67
D/Sec (0) (C) 6/7
1 September 1989
APS/Minister(AF)
SECRET
copy to: APS/Secretary of State
DPSO/CDS
PS/PUS
MA/CGS
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CIF
519.
Miss Mardon Mr Godson? SEAD Mili Harper
J
Mr Whitehead NGWID
HKB-243/30
F
рабе
MA/DCDS (C)
ACDS (0)
AUS (C)
CPR
DPO (A) DROW
FCO (HKD)
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Mr Haswell
HONG KONG VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
1. Further to my minute of 29 August about disturbances on the Soko island of Tai Ah Chau last weekend, Minister (AF) may wish to be aware that, in the light of appalling living conditions there and the recent outbreak of cholera, the Hong Kong authorities decided this morning to evacuate the island of its population of about 5500 Boat People.
2. The intention is that they should be transported to the island of Hei Ling Chau, some 10 miles closer to Hong Kong island itself. Those Boat People already on Hei Ling Chau (about 3000) will be transferred to new purpose built facilities being constructed at Whitehead in the west of the New Territories. It is then intended to clean up Tai Ah Chau and establish facilities there for use as an initial reception centre for new arrivals. Though this will be a civil operation, it is very likely that the garrison will need to provide transport assets (landing craft and possibly one or more of the patrol craft) to assist in the movement of large numbers of Boat People. It is not anticipated that this will be anything other than a straightforward operation which, once started should be completed in about 10 days. But there is media interest, most of which should be fielded by the FCO or the Hong Kong government. I attach a press line for defensive use on the question of assistance from the garrison.
3. I also understand that the Secretary of State's office have asked a number of questions following my earlier submission, about the Vietnamese Boat People generally. There are currently just over 56,000 held in camps in and around Hong Kong. The rate of arrival has increased dramatically in 1989 with 32,000 arriving so far this year compared with 18,000 during the whole of 1988. At the moment the average number of daily arrivals (August) is about 140. Progress on voluntary repatriation has been very slow with only about 260 having
SECRET