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CONFIDENTIAL
026473
MDHIAN 1756
DORMITORIES AT HEI LING CHAU FROM DUSK UNTIL DAWN. WE DO NOT
OPERATE THIS PRACTICE ELSEWHERE: IT SIMPLY REFLECTS THE FACT THAT
THE CONDITIONS AT HEI LING CHAU HAVE BEEN TENSE. IN THE VIEW OF
THE CENTRE'S MANAGEMENT THIS ACTION WAS NECESSARY IN THE IMMEDIATE
AFTERMATH OF THE TROUBLE IN THE CAMP. WE ARE CONTENT TO AGREE THAT
THE PRACTICE CAN BE DISCONTINUED ONCE THE TENSIONS EASE.
12. SECTION D COVERS THE LIBERALISATION OF THE CLOSED CENTRES. WE
HAD PREVIOUSLY STATED THAT WE WOULD START THE PROCESS OF LIBERAL-
ISATION DURING THE FIRST HALF OF 1989 BUT OUR PRESENT THINKING IS
THAT WE OUGHT TO MOVE MORE QUICKLY ON THIS. EXCO AGREED ON 23
AUGUST TO AN ARRANGEMENT WHEREBY THE CHILDREN AT THE SAN YICK CLOSED
CENTRE WILL BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE BUILDING TO ATTEND SCHOOL. THIS
WAS A FIRST STEP. A FURTHER PAPER WILL BE PUT TO EXCO NEXT WEEK ON
THE PROGRESSIVE LIBERALISATION OF THE CLOSED CAMPS IN SITU (CAPE
COLLINSON EXCEPTED, WHERE THE LOCATION OF THE CAMP MAKES THIS IMPOSSIBLE). WE SHALL HAVE TO CHART A CAREFUL COURSE ON THIS
BEACUSE OF LOCAL REACTIONS. BUT WE ACCEPT THE PRINCIPLE OF
LIBERALISATION AND WE ARE DOING NO MORE HERE THAN ESTABLISH AN
EARLY START DATE AND A FEW OF THE PRACTICAL GROUND RULES.
•
13. THE UNHCR ARE NOT PREPARED TO TAKE OVER SAN YICK AS AN OPEN
CENTRE AND THERE WILL CLEARLY BE LIMITS TO ANY IN SITU LIBERALI-
SATION. NONETHELESS, WE FEEL THAT SOME PROGRESS CAN BE MADE HERE
AND THE UNHCR ARE PREPARED TO CO-OPERATE BY PROVIDING SERVICES TO
THE REFUGEES. WE ARE CONSIDERING THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR MOVING
REFUGEES FROM SAN YICK TO OTHER ACCOMMODATION. I DO NOT THINK THAT
WE CAN PLAN ON SAN YICK AS A LONG TERM OPTION CONDITIONS IN THERE
ARE LIKELY TO BECOME INCREASINGLY A FOCUS FOR INTERNATIONAL
CRITICISM OF THE 16 JUNE CHANGE OF POLICY. THERE IS NO OBVIOUS
SHORT TERM SOLUTION OTHER THAN MORE RAPID LIBERALISATION (ALTHOUGH
THAT WILL FACE LOCAL POLITICAL OBJECTION IN TUEN MUN) BUT WE ARE
CONSIDERING A SCHEME FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE 4200 SAN YICK
RESIDENTS TO ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
WE WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED AS OUR PLANS DEVELOP.
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14. PARAGRAPH D(3) RECORDS OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE UNHCR ON THE
COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PLANNED NEW OPEN CENTRE AT TUEN MUN AREA 64A.
COMMENT
15. WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING THESE ISSUES INTENSIVELY WITH THE UNHCR
FOR THE PAST TWO WEEKS. ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE CONCESSIONS WHICH THEY
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CONFIDENTIAL