but tr
ttee
uary the
-
3
/also
Schnyder Report
The need for a report on attacks on refugees has been fully justified. Regrettably attacks continue on refugees who, by definition, are always vulnerable. It is important for us all to bear in mind that protection has to be assured not only legally but/physically. We look forward to Ambassador Schnyder's report. -Those of us who heard him at the meeting of the Sub Committee
n Protection last October felt great confidence in the way in
which he was approaching his task.
Orderly Departure Programme (ODP
My delegation regrets that there is still little sign of a speeding up of the number of people coming to the United Kingdom from Vietnam under
the ODP. We hope that UNHCR are
continuing to press the Vietnamese to process cases for those
countries who have similar programmes under the ODP. We continue
to support the ODP and have recently announced a contribution of £50,000 towards the programme.
Hong Kong
L
On the contrary the number of
My delegation was very pleased to hear the Finnish Ambassador announced that his country had recently taken refugees from Hong Kong.
We wish to express our gratitude to him and to Denmark and Sweden who have also recently taken refugees from Hong Kong under specially announced quotas. We do not forget those countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia and France, who have traditionally accepted people from Hong Kong. But I wish to sound a note of warning. Despite all these efforts Hong Kong's
problem is not decreasing.
refugees in Hong Kong are increasing. At present there are some 13,000 refugees there, many of whom have been there for 3 or 4 years. By the end of 1983 there will be some 18,000. The reason for this is the desperate shortage of resettlement places, a fact which the High Commissioner referred to in his opening statement. The Hong Kong authorities are concerned with the growing refugee problem. Despite its fine record over the years in dealing with refugees, they have had to make a policy change. I am referring to the introduction last year of a closed camp policy under which those refugees arriving after the introduction of the new policy are not able to take employment.