Government
of the
day would
consider
sympathetically
whether to admit them on a case by case basis, in the light
International law requires a
of their circumstances"
state to admit its nationals to part of its territory if
they are expelled by the state in which they reside (see
Oppenheim's International Law 7th Edition edited by H.
Lauderpacht 1948). This statement accordingly, manifestly
falling short of any enforceable undertaking, is inadequate
even to comply with requirements of international law.
10.7
Baroness Young further said "The People with whom
that is to say, the
non-Chinese
we are now concerned
BDTCs in Hong Kong
their lives in Hong Kong, many of them the descendants of
people who have lived in Hong Kong for many generations.
Their personal and family connections are with Hong Kong
not the United Kingdom". The Hong Kong Indians connection
with Hong Kong has always been on the basis that Hong Kong
is British and not Chinese.
are by definition people who have made
11.
The Hong Kong Indians are not the only non-Chinese
ethnic group who are BDTCs. There are also about 2,000
Portugese and other Europeans, as well as
Malaysians and Eurasians.
Pakistanis,
Your Petitioners are unaware,
for self-evident reasons, of the particular circumstances
and possible options available
members of these groups.
to
То the extent, however, that their position can in its
material elements be compared to that of the Hong Kong
Indians, your Petitioners emphasise that their plea is on
behalf of these other minorities too.
They too have a
valid claim to the protection of HMG.
12.
The transfer of sovereignty and jurisdiction from
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