CALL ON LORD GLENARTHUR BY REPRESENTATIVES OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEE
ORGANISATIONS
Line to Take
Opening Remarks
Welcome opportunity to meet you and discuss difficult humanitarian problem of boat people in Hong Kong. Might help if I
outline the present position.
Problem a difficult enough one since first of 130,000 arrived
Hong Kong has good record, never turned any away.
in 1975.
I
But from mid-1987 problem got dramatically worse:
Boat people population in Hong Kong rose from 8,000 to 25,000 between mid-1987 and mid-1988.
in first half of 1988, 9,000 arrived. Three times more
than whole of 1987. Four times more than 1986, eight
times more than 1985.
Vast majority of new arrivals were not what international community regards as genuine refugees. Motives economic.
So need for resettlement has become greater, while prospects
for resettlement have become virtually non-existent.
This situation can only get worse:
for the refugees facing a dismal future in Hong Kong's
camps.
and for small, overcrowded Hong Kong an intolerable
burden.
UNCLASSIFIED