CLOSED CAMP POLICY
RESTRICTED
equal
15. As I said in my evidence to the Select Committee on
4 February, the position of having 5,600 refugees in closed camps and an number in open camps (but particularly I refer to the closed camps) is such that no Minister could say to you that it is satisfactory or
desirable. It is not. Nor is it satisfactory or desirable for the
Hong Kong Government. We and Hong Kong Government would like to see
camps abolished as soon as possible. But need to be realistic: Hong
Kong is one of the most crowded places in the world population
density 20 times our own. It has received over 100,000 refugees
since 1975. Enormous immigration pressure simultaneously from
China. Has been difficult for people of Hong Kong to accept that
Chinese, often kith and kin, should be returned to China, while
Vietnamese remain in Hong Kong pending resettlment overseas. But
Goverment can contemplate existence of closed camps with any
satisfaction, and we are studying SCORRI's recommendations in this
regard.
no