GR 320
CONFIDENTIAL
2431
HICK 2431 1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
29 APR 1983
DESK OFFICER
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REGISTRY
Action Taken
38,
CONFIDENTIAL
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seeffi
FM HONG KONG 290244Z APR 83
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 584 OF 29 APRIL
INFO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI,
WASHINGTON
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
OVER THE PAST 2 WEEKS INFORMANTS IN CHI MA WAN CLOSED CENTRE
HAVE REPORTED A PLAN BY DETAINEES FROM NORTH VIETNAM TO CELEBRATE THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE FALL OF SAIGON (30 APRIL) BY ATTACKING
SOUTHERNERS IN THE CAMP AND SETTING FIRE TO BUILDINGS. HOME MADE
WEAPONS WOULD BE USED. THE AIM OF THIS DEMONSTRATION WOULD BE TO
DRAW ATTENTION TO THE LACK OF RESETTLEMENT FOR NORTHERNERS. (THE
RIOTING IN THE KAI TAK NORTH OPEN CENTRE LAST YEAR WAS ALSO ON
30 APRIL).
2. THE RINGLEADERS (ABOUT 30) AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE BEEN MOVED
ELSEWHERE, AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT REINFORCEMENTS WILL
STAND BY AT CHI MA WAN UNTIL EARLY MAY. THE REFUGEES AT CHI MA WAN
HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED TO HAND IN THEIR WEAPONS. SO FAR, 117 HAVE
BEEN SURRENDERED.
3. NORTHERNERS COMPRISE 55% OF THE 3,000 DETAINEES NOW IN CHI
MA WAN. THEIR PROSPECTS FOR RESETTLEMENT ARE NEGLIGIBLE. INFORMANTS
HAVE ALSO REPORTED THERE IS A NORTH VIETNAMESE CAMP COMMAND
STRUCTURE LED BY A COMMUNIST SECURITY SECTION OFFICIAL FROM HAI
PHONG WITH FIVE IMMEDIATE DEPUTIES (ALL WITH MILITARY OR POLITICAL
TRAINING IN NORTH VIETNAM) AND SEVERAL DOZEN LOWER ORGANISERS.
COMMENT
4. WE HAVE, AS YOU KNOW, BEEN EXPECTING RIOTS IN THE CLOSED CAMPS
ONCE THE VRS REALISED HOW POOR THEIR PROSPECTS FOR RESETTLEMENT
NOW ARE. THE PRESENT TROUBLES PLUS THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE LED TO
OUR DISCOVERING FORMER NORTH VIETNAMESE MILITARY, SECURITY AND POLITICAL PERSONNEL AMONG THE REFUGEES, UNDERLINES THE NEED FOR A
VIGOROUS AND CONCERTED ATTEMPT TO STEM THE EXODUS FROM VIETNAM ON
THE LINES PROPOSED IN YOUR TELNO 334 OF 7 APRIL AND OUR TELNO 485
OF 11 APRIL.
CONFIDENTIAL
/5. ALTHOUGH