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that returnees would be treated humanely, would not be punished, and
would be monitored after their return by UNHCR. The fact was that
for non-refugees the future lay in Vietnam. We were making our best
efforts to ensure that such people could return to Vietnam under the
best possible circumstances. We were making a start with those who
wished to return, under a UNHCR programme which included monitoring
in Vietnam.
3.
Miss Min Phuoc said that the delegation spoke on behalf of the
20,000 Vietnamese refugees in the UK. They were most grateful for the hlep given to them by Britain. They felt very strongly about the fate of those now in Hong Kong who faced repatriation. They knew the Vietnamese regime. The previous night's Thames Television
"This Week" programme had shown how those caught trying to leave
Vietnam were punished. They were concerned that those returned to
Vietnam would suffer the same fate. (Miss Min Phuoc did not accept
the assurance given by the Vietnamese Foreign Minister that those
returning would not be punished).
4. A formal prepared statement was then read out on behalf of the
Vietnamese refugee community in the UK. They had noted that
screening results indicated that 80 - 90% of new arrivals would be
screened out under the new policy, and would be forced to return to
the control of the Viet Cong (Sic) They were concerned at the lack of guarantees for the safe return of those screened out. They cited
a case of the crew of a cargo ship who were welcomed back to Vietnam
as heroes when they returned voluntarily in 1975, but were subsequently sent as CIA spies to a re-education centre.
that
They said
(a) those screened out should be afforded safe haven until they
could be safely repatriated, with adequate international guarantees to ensure their protection.
(b)
(c)
they were opposed to "intentionally harsh conditions" in the camps in Hong Kong as a deterrent measure.
if adequate guarantees were available for the safe return of people to their native country, a screening programme with
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