4.65
MOST OF THOSE WHO COMMENTED ON THE EXCHANGE OF
MEMORANDA ON NATIONALITY DID SO IN ADVERSE OR CRITICAL TERMS.
COMMENTS CONCENTRATED ON :
·
THE CHANGE OF THE "BDTC STATUS
4.66
RIGHT OF ABODE
CONSULAR PROTECTION IN THE HK SAR
THE STATEMENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM MEMORANDUM THAT
ALL HONG KONG BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS (BDTCS)
WOULD CEASE TO BE RECOGNIZED AS SUCH FROM 1 JULY 1997
ATTRACTED STRONG ADVERSE COMMENTS FROM THOSE AFFECTED WHO
FEEL BITTER AT THE CHANGE IN PROSPECT FOR THEM. A FEELING
THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM HAD FAILED IN ITS MORAL OBLIGATION
TOWARDS THE TWO MILLION HONG KONG 3DTCS LED TO EXPRESSIONS OF
FRUSTRATION AND SOMETIMES ANGER, PARTICULARLY FROM THOSE WHO
RECALLED THEIR PLEDGES OF LOYALTY ON NATURALIZATION. SOME
ASKED FOR ASSISTANCE IN RESETTLING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. AS
THE INDIVIDUAL LETTERS PUT IT :
4.67
•
**WITH ONE STROKE OF THE PEN, YOU HAVE STRIPPED US OF
OUR IDENTITY, AND SLOTTED US INTO RACIAL CATEGORIES
AN UNFORGIVEABLE ACT ..
''I FEEL TAKING THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE QUEEN
TO BE VERY SERIOUS AND AM DISILLUSIONED BY WHAT THE
BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS DONE''
THOSE WHO COMMENTED ADVERSELY ON THESE PROVISIONS
SOUGHT TO MAKE THE POINTS THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM HAD
DELIBERATELY DISTANCED HERSELF FROM HONG KONG, AND HAD FAILED
TO PROVIDE AND ALTERNATIVE RIGHT OF RESIDENCE EITHER IN BRITAIN
OR ELSEWHERE FOR THOSE WHO WERE LOOKING FOR AN ESCAPE ROUTE
SHOULD THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997 DEMAND THIS.
''BRITAIN DISABLED HERSELF A LONG TIME AGO WHEN SHE
CLOSED THE DOOR TO HONG KONG. SHE DID THIS BY A
SERIES OF NATIONALITY ACTS WHICH TURNED THE HONG KONG
PASSPORT HOLDER INTO A SECOND-CLASS CITIZEN''
4.68
- THE HON. J.J. SWAINE
LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR
ONE ARGUMENT ADVANCED WAS THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM'S
FEAR OF MASS IMMIGRATION FROM HONG KONG WAS UNFOUNDED. AS
ONE INDIVIDUAL PUT IT :
11
3DTC
'WITH REGARD TO THE WELL-PUBLICIZED FEAR THAT
PASSPORT HOLDERS WILL RUSH TO THE UK, IT IS A WELL-
KNOWN FACT THAT PEOPLE HERE ARE VERY PRACTICAL AND
WON'T WANT TO GO TO A PLACE WHERE THEY CANNOT FIND
EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT THEMSELVES UNLESS THEY ARE
FORCED TO' ?
SECRET-46-
/TC