28404 HKGOVT G
24145 RTRLDN G
M
ра
ИКК
EIVID IN SA
-
43
3 JUL 1982
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
4
ZC LTX001 261354 DXD 720
YY TWX
YAX337 26-1332 YHN123
1830: PROHONGAID LONDON ONE:
GIS 395/80
COMMISSIONER EXDIS (FOR BRAY FROM CLARKE )
PLEASE COPY TO WILLIAMSON, FCO.
ALTHOUGH HONG KONG CAN BE JUSTIFIABLY PROUD OF WHAT IT HAS DONE FOR THE 70 000 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WHO ARRIVED LAST YEAR,
THE LESSONS LEARNT FROM THE 1979 INFLUX INDICATE THAT SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN FACILITIES SOULD BE MADE FOR THOSE REMAINING HERE AWAITING RESETTLEMENT IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
•
THIS WAS THE MAIN CONCLUSION REACHED FOLLOWING A COMPREHENSIVE IN-HOUSE REVIEW OF THE ARRANGEMENTS MADE BY THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES,
THE REVIEW WAS CONDUCTED BY A GROUP COMPRISING MR IAN LIGHTBODY, CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION= PROFESSOR MICHAEL COLBOURNE, HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY MEDICINE AT HONG KONG UNIVERSITY AND MR BRIAN CLANCY, DEPUTY CROWN SOLICITOR. THE GROUP HAS CONFIRMED THAT THE ARRANGEMENTS MADE IN 1979 TO ACCOMMODATE AND LOOK AFTER THE REFUGEES WERE +APPROPRIATE AND ADEQUATE CONSIDERING ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES+ AND THAT, ALTHOUGH THE FACILITIES PROVIDED WERE NECESSARILY BASIC, THEY MET THE ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS OF HEALTH AND SAFETY.
IN PARTICULAR, THE GROUP CONSIDERED THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDED TO THE REFUGEES TO BE +REASONABLE AND THE BEST THAT COULD BE OFFERED WITHOUT REDUCING SERVICES TO HONG KONG'S OWN CITIZENS TO AN UNACCEPTABLE DEGREE+. DESPITE THE REFUGEES' PREVIOUS EXPOSURE TO A HARD LIFE AND THE CROWDED LIVING CONDITIONS IN CAMPS, THE CRUDE DEATH RATE AMONG THEM, AT 7.3 PER THOUSAND FOR 1979. WAS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THE RATE OF 5.2 PER
THOUSAND FOR THE HONG KONG POPULATION ITSELF. MORE==
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