152
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 243
HKK 341/1
Thi. Copy to:
Information o dyy audion on
Para(s)
RECIVOS Mr Shepherd, Migration and Visa Dept.
DEX
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MMIGRAT
1.
AND REFUGEE STATISTICS
Mr Blaker replied to Mr Goodlad's adjournment motion on the plight of Indo-China refugees in the House of Commons on 28 June.
2.
The text of Mr Blaker's speech, as provided by SEAD, referred to 50,000 people who had been forced to flee from East Africa in circumstances analogous to those of the Vietnamese boat people. As I was unable to confirm (at 6.30pm on 28 June) that this figure did in fact refer to the number of people expelled by ex-President Amin in 1972, Mr Blaker used a general formulation.
3.
Mr Blaker finds that the figures on the numbers of people who have left East Africa since independence and who have been accepted for settlement in this country, are confusing. The Government, as you know, take the view that the large numbers of immigrants who have arrived in Britain since the War greatly limit our ability to do much for the Vietnamese boat people now. But one cannot in any sense claim that the majority of these immigrants came to this country, or left their original countries in circumstances analogous to the boat people. And indeed, even those who were expelled by Amin did, for the most part, have British passports. Mr Blaker considers that we need to know exactly where we stand and would wish the briefing for the conference in Geneva now convened by the UN Secretary- General for 20 - 21 July to cover the point. The questions to which Mr Blaker would like answers are as follows:-
i.
ii.
iii.
How many Asians have come to Britain from East Africa since immigration control was imposed?
How many of them were UK passport holders (UKPH)?
How many of them were dependents of UKPH (minor children, grannies and the like)?
iv. How many Asians have left East Africa for India
(and Pakistan and Bangladesh)?
V.
How many who had local citizenship have left East Africa, and to which destinations?
vi. How many Asians were actually kicked out by Amin,
in circumstances analogous to the "Boat People"?
COMBI EVT?NITET AT
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