C:
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
1.
-
SITUATION IN HONG KONG
Hong Kong facing critical situation as result of sheer number of
Vietnamese boat people in territory. Some 33,000 boat people have arrived in Hong Kong so far this year. Total boat people population
now stands at almost 57,000, of whom about 40,000 likely to be screened out as non-refugees.
Very much to Hong Kong's credit that authorities have managed to
accommodate such a huge influx, despite appalling practical
difficulties.
2. PROGRESS ON RESETTLEMENT OF REFUGEES
-
At Geneva Conference in June, helped to secure resettlement
commitments from other countries that should ensure that all those
in Hong Kong with refugee status (currently some 13,000) are
resettled within 3 years.
—
As part of that process, UK undertook to resettle further 2,000
refugees from Hong Kong, in addition to 13,000 we have accepted
since 1979.
3.
PROGRESS ON REPATRIATION OF NON-REFUGEES
- At Geneva Conference in June, international community accepted
principle that all those screened out as non-refugees should in due
course be returned to Vietnam. Ultimately that is the only possible
solution.
A
- We have made a start by arranging for repatriation to Vietnam,
under auspices of UNHCR, of 507 boat people who asked to go back.
further 1,000 have also volunteered to return and arrangements are
being made for this. Seeking to counsel and persuade boat people to
return to Vietnam, with full support of UNHCR.
- But becoming increasingly clear that voluntary repatriation alone
cannot provide the comprehensive solution.
Will soon be necessary to tackle thorny question of involuntary
repatriation.
But no question of any boat people being returned to Vietnam without assurances from Vietnamese that they will not be punished or
persecuted and without credible monitoring arrangements.
PTAANL