CONFIDENTIAL
013535 MDHIAN 1303
5. ARRANGEMENTS ARE IN HAND FOR SEGREGATION THOSE SCREENED OUT
FROM THOSE AWAITING SCREENING. ANYONE IDENTIFIED AS A REFUGEE WILL
BE MOVED TO A CLOSED REFUGEE CAMP (IE THOSE ALREADY HOUSING PRE
16 JUNE ARRIVALS).
6. WE ARE COMING UNDER PRESSURE TO ANNOUNCE SCREEING RESULTS. THIS
IS, OF COURSE, AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW POLICY. BUT, BEFORE WE TAKE THIS STEP, WE NEED TO SETTLE THE QUESTION OF UNHCR'S INVOLVEMENT AT ALL STAGES OF THE SCREENING AND
APPEALS PROCEDURE. WE WILL TELEGRAPH SEPARATELY ON THE DISCUSSIONS
WITH THE UNHCR IN HONG KONG.
C. VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION
7. SO FAR WE HAVE RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 103 REQUESTS FOR
VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION. 16 COME FROM PRE-16 JUNE ARRIVALS AND
87 FROM NEW ARRIVALS. DETAILS OF ALL CONCERNED HAVE BEEN PASSED ON
TO UNHCR. THEY HAVE INTERVIEWED ALL 16 OF THE INITIAL BATCH. 14 OF
THESE NAMES HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT.
UNHCR HAVE SO FAR INTERVIEWED ONLY ONE OF THE MORE RECENT CASES.
THEY SAY THEY ARE VERY SHORT OF STAFF AND WE CANNOT EXPECT THEIR
INTERVIEWING TO BE COMPLETED QUICKLY. WE CONTINUE TO PRESS THEM.
THEY HOPE TO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL STAFF WITHIN A WEEK OR TWO.
D.
PUBLIC MOOD
8. THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ISSUE CONTINUES TO BE A MAJOR TOPIC
OF PRESS AND POLITICAL INTEREST. PUBLIC OPINION AS A WHOLE REMAINS
HOSTILE TO THE RECEPTION OF BOAT PEOPLE AND FRUSTRATED AT THE LACK
OF ANY SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM IN SIGHT. A MINORITY SPASMODICALLY EXPRESSES CONCERN ABOUT CONDITIONS IN THE NOW OVERCROWED CAMPS
BECAUSE OF INITIAL OPPOSTION FROM SOME MEMBERS OF LEGCO, WHICH IS IN RECESS, FUNDS FOR A NEW CAMP AT WHITEHEAD (SEE MIFT) WERE NOT AGREED BY CIRCULATION: A SPECIAL SESSION OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
HAD TO BE CALLED.
·
9. MIFT CONTAINS THE DETAILED INFORMATION WHICH YOU ASKED FOR ON
ACCOMMODATION AND EXPENDITURE.
WILSON
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