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MFD 2x3/9
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052150 MDLIAN 0905
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FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 4523
OF 091035Z DECEMER 88
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKMIS GENEVA
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ECVIIS
Na DIS
TOP
Q
THE RATE OF ARRIVALS OF ECVIIS HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY DURING NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER. THE FIGURES FOR THE LAST 3 MONTHS
WERE:
SEPTEMBER
3
OCTOBER
19
2.
NOVEMBER
61
THERE HAVE BEEN 162 ARRIVALS FROM 1-9 DECEMBER. THE INFORMATION GAINED FROM INTERVIEWS WITH RECENT ARRIVALS CONFIRMS THE EARLIER REPORTS THAT RUMOURS ABOUT LIBERALISATION AND RESETTLEMENT ARE BEHIND THIS NEW MOVEMENT OF ECVIIS.
3.
REPORTS TODAY FROM PEOPLE WHO ARRIVED ON 8 AND 9 DECEMBER SUGGEST THAT THE 1987 PATTERN IS BEING REPEATED. IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT THE TRAFFIC IS CONVERGING ON TAIPING ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE PEARL RIVER ESTUARY CABOUT 50 MILES FROM HONG KONG) AND THAT THERE MIGHT BE AS MANY AS 4,000 5,000 IN GUANGXI PROVINCE WHO HAVE EITHER COMMENCED OR ARE CENTEMPLATING THE JOURNEY TO HONG KONG.
4.
WE SUSPECT THAT THE NUMBERS REPORTED HAVE BEEN EXAGGERATED BUT THE PATTERN IS ALL TOO FAMILIAR. THE ORGANISATION OF THE TRAFFIC IS APPARENTLY VERY SIMILAR TO LAST YEARS AND WE THINK WE NEED TO MOVE QUICKLY TO HEAD OF WHAT MIGHT BECOME A MAJOR INFLUX.
5.
WE HAVE TAKEN ACTION WITH THE NCNA TODAY, WARNING THEM OF A POSSIBLE BUILD-UP AND THE CONSEQUENT POSSIBLE NEED FOR SWIFT COOPERATIVE ACTION TO NIP THE PROBLEM IN THE BUD. THEY UNDERTOOK TO CHECK ON THE REPORTS AND CONFIRMED THEIR WILLINGNESS TO OFFER EVERY CO-OPERATION'' SHOULD THE SITUATION DEVELOP FOR THE WORSE. SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS WE WILL PROVIDE A SPEAKING NOTE FOR USE IN
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