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(b)
Non voluntary repatriation
6.
No repatriation programme is possible without the cooperation
of Vietnam. A separate agreement between HMG and the Vietnamese (reached at the end of June) provides for the repatriation from Hong
Kong to Vietnam of non-refugees who have no prospect of
resettlement. There are provisions for the humane treatment of
returnees and monitoring. We have also agreed the conditions,
including reintegration assistance, for the first group to be
returned under the Agreement. The Agreement is however somewhat
ambiguous: it includes a passage stating that the Vietnamese
consider forcible repatriation to be "inappropriate". It is however clear from discussion with them that they are prepared to go along with non-voluntary repatriation, provided that it can be managed quietly.
7.
The Hong Kong authorities have identified 140 individuals as
candidates for the first batch of non-volunteers. The aim is to
achieve a group of about 50 people who, whilst not actively
volunteering, would acquiesce in their return without the need for
physical coercion. But the Hong Kong authorities could not rule out
entirely the possibility of having to use a minimal degree of
physical coercion.
(c) The international dimension
8.
Paragraph 12
A key element in maintaining international support for
non-voluntary repatriaton will be the extent to which we can be seen
to work within the terms of the Comprehensive Plan of Action (CPA),
the document agreed at the ICIR, and to rebut any charge of
undermining it. In fact the CPA provides us with the room for
manoeuvre which we need in order to make progress.
states that "persons determined not to be refugees should return to
their country of origin in accordance with international practices
reflecting the responsibilities of states towards their own
citizens. In the first instance, every effort will be made to
encourage the voluntary return of such persons". The ICIR itself
specifically tasked the Steering Committee:
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