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During October of this year I spent two weeks in Hong Kong visiting the refugee camps which hold Vietnamese refugees pending resettlement offers by Western Countries. The majority of the refugees live in CLOSED CAMPS.
After the initial
flood of refugees into Hong Kong from Vietnam in 1979 and 1980 and the massive resettlement programme offered by the West the situation faced by Hong Kong did not ease. As a result of this the Hong Kong Government decided to alter their refugee policy. Until July 1982 an 'open door' policy was operated whereby refugees arriving from Vietnam were given shelter in refugee camps within the city of Hong Kong. During their time there they were able to seek employment and were able to move freely amongst the host population. As from July 1982 a policy of 'humane_deterrence' was set up. Prior to this the situation was untenable as far as the Hong Kong Government was concerned. It found itself operating an open door policy for arrivals from Vietnam while at the same time deporting would be immigrants from China within 24 hours of their arrival in Hong Kong.
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Humane deterrence means locking refugees away in closed centres which are surrounded by 20 foot high chain link fences far from the centre of Hong Kong In reports I had read reference had been made to barbed wire topping these fences - this has now been removed, but the overall image and feel of the closed centres is still one of a high security unit for offenders. The camps are run by the Correctional Services Department (ie the Prison Services). The senior members of the staff are career prison officers while the junior guards are younger people recruited on higher than average salaries for the type of work. The ratio of guards to refugees seemed to be very high. In any of the camps whenever I turned round or looked in direction I could see at least one CSD staff member.
any
The policy of humane deterrence appeared to be working. Numbers of refugees leaving Vietnam decreased. In 1982 the number of arrivals from Vietnam was 7836 by 1985 this number had fallen to 1112 but since 1986 the numbers of arrivals have started to increase again. In 1986 there were 2055, and to the end of August 1987 the total for the year stood at 2429 with a projected arrival figure for the year of 3379. Set against this the rate of resettlement of approximately 2400 refugees per year and so the population of the closed centres is increasing. Even if all refugee arrivals were to cease it would take three and a half years
to clear the camps on that present ratio.
There are seven
refugee centres in Hong Kong. Populations
as at 1st September 1987 are as follows:
OPEN CENTRES
Kai Tak Transit Centre
Argyle Street Reception Centre
TOTAL
3148
3152