Council of Hongkong Indian Associations
the weat majorit of people
the world Cannot
select
-2-
The Rt. Hon. James Prior, M.P.
July 12, 1985
(2) In the case of non-Chinese BDTCs, into which category
the Indians fall, they will also become BNOS after 1997.
However, the difference in their case is that their British status will be transmissable to their children for two generations, who will then be classified as British Overseas Citizens (BOC). They will be entitled to British consular protection in Hong Kong.
HMG has, therefore, already seen fit to concede to different solutions because of the unusual position of these minorities. The Chinese BDTCs will become nationals of their great country, and whilst we will have the right to live and work in Hong Kong, it is important that because of our ethnic and racial background, our British nationality should be accompanied by the right of abode in the United Kingdom. Otherwise, transmissability of nationality without an ultimate abode in the parent country is tantamount to a form of statelessness.
To our expressions of concern that future generations (after the two generation period from 1997) will inevitably become stateless, HMG has suggested that approaches will be made to the Chinese government to provide us with Chinese citizen- ship. Whilst it is surprising that no commitment has been given to this important matter in the lengthy negotiations that have taken place in the last two years, we must respect- fully point out that the election of nationality should be the choice of the non-Chinese BDTC, surely a basic human right consonant with the concept of liberty. We should, under the circumstances, be provided with proper British nationality and the attendant facility of the right of abode in the United Kingdom or the choice of citizenship of our adopted home. This is the same privilege that was initially
nationalis.granted to the Asian minorities in East Africa, and the
Indian BDTCs of Hong Kong should receive no less.
We wish to repeat that the Council of Hong Kong Indian Associations considers that the Agreement entered into between China and HMG as a good one, and that it takes into con- sideration most points with the exception of the position of the minorities. We must also reiterate that we have the greatest confidence in being able to live, work and prosper in Hong Kong because after all, the Indian community has several billion dollars invested in property, industrial and commercial undertakings. HMG should have no fear whatsoever of our small group of people increasing the problems of U.K. immigration. What we are now claiming is an undeniable right that has been transmitted to us by generations of being British citizens even before Hong Kong was found and a right which must not be denied to us by an incorrect appraisal of the very special nature of our case.
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/Contd.
A