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to make the voluntary programme work, the UNHCR, along with other organisations and resettlement countries, should make greater efforts to persuade those screened out as non-refugees that there is no alternative to returning to Vietnam. The Americans have agreed to put pressure on the UNHCR to do this during the counselling of boat people.
11.
They
The UNHCR, mainly because of the attitude of the High Commissioner, Hocke, maintains its refusal to help with
non-voluntary repatriation, either by acting as a channel for
reintegration assistance or monitoring returnees in Vietnam.
argue that the number of volunteers is increasing and the time is not yet ripe to consider alternatives to the voluntary programme. This question will be reviewed at the next meeting of the Steering Committee (SC3) set up under the CPA.
SC3: 16/17 October
12.
to oversee implementation of
It is clearly right that everything possible should be done to make the voluntary programme effective. But the hard fact is that the number of volunteers is unlikely to match the number of those screened out (now about 400 a week, although all are likely to appeal). Barring a dramatic increase in volunteers, it seems
essential to start a programme of non-volunteers, not least to act
as a deterrent to further departures from Vietnam. We will need to do everything possible to ensure that the first repatriation goes well: by careful selection of the candidates; by putting credible monitoring arrangements in place beforehand; and by careful handling of the press.
13.
in
A key element maintaining international support for non-voluntary repatriation will be the extent to which we can be seen to work within the terms of the CPA and to rebut any charge of undermining it. In fact, we have a strong hand to play. Para 12 of
the CPA (Annex to OD (K) (89)3) provides that "persons determined not to be refugees should return to their country of origin in accordance with international practices reflecting the
responsiblities of states towards their own citizens. In the first
instance, every effort will be made to encourage the voluntary
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