DRAFT.
TNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: STATEMENT AT HEI LING CHAU
My visit today has left me with two strong impressions:
First, how well the Hong Kong authorities are coping with this
enormous problem. I want to pay a warm tribute to all those
involved, particularly the police [and possible others].
Second, that it is tragic that so many people, and young people at
that, keep coming here with little or no prospect of resettlement
elsewhere. For them to spend years in camps is intolerable for you
and inhumane for them. And it must stop.
We are
There is no doubt that the future for the Boat People lies back in
Vietnam. They must be allowed to return in safety and dignity. We are pursuing this urgently with the Vietnamese Government.
also continuing our discussions with the other resettlement
countries: international support is essential if we are to get a
lasting solution to a problem that has become such a burden to Hong
Kong.