CONFIDENTIAL FROM HANOI
MDHIA
152123 0675
4. BOTH GROUPS PUT IN A PLA FOR ASSISTANCE IN PURCHASING NEW FISHING VISSELS SINCE THEY WERE FISHER FOLK WHO NOW HAD NO MEANS OF EARNING A LIVING BY THE TRADE IN WHICH THEY WERE SKILLED. ON QUESTIONING THEM, I LEARNED THAT A NEW BOAT COMPLETE WITH TACKLE AND ENGINE WOULD COST BETWEEN US DOLLARS 6,600 AND 7,000 IT EMERGED FROM DISCUSSION THAT THE RETURNEES THEMSELVES AND THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR OFFICIALS THAT EVEN BY POOLING THE PER CAPITA FUNDS PROVIDED BY HMG IT OOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO PURCHASE BOATS.
COMMENT
5. IT IS CLEAR FROM THIS VISIT THAT THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES IN
HAI PHONG AT LEAST ARE TAKINGE VERY SERIOUSLY THEIR RESPONSIBILITY
TOWARDS THE RETURNEES: THEY HAVE LARGE NUMBERS TO COPE WITH. INCLUDING THE 46 WHO ARRIVED ON 12 DECEMBER, THEY HAVE TO DATE 351 RETURNEES ON THEIR HANDS. IT IS ALSO CLEAR TO ME THAT THE
PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES AT LOCAL LEVEL ARE MUCH GREATER THAN PERHAPS WE REALISED, AND PARTICULARLY IN THE CASE OF FISHERMEN WHO LOST THE TOOLS OF THEIR TRADE. I AM THEREFORE, MORE INCLINED THAN HITHERTO TO TAKE AT FACE VALUE THE VIEW THAT RETURNEES
POSE SERIOUS PRACTICAL PROBLEMS FOR THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES
WHICH THE US DOLLARS 620 PER HEAD PROVIDED BY HMG WILL GO ONLY SOME WAY TO RESOLVING.
DAVIES
YYYY
·
ΜΑΙΝ
63
DISTRIBUTION
65
VIETNAMESE REPATRIATION
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
FED
NEWS D
PS
PS/MR MAUDE
PS/LORD BRABAZON PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR BLATHERWICK
MR MCLAREN
MR MOSS
MR BEAMISH
ADDITIONAL
2
MR REEVES CABINET OFFICE
~~~
PAGE
PRESS OFFICE NO 10
2
CONFIDENTIAL FROM HANOI