CONFIDENTIAL
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
-
FUTURE OPTIONS
ANNEX A
(a)
Prevent refugees from working (by endorsing their refugee ID cards), but leave them in open camps.
Advantages
Disadvantages :
Comment
:
: it might be a marginal deterrent.
It could avert the worst consequences of inactivity and boredom, and reduce the likelihood of violence in camps.
inmates would still be free to cause disruption or commit crime outside.
There would be widespread evasion and refugees would work illegally.
To introduce it would require UNHCR agreement to some form of
subsistence.
Such a system would quite properly lead to criticism when it was found that refugees were in fact working.
This option would offer the worst of both worlds.
(b) Confine all refugees in closed camps
Advantages
:
this would have some deterrent effect in itself.
It would be possible to adapt an existing institution. If additionally detainees (or at least new arrivals) were denied access to any resettlement opportunities this would be a greater deterrent; as too would segregation of men and teenagers from women and children in separate camps.
Either system would show Hong Kong people firmer action was being taken; it would probably focus world attention on the problem for a time at least.
CONFIDENTIAL
/If we