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FM WASHINGTON
TO DESKBY 08083OZ FCO
TELNO 2358
OF 072346Z SEPTEMBER 89
INFO DESKBY 08020OZ HONG KONG
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
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115445
MDHIAN 4777
MIPT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
1.
FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THE NOTE HANDED TO MCLAREN BY SEITZ ON 7 SEPTEMBER ABOUT THE UNHCR AND VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION:
BEGINS
UNHCR'S VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAM IN HONG KONG
THE US HAS CAREFULLY ASSESSED THE STATUS OF UNHCR'S VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION COUNSELING PROGRAM IN HONG KONG, AND BELIEVES THAT WE AND HMG MUST WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM AS EFFECTIVE AS
POSSIBLE. OUR ANALYSIS HAS REVEALED THE FOLLOWING WEAKNESSES IN
EFFORTS TO DATE:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
UNHCR APPEARS TO LACK AN OPERATIONAL PLAN FOR MAKING
VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION COUNSELING A DISTINCT ACTIVITY,
APART FROM ITS OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES IN HONG KONG.
REGULAR GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING IS NOT OCCURING
IN AN ORGANIZED FASHION AND RELEVANT WRITTEN AND AUDIO-
VISUAL MATERIALS HAVE NOT BEEN DEVELOPED.
THE NUMBER OF COUNSELORS, UP UNTIL PRESENT, HAS BEEN INADEQUATE. HOWEVER, WE UNDERSTAND THAT 20 ADDITIONAL COUNSELORS WILL SOON BE HIRED.
THERE HAS BEEN NO COORDINATION BETWEEN THE HKG AND THE
UNHCR IN DEVELOPING A COUNSELING PROGRAM. THE HKG HAS
BEEN CONDUCTING REPATRIATION COUNSELING APART FROM
EXISTING UNHCR EFFORTS. UNHCR SEEMS RELUCTANT TO ENGAGE
TOO CLOSELY WITH THE HKG IN PLANNING A VOLUNTARY
REPATRIATION PROGRAM.
UNHCR'S HONG KONG OFFICE MAY NOT BE DELIVERING THE
REPATRIATION MESSAGE WITH SUFFICIENT INTENSITY AND
FORCE. WE ARE CONFIDENT, HOWEVER, THAT THE UNHCR LEADERSHIP IN GENEVA IS FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF UNHCR PLAYING
AN AGGRESSIVE ROLE IN THIS REGARD.
ARRANGEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN MADE TO MOVE QUICKLY, TO A SEPARATE LOCATION, VOLUNTEERS FOR REPATRIATION. RESETTLEMENT COUNTRY OFFICIALS
-
WHO CAN UNEQUIVOCALLY
DELIVER THE MESSAGE THAT RESETTLEMENT IS NOT AN OPTION
HAVE NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THE COUNSELING PROGRAM.
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