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centres, if the remainder are accepted for resettlement or
repatriation.
(c) Regional Integration
UNHCR prefer this to more distant resettlement. But Hong Kong's
neighbours have refugee problems of their own and would not welcome
any additional burden. Thailand, which has absorbed some refugees,
has ruled out the possibility of absorbing any more.
(d)
Resettlement
We should continue to encourage other resettlement countries, both
directly and through UNHCR, to take more. But, for the reasons in
para 9 above, we shall have difficulty. There are three possible
ways we might act to improve the prospects:
(i) The UK might take a further quota.
We are on weak ground asking others to take more, if we have no
intention of doing so ourselves. UNHCR believe that others expect
us to lead. The present SCORRI enquiry into Vietnamese refugees is
addressing the question (see also para 9 above).
(ii) Training schemes
UNHCR consider that resettlement prospects would improve if refugees
acquired the skills needed to work in industrialised societies. The
Hong Kong Government have already devoted considerable attention and
resources to providing training opportunities. They seek to provide
educational and vocational training, with emphasis on English,
in
all the government-run refugee centres. The voluntary agencies run
similar programmes in the open centres. In the Hei Ling Chau closed
centre, which is for North Vietnamese and where as a result the
resettlement rate is
is lowest and potential integration problems are
greater, the Hong Kong Government intends with UNHCR assistance to
provide a special multi-purpose training centre. It will be funded
by UNHCR (total cost US$40,000) and will be run by the World Relief
voluntary agency. It should be operational by mid-1985.
purpose will be to prepare Vietnamese
to prepare Vietnamese refugees for Overseas
resettlement by teaching them basic manufacturing skills and use of
simple machinery, and simultaneously to alleviate boredom while they
Its
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