CONFIDENTIAL FROM HANOI
544
152123
MDHIAN 0675
CONFIDENTIAL
FROM HANOI
HKB RECEIVED IN
24319
?Y
09 JAN 1990
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
на
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 726
OF 27095OZ DECEMBER 89
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON
HY
Takeri
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
MY TELNO: 115 :
115 VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: MONITORING
·
1 I UNDERTOOK ON 23 DECEMBER THE FIRST EXERCISE IN MONITORING THE
NON-VOLUNTARY RETURNEES OF 12 DECEMBER. I WENT TO HAI PHONG ACCOMP- ANIED BY MR LYONS (DS9 FOATER), AND, AFTER AN INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION AND LUNCH WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE AND OF THE BOARD WHICH HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED TO DEAL WHITH RETURNEES, I CONDUCTED TWO INTERVIEWS, COVERING ALTOGETHER 21 OF THE 51 RETURNEES.
2. THE FIRST GROUP OF 14 COMPRISED MR LE VAN MINH (THE TROUBLE MAKER) AND FAMILY (11 PEOPLE) AND NGUYEN THI BAN (3 PEOPLE) ALL OF WHOM APPARENTLY LIVE IN ONE MIDDLE-SIZED ROOM IN DICKENSIAN QUARTERS IN CENTRAL HAI PHONG. THERE WERE NO COMPLAINTS AT ALL ABOUT THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES BUT THERE WERE CONTINUED COMPLAINTS ABOUT THEIR TREATMENT IN HONG KONG. ON THIS OCCASION THIS GROUP CONCENTRATED ON THE ALLEGED PROMISE OF US DOLLARS AND 50 AND 30 (WHICH I DISMISSED BY SAYING THAT AFTER INVESTIGATION IT WAS
QUITE CLEAR THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD NOT REPEAT NOT PROMISED THEM 50 AND 30) AND IT WAS ALSO ALLEGED THAT ALL THE ADULTS IN THE GROUP IE 5 PEOPLE WERE OWED WAGES' FROM THE DETENTION CENTRE AUTHORITIES. MINH HIMSELF CLAIMED THAT HE WAS OWED 3 MONTHS' SALARY AS BARBER (EQUALS HONG KONG DOLLARS 300), THE 3 WOMEN WERE OWED ONE MONTH'S SALARY AS CLEANERS (EQUALS HONG KONG DOLLARS 82 EACH) AND KHAI WAS OWED DOLLARS 82 AS 'GARDENER'. WHEN I QUERIED THIS LAST GLAIM ON THE GROUNDS OF IMPROBABILITY, 'GARDENER' WAS AMENDED TO CLEANER'. THEY SAID THAT THEY WISHED TO BE PAID IN US DOLLARS AT
1
HONG KONG DOLLARS 7.78 TO ONE US DOLLAR. I EXPRESSED SOME SURPRISE THAT THIS CLAIM SHOULD EMERGE AT THIS STAGE BUT PROMISED TO REPROT IT.
3. I THEN VISITED A GROUP OF 7 PEOPLE HEADED BY LE VAN TUOI WHO ARE NOW LIVING ON HIS PARENTS' FISHING VESSEL MOORED IN THE CENTRE OF HAI PHONG. THERE WERE NO COMPLAINTS BUT OF A RENEWAL OF THE CLAIM FOR DOLLARS 50 AND 30.