CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 05090OZ FCO TELNO 1839
OF 05075OZ JUNE 89
ADVANCE COPY
155565 MDADAN 1263
MIFT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: OPTIONS FOR MANDATORY
REPATRIATION
INTRODUCTION
THIS PAPER CONTAINS A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF THE FEASIBILITY OF MANDATORY REPATRIATION BY LAND, SEA AND AIR. ALL OF THESE OPTIONS WILL REQUIRE THE CO-OPERATION OF THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES. THE LIKELIHOOD AND THE MEANS OF OBTAINING SUCH CO-OPERATION ARE NOT ADDRESSED IN THIS PAPER. AN AGREEMENT WITH THE VIETNAMESE WOULD NEED
TO COVER :
(A) BETTER ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE VERIFICATION OF FORMER RESIDENCE IN VIETNAM BY THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES. THE PROCEDURES ADOPTED. FOR VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION HAVE BEEN VERY BUREAUCRATIC AND TIME-
CONSUMING:
(B) THE TIMING, FREQUENCY AND SCALE OF REPATRIATION. IT IS LIKELY BASED ON EXPERIENCE WITH VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION, THAT WE WOULD NEED TO START WITH FAIRLY SMALL NUMBERS OF 100 OR LESS IN EACH BATCH:
(C) THE EXTENT OF REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE WHICH IT IS LIKELY
THAT WE SHALL HAVE TO OFFER TO THE VIETNAMESE. FOR VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION, UNHCR HAS BUDGETTED FOR US DOLLARS1,000 PER PERSON, TO COVER ALL EXPENSES INCLUDING AIR FARE, POCKET MONEY AND REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE: AND
(D) GUARANTEES THAT THOS RETURNED WILL NOT BE TREATED HARSHLY FOR LEAVING VIETNAM ILLEGALLY, ON THE LINES OF THE UNDERSTANDING REACHED ON THE CARE OF VOLUNTARY RETURNEES. A MONITORING ROLE FOR THE UNHCR OR ICEM MIGHT BE SOUGHT.
2.
IF REPATRIATION BY LAND OVER THE SINO-VIETNAMESE LAND BORDER IS TO BE PURSUED, THE AGREEMENT AND CO-OPERATION OF THE CHINESE WILL BE NECESSARY. AGAIN, THIS PAPER DOES NOT ADDRESS THE LIKELIHOOD AND MEANS OF OBTAINING SUCH CO-OPERATION. IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES, EFFECTIVE, PRACTICAL CO-OPERATION IS PERHAPS UNLIKELY. IN ANY CASE,
PAGE
1
CONFIDENTIAL