FROM: DIS (ALFRED HO) TO: ALL OVERSEAS OFFICES FEBRUARY 21, 1986, FRIDAY
SPECIAL ROUNDUP
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FOLLOWING ARE MAIN POINTS MADE BY LORD CHITNIS, CHAIRMAN OF REFUGEE ACTION, UK, AT A PRESS CONFERENCE THIS AFTERNOON:
LORD CHITNIS WAS SYMPATHETIC TO THE VRS IN HK AND WAS CRITICAL OF THE CLOSED CAMP POLICY BUT ACKNOWLEDGED THE REASONS BEHIND IT.
HE ASSUMED NO ONE IN HK WANTED THE CLOSED CAMPS BUT THEY WERE A +REGRETTABLE NECESSITY+. HOWEVER, HE SAID IT WAS SAD THAT PEOPLE WHO KNEW WHAT IT WAS LIKE BEING A REFUGEE FELT THAT THEY HAD TO TREAT ANOTHER GROUP OF REFUGEES LIKE THIS.
+FAR TOO MANY CSD STAFF+ IN CAMPS. NUMBER SHOULD BE DIMINISHED. THEY ARE TRAINED +TO RUN PRISONS+,
HE SUGGESTED CONTROL OF CAMPS SHOULD BE MORE AND MORE HANDED OVER 2 OTHERS, EG: WELFARE AGENCIES OR PREFERABLY VRS THEMSELVES, WHICH HE POINTED OUT, WAS +NOT AN UNACHIEVABLE GOAL+.
HE
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THINKS THAT BRITAIN CAN AND SHOULD ACCEPT MORE VRS THAN IT IS ACCEPTING. WHAT MATTERS IS A GREATER WILL ON THE AUTHORITIES TO TAKE MORE. +NO 'REASON WHY BRITAIN CANNOT ACCEPT MORE VRS+.
ON EDUCATING THE BRITISH PUBLIC ABOUT HK ́S VRS, LORD OHITNIS SAID THE HRGO IN LONDON COULD DO MORE TO PUBLICISE THE SLICATION ADDING THAT THE ORDINARY BRITISH PUBLIC *PAVE LITTLE OR NO IDEA THAT IN A BRITISH CROWN COLONY THE CLOSED CAMP POLICY IS OPERATING+,
VASKED WHAT HIS WRGANISATION WOULD DO. LORD CHITNIS SAID
THEY WOULD PREPARE A REPORT ON THIS VISIT, STRESSING THAT THEY PRE NOT A CAMPAIGNING ORGANISATION BUT A RESETTLENENT ORGANISATION.
IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION, LORD CHITNIS SAID HE ALSO SAW NO REASON WHY BRITAIN CARNOT GIVE RIGHT OF ABODE TO HK'S 6,000 INDIANS, ALTHOUGH IT WAS VERY UNLIKELY THAT NUMBER WOULD TAKE UP SUCH AN OFFER. +BRITAIN IS NOT IN SUCH A STATE THAT IT CAN'T TAKE IN A FEW MORE THOUSAND PEOPLE.+
ON THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE INDIANS BY THE BRITISH PUBLIC, HE SAID THE BRITISH PUBLIC WOULD FIND HK INDIANS PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF LOOKING AFTER THEMSELVES. +THEY ARE PROBABLY MORE BRITISH THAN THE BRITISH.+ HE DID NOT BELIEVE THERE WOULD BE ANY HOSTILE REACTIONS FROM THE BRITISH PUBLIC.
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KIC 24-3/4 RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
26 FEB 1986
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