HONG KONG'S CLOSED CENTRE POLICY
THE CLOSED CENTRE POLICY WAS INTRODUCED IN JULY 1982 IN
AN ATTEMPT TO DETER FURTHER BOAT PEOPLE FROM SETTING OUT FROM
VIETNAM. THE MEASURE WAS FORCED ON THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT BY
EVENTS: RESETTLEMENT PROSPECTS FOR THOSE IN HONG KONG'S CAMPS
WERE DETERIORATING, WHILE REFUGEES CONTINUED TO ARRIVE • THAT
IS STILL THE SITUATION (ALTHOUGH THE ARRIVAL RATE HAS DECLINED),
AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT CAN THEREFORE SEE NO ALTERNATIVE
BUT TO CONTINUE THE POLICY AT PRESENT.
LEGALITY OF THE POLICY: WAS IT APPROVED BY UK PARLIAMENT?
No. IT WAS ESTABLISHED BY HONG KONG'S IMMIGRATION
(AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE 1982. (THE ORDER WAS MADE BY THE GOVERNOR
WITH ADVICE AND CONSENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, UNDER POWERS
CONFERRED BY THE LETTER PATENT AND ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS.
THEN SUBMITTED TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND
COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS WHO DECIDED NOT TO DISALLOW IT).
IT WAS
HUMAN RIGHTS ASPECTS OF CLOSED CENTRE POLICY
WE UNDERSTAND WHY SOME COMMENTATORS SHOULD EXPRESS CONCERN
ON THIS SCORE: BUT WE REGARD THE POLICY AS A TEMPORARY AND
REGRETTABLE NECESSITY IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG.