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4. Given pressure for resettlement of refugees from elsewhere
(eg Poland, Iran), the Home Office see a new quota as virtually out of the question. Britain is not a popular choice among boat people. Apart from dependants of those already here, most prefer the USA. 4 out of 5 of those settled here are unemployed
and integration has proved difficult. The cost of keeping them is high.
5.
But Hong Kong's problems are recognised: the expense of
closed camps, local resentment at special treatment accorded to
Vietnamese (Chinese "illegals", even dependants, are sent back
to China), the risk of ending up with the unresettled residue.
We are lobbying others on their behalf US, Australia, Sweden,
France in recent months and through UNHCR. We are also
pressing the Home Office to accelerate reception of outstanding
UK ship rescue cases (the "City of Edinburgh"), to take the
residue from a Hong Kong registered ship (the "Po Yang"), to
loosen family reunion criteria, and to admit some (40) orphans
whom Ockenden Venture and Save the Children Fund have offered to
take. If successful, these should help, but major resettlement
states are increasingly taking from elsewhere and arguing that
Hong Kong is a UK responsibility. UK reluctance to take more refugees makes it even more difficult to argue Hong Kong's
case.
Future Prospects
6. Fewer boat people now are ethnic Chinese or from
professional or business classes. More are leaving from
northern and central rather than southern Vietnam (and are
therefore less likely to qualify for the US), and more for economic rather than purely political reasons. Unless Hanoi
makes a determined move to stop emigration or accelerates the
"Orderly Departure Programme", (set up by agreement with UNHCR in 1979, in which the Vietnamese Government arrange for exit visas for those who wish to emigrate to the West) or unless poor
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