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(g) Questions on UNHCR criticisms of policy
13
ANSWER:
Aware that UNHCR has criticised policies of "humane deterrence"
under which refugees are detained for prolonged periods. HMG
and Hong Kong Government share distaste for such measures.
Introduced reluctantly. Necessary evil. We of course look forward
to the day when the flow of arrivals from Vietnam reduces and the
level of resettlement increases to an extent that enables the Hong
Kong Government to relax the policy.
Closed centres run in cooperation
on with UNHCR who currently pay the annual cash expenditure one-third of cesty (HK$ 20 million out of a total
The figure for the total cost to HK
in 1984).
(Background
UNHCR
of HK$ 60 million was HK $ 110 million.
UNHCR Notes on International Protection, August
1984 which was quoted by British Refugee Council in "Behind Barbed
Wire" contained following statement, to which the question may
refer.
"While it will thus be seen that there may be situations, both with
regard to individual asylum-seekers and to large-scale influx, in which measures of detention may be justified, this is not the case
where asylum-seekers are detained with the sole object of
discouraging further arrivals. It has become evident that in certain countries the practice of detaining asylum-seekers is part of a clearly perceptible policy of discouraging the arrival of further asylum-seekers. In these countries refugees are frequently confined in prison or detained under prison-like conditions for prolonged periods of time in accordance with a policy of so-called "humane deterrence". Needless to say practices of this kind given
are at variance with the principles of
their underlying motivation international protection".)
-
-
DAY UNHCR also provide for provision of
dental
gervices та сило and
have recruited an
I
educational Coordinator for the closed
xCentres.)
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