MANAHE
STATEMENT ON VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG
With Lerminar, we offer, I shall we no morte a statslacht
whide
го
the recent sharp increase in the rate of arrivals in Hong Kong of boat people from Vietnam has been a matter of very/great concern to the British and Hong Kong Governments. The number of Vietnamese
boat people in camps in Hong Kong now stands at over 16,000, the
highest level since 1980 and double the number last year.
of arrivals shows no sign of abating.
The flow
The Hong Kong Government have acted with commendable efficiency
to establish emergency facilities to accommodate the recent influx.
But their resources are stretched to the limit. I visited these
facilities at the end of last month. came to the conclusion that
the burden was becoming intolerable and that things could not go on
as they were.
The overwhelming majority of the new arrivals are ethnic
Vietnamese. Most come from North Vietnam and have no family links outside Vietnam. They cannot be described as political refugees as defined by UNHCR. Their prospects for resettlement in the West are
virtually non-existent. It was clear to me that Hong Kong could no longer offer itself to this endless] stream of people as a transit point to a future that does not and cannot exist.
From
In view of the rapidly deteriorating situation Her Majesty's Government have been considering urgently with the Hong Kong
Government what should be done. The Hong Kong Government announced
earlier today, with the endorsement of Her Majesty's Government,
that with effect from 16 June a new policy will be introduced.
then on, the great majority of boat people arriving in Hong Kong will be detained as illegal immigrants, pending their eventual few return to Vietnam Only those who
e who can show that they are genuine refugees will be/treated as such and will be accommodated in Hong Kong to await resettlement. All arrivals will be screened on the
basis of UNHCR criteria, according to procedures which UNHCR will be able to monitor.
In taking this decision we are sending the clearest possible