TG LAH S
pa.
243/5
CALL ON MR LEVER BY KEVIN LYONETTE, UNHCR:
TUESDAY 10 DECEMBER 1985
POINTS TO MAKE
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG MKK 243,
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
10 DEC1985
DESY OF
INDEX
38
1.
and
Educational and Training Facilities
Hong Kong Government are keen to continue improving educational
training facilities
in the closed camps, in order to enhance
refugees' resettlement prospects.
on UNHCR funds for this.
available.
As
you know they depend heavily
Hope funds will continue to be made
I f these improvements are to be maintained, it is
UNHCR financial difficulties adequate
essential that despite any
funds are
(Background
committed to the project from the start.
UNHCR and
The Hong Kong Government are under pressure from
others (eg Home Affairs Select Committee (SCORRI) Report) to improve
these facilities in the camps
order to improve resettlement
in
prospects. They have agreed to do so, and UNHCR has agreed to pay.
Improvements under way:
have the money
"up
now signs emerging that UNHCR did not
front", and have launched a special £200,000
appeal for these improvements.
HKG and voluntary agencies (who will
operate improved facilities) equally dismayed by this about-turn 1.)
2.
RASRO Transit Centre
centre
Understand UNHCR are keen that Hong Kong should provide transit
for refugees who have been rescued under RASRO but who have
not been resettled within standard 90 days period.
Hong Kong
Government are still considering this. They have pointed out that
if they were to agree to it, it would have to be funded by UNCHR.
Background
i)
RASRO (Rescue at Sea Resettlement Offers) is a pooling
arrangement devised by UNHCR to facilita te the resettlement of
refugees rescued at sea.
been in operation since May.
but Hong Kong (as a place of first asylum
The UK
is
a member
It has been