HONG KONG IF HMG RENEWS ITS REGULAR OFFTAKE.
THE UNHCR HAS ADVISED
THAT HMG'S FAILURE TO TAKE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG SEVERELY HINDERS ITS EFFORTS TO SECURE RESETTLEMENT PLACES ON OUR BEHALF.
18. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO TACKLE THE LOCAL REPRESENT- ATIVES OF ALL THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES AS SOON AS HMG HAS MADE ITS DECISION ON A FURTHER OFFTAKE. IF THERE IS NOT SIGNIFICANT COMMITMENT FROM HMG, RESETTLEMENT FROM HONG KONG IN 1987 IS UNLIKELY TO REACH MORE THAN 2,000 COMPARED TO 4,200 IN 1983, 3,694 IN 1984, 3,953 IN 1985 AND 3,328 SO FAR THIS YEAR. IF THE PRESENT RATE OF ARRIVALS CONTINUES, OR EVEN DECREASES TO, SAY, 1,500 NEXT YEAR THEN, ALLOWING FOR 400 BIRTHS, HONG KONG'S VIETNAMESE REFUGEE POPULATION WILL REMAIN STATIC AT ABOUT ITS PRESENT FIGURE OF 8,200. BUT INCREASINGLY THIS POPULATION WILL CONSIST OF HARD- TO-SETTLE LONG-STAYERS, MANY OF WHOM WILL BE FROM NORTH VIETNAM AND A GREATER PROPORTION OF THE REFUGEE POPULATION WILL TEND TO BE ACCOMMODATED IN CLOSED CENTRES.
AKERS-JONES
FINAL PART OF TWO
CRITICISM OF THE CLOSED CENTRE POLICY
19. ON 15 JUNE 1985, AFTER CONSIDERING MEMORANDUM XCC (82)74 A COPY OF WHICH IS AT ANNEX B, MEMBERS ADVISED AND THE GOVERNOR ORDERED, INTER ALIA
(A) THAT CLOSED CENTRES ORGANISED ALONG THE LINES SUMMARISED IN PARAGRAPH 36 OF THE MEMORANDUM SHOULD BE SET UP: AND
(B)
THAT THOSE TO BE DETAINED SHOULD INCLUDE ALL NEW ARRIVALS FROM THE DATE OF ENACTMENT AS WELL AS TROUBLE-MAKERS FROM OPEN CAMPS, BUT NOT REFUGEES ALREADY HERE WHO HAVE TECHNICALLY NOT YET BEEN LANDED (PARAGRAPH 9 OF THE MEMORANDUM).
20. FROM THE OUTSET, THE CLOSED CENTRE POLICY HAS BEEN SEEN AS A DETERRENT. IT WAS INTRODUCED AS A HUMANE MEANS OF REDUCING THE NUMBER ARRIVING FROM VIETNAM GIVEN THE INCREASING RELUCTANCE OF THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO ACCEPT REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG. IT SEEMS TO HAVE PROVED EFFECTIVE. IN 1983 THE NUMBERS ARRIVING FELL BY 53 PERCENT COMPARED TO A REGIONAL REDUCTION OF 36 PERCENT: IN 1984 ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG DROPPED BY A FURTHER 39 PERCENT COMPARED TO A REGIONAL DECREASE OF 11 PERCENT: AND IN 1985 BY 50 PERCENT COMPARED TO A REGIONAL REDUCTION OF 11 PERCENT. BUT THIS YEAR ARRIVALS UP TO THE END OF OCTOBER HAVE DOUBLED, COMPARED TO A REGIONAL DECREASE OF 14 PERCENT.
21 INEVITABLY THE CLOSED CENTRE POLICY HAS ATTRACTED CRITICISM FROM ORGANISATIONS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE HONG KONG. IN 1984 THE BRITISH REFUGEE COUNCIL PUBLISHED A CONDEMNATION OF THE POLICY IN A PUBLICATION ENTITLED 'BEHIND BARBED WIRE. A VOLUNTARY WORKER
CONFIDENTIAL
/FOR