boat cases, a measure which is necessary to ensure adequate conditions for those allowed to land. For instance, one small island now holds some 40,000 boat people in grossly inhospitable conditions. Over-crowded ships have been held off-shore for many months despite pleas to permit disembarkation. Logistical problems have become acute and the risk of epidemics grave. Notwithstanding every effort, food distribution arrangements, water supply and basic sanitation conditions have often been most unsatisfactory. With considerable help from voluntary organizations, the potentially critical consequences of inadequate facilities have been avoided, but the risks remain acute.
17. UNHCR assistance for the support of boat cases as at 30 June 1979, totalled some $US 43 million of which $US 10.5 million has been provided in Hong Kong, $US 1.1 million in Macau, $US 3.1 million in Indonesia, $US 20.2 million in Malaysia, $US 2 million in the Philippines, $US 1 million in Singapore and $US 1.5 million in Thailand.
18. Apart from very limited local settlement within the region, the only solution possible to date for boat cases has been resettlement outside the region.
Rescue at sea
19.
Many thousands of boat cases have been rescued on the high seas by passing vessels. The craft used by the boat cases are often overloaded and unseaworthy. Boat cases have also reported that passing vessels have ignored distress signals. Regrettably, therefore, persons have been lost at sea not only when rescue was not at hand, but also as a result of disregard of distress signals.
20.
The rendering of assistance to persons at sea whose lives are in danger has long been recognized as a legal obligation. In December 1978, the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General of the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) made renewed appeals to Governments and, through the International Chamber of Shipping, to shipowners and masters for the
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