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8.. Lord Ennals rose to HKG's defence by reminding members that UK was not in a strong position to criticise Hong Kong : HKG had a right to expect not just sympathy but action from HMG. HMG's attitude had had considerable "knock-on" effect on other governments. He was therefore "absolutely
convinced" that UK had to do something.
9.
On points of detail mentioned by Martin Barber, Lord Ennals commented that, according to UNHCR in Hong Kong, there were only 20 documented cases of husbands being separated from wives. He also said that he had been impressed with the quality of unaccompanied Vietnamese minors he had met in Hong Kong.
10.
On invitation by Lord Ennals, I addressed the meeting: to thank him and Martin Barber for their sympathetic and balanced view of the Hong Kong situation and to draw attention. to the harsh realities before HKG. Specifically, I made the following points in answer to Martin Barber's worries over our closed camp policy :
(a)
(b)
(c)
Conditions of congestion in Cape Collinson need to be seen in the context of general living conditions for the average Hong Kong person. Land shortage was a particular problem for Hong Kong.
Whilst not being quite the same as mixed company, the presence of other single males in Cape Collinson must offer "social" contact amongst inmates. As for "family" contact, this was more difficult as the single males from Vietnam had arrived on their own, without family.
Correctional Services staff running the closed camps for Vietnamese arrivals had been especially (Merited) trained for such purposes and should not be
regarded as personnel for "prisons".
(a) There was some degree of self-help and self-
management by the inmates themselves.
I also reminded members that it would not be fair (as suggested at one stage by Martin) to say that the arrivals from Vietnam since 2nd July 1982 were "forced" to be subject to closed camps; on arrival, they would variably be advised-- in Chinese, in Vietnamese and in English--what would be in store were they to choose to come into Hong Kong.
11. My exposé of facts and realties in Hong Kong seemed to be generally well accepted but drew from the Oxfam Coordinator of Overseas Services a remark that he "reacted to my reaction" and that "his sympathy for HKG became less". It turned out, from subsequent commentary and from my chat with him after the meeting, that he took particular exception to closed camp conditions perhaps not being in accordance with UNHCR requirements, my reference to Hong Kong's land
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