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Good name of Britain and HK under threat
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Britain's ambassador in Washington and Her Majesty's government in HongKong have refused permission for an influential Washington-based human rights group organisation to inspect conditions for Vietnamese boat people in the Hei Ling Chau detention centre.
Two days after concern was expressed by the Washington group, the HK representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) sent two telexes to the UNHCR's Geneva headquarters. These telexes outlined the allegations of physical assault of more than 90 Vietnamese detained in the Hei Ling Chau centre when they went on hunger strike in protest of food shortage and repatriation.
Some Government officials are said to be unconcerned at the international outcry wich has followed the alleged beating of the boat people. It has been suggested that if word of beatings reaches Vietnam, it might help to dissuade other Vietnamese people from setting out for Hong Kong. It is understood that the CSD Correctional Service Department's report is more concerned with the disturbance at Hei Ling Chau than allegations of ill treatment of the boat people. The report is understood to be based on evidence provided by the officers of the detention centre.
None of the Vietnamese questioned by Correctional Services officers had access to legal counsel when making their statements and many were said to be under 18. Some 200 single male Vietnamese were locked in their huts over night after they protested at the food shortage. The next morning, 106 male Vietnamese boat people were seggregated from other inmates and taken to the Lai Chi Kok Prison.
An investigation by the UNHCR suggested that the boat people taken to the prison were beaten by the Correctional Service Department officers with truncheons. The relief agency, Oxfam, has been lobbying the Governement to be allowed access to the new centres since the new policy was introduced but has consistently been denied access by the Security Branch officials.
Another group which wants to monitor the new screening policy, the powerful New York based Lawyers committee for Human rights, has strongly criticised HongKong Govenrment's inflexible stand. A senior official of the group, Mr Helton said that keeping the camps offlimits to outsiders suggested that human rights were being abused. A denial of access suggests there is intentional policy of deprivation.
Above quotes from headline news of the South China Morning Post August 26th (see attached photo copy)