GR 2000
CONFIDENT LAL
Peate)
1. By copy to UND (Mr
Русофи dette.
@243/1.
(58)
TOP COPY
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 07034OZ NOV 83
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1636 OF 7 NOVEMBER
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, BRUSSELS, UKMIS
GENEVA, WASHINGTON, CG NEW YORK, TOKYO
FOR HKG REPRESENTATIVES.
HKG/GT/38
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES (VRS) IN HONG KONG.
PRESENT POSITION.
HKK 243/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
CA
INOL K
ль
17 NOV 1963
PA
ĮREGISTRY
The on
THE VR POPULATION IN HONG KONG ON 31 OCTOBER 1983 WAS 13,330, THE HIGHEST IN THE SOUTH EAST ASIAN REGION, HAVING RISEN FROM JUST OVER 9,800 EIGHTEEN MONTHS AGO. AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER 1983 NT WAS 13,462 OUT OF A REGIONAL CASELOAD OF 43,536. SINCE CLOSED CENTRES WERE INTRODUCED IN JULY 1982 TO DISCOURAGE THE EXODUS, THE PROPORTION OF VRS COMING TO HONG KONG HAS DECLINED FROM HALF THE REGIONAL TOTAL IN JULY 1982 TO 20 PERCENT IN SEPTEMBER 1983. THE RESETTLEMENT RATE HAS DECLINED EVEN FURTHER, AND WETH GREATLY REDUCED RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMMES THERE IS NOW NO PROSPECT OF REDUCING THE REFUGEE POPULATION (OF WHOM 6,000 ARE IN CLOSED CENTRES) IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE UNLESS THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE ATTITUDE OF THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES.
ARR WALS.
IN 1982, 7,840 VRS ARRIVED IN HONG KON, REPRESENTING A DECREASE OF ONLY 7 PERCENT FROM THE 8,470 ARRIVALS IN 1981. UP TO 31 OCTOBER 3,573 HAVE ARRIVED SO FAR IN 1933, A DECREASE OF 54 PERCENT ON THE SAME PERIOD IN 1962. THIS REDUCTION IS WELCOME, AND IT EXCEEDS THE REGIONAL REDUCTION OF ABOUT 34 PERCENT. BUT ALL THE INDICATIONS ARE THAT ARRIVALS WILL CONTINUE. OPEN SQUARE BRACKETS. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, VIRTUALLY ALL THE 1982 AND 1983 ARRIVALS WERE ETHNIC VIETNAMESE, THE MAJORITY OF WHOM LEFT VIETNAM TO IMPROVE THEIR LIVING STANDARDS RATHER THAN FROM FEAR OF PERSECUTION ON POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS, OR RACIAL GROUNDS. THEY ARE MAINLY LAND WORKERS AND FISHERMEN WHO SPEAK ONLY VIETNAMESE. CLOSE SQUARE BRACKETS. THE STATE OF THE PRESENT VIETNAMESE ECONOMY AND THE POLICIES OF THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT ARE SUCH THAT MORE PEOPLE WILL WANT TO LEAVE. THE INDICATIONS ARE THAT, ALTHOUGH THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO INCREASINGLY CONCERNED AT THE CONTINUING OUTFLOW, THEY FIND IT DIFFICULT TO PATROL THEIR LONG COASTLINE EFFECTIVELY. CORRUPTION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL CONTINUES. ARRIVALS USUALLY REACH A PEAK DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS AND 1983 HAS FOLLOWED THIS PATTERN. ON THIS BASIS WE MAY EXPECT SEVERAL HUNDRED OVER THE NEXT 4 WINTER MONTHS AND ABOUT 3,300 OVER 1984 AS A WHOLE.
CONFIDENTIAL
/DEPARTURES
ken