CONFIDENTIAL
044615 MDADAN 0348
Not for
usé with BRC
6. ALTHOUGH CONDITIONS HAVE IMPROVED CONSIDERABLY OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS WE ARE STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAN YICK BUILDING.
THE DRAINAGE AND WATER SUPPLY PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN, TO A LARGE EXTENT, SOLVED. THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS FOR BUSING THE CHILDREN TO SCHOOL WILL START ON 19 SEPTEMBER AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL FACILITIES (AT PEROWNE BARRACKS) WHICH CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE REFUGEES. THE NEW KITCHEN WILL BECOME OPERATIONAL TODAY AND THIS SHOULD IMPROVE THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENTS.
7. OUR CONCERNS ON SAN YICK ARE FOCUSED ON THE NEED TO LIBERALISE CAMP CONDITIONS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. A PAPER ON THE LIBERALISATION PROGRAMME WAS CONSIDERED AND APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL TODAY. WE ARE PLANNING AN IMMEDIATE START ON LIBERALISATION WHICH WILL AMOUNT TO ALLOWING THE RESIDENTS OF THE CLOSED CENTRES TO LEAVE THE CAMPS FOR SCHOOLING, RECREATION AND EMPLOYMENT. THE PROGRAMME WILL TAKE ABOUT SIX MONTHS TO IMPLEMENT BUT IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO COMPLETE THE PROCESS AT THE SAN YICK BUILDING. THE UNHCR ARE NOT PREPARED TO TAKE ON SAN YICK AS AN OPEN CAMP. WE WILL PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION ON OUR PLANS FOR LIBERALISATION IN A LATER TELEGRAM.
8. WE ARE THEREFORE PLANNING TO MOVE THE SAN YICK RESIDENTS TO THE NEW ACCOMMODATION AT AREA 46A AS SOON AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE, BUT IN THE MEANTIME TO TAKE ALL POSSIBLE STEPS TO LIBERALISE THE REGIME IN SITU. WE HAVE A FURTHER DIFFICULTY IN THAT THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAVE ADVISED THAT THE CENTRE'S POPULATION SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN ABOUT 3000. WE ARE THEREFORE FORMULATING A PLAN TO MOVE 1,000-1,500 FROM THE BUILDING TO NEW ACCOMMODATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION
9. WE HAVE RECEIVED A FURTHER 67 REQUESTS FOR VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION. THIS BRINGS THE TOTAL TO 159. ALL OF THE RECENT REQUESTS HAVE COME FROM PEOPLE AT ERSKINE CAMP.
10. THE UNHCR SEEM TO BE MAKING BETTER PROGRESS ON INTERVIEWING PEOPLE WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO RETURN BUT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO PREDICT WHEN THEY MIGHT COMPLETE THIS WORK. WE WILL CONTINUE TO PRESS THEM ON THIS.
SCHOOLING FOR REFUGEE CHILDREN
11. HONG KONG BORN VR CHILDREN: THERE ARE 156 VR CHILDREN WHO WERE BORN BEFORE THE NATIONALITY ACT 1981 CAME INTO FORCE ON 1 JANUARY 1983. THESE CHILDREN ARE CONSIDERED TO BE HONG KONG RESIDENTS.
from tik telno 3292 of 8 Spetenter :
The Liberalisation process
in the San Yick bülding con in privicple pogress night up to the stage When it could be declared an open camp. The difficulty is that The UNIKER are not prepared to take over The San Yick bulding as an open camp. In your brief ip to the BRC
to the BRC you could make the paint that we. plan to more a long way towards full liberalisation.