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Unaccompanied minors.
Mr Maude asked when the first detailed recommendations would be made. Ms Dawson-Shepherd said there was still one unfunded post on the committee, but she expected it to make between 50 and 100 recommendations by the end of May. She confirmed that unaccompanied minors would return to Vietnam under normal arrangements made by the Hong Kong Government. Unaccompanied minors formed 5.8% of the total case load (2,500 children). The UNHCR did not anticipate any major problems, but it would cause difficulties if the minors did resist as it would upset the voluntary repatriation programme. She ascribed the media suggestions of differences over this issue between the UNHCR in Hong Kong and in Geneva to "over enthusiastic press".
UNHCR's debt to the HKG. Mr Maude explained the
political problems that this caused in Hong Kong. HMG had done a great deal to put pressure on others to contribute. Ms Dawson-Shepherd referred to the recent pledge of $5 million from Canada.
Counter-counselling. Mr Maude expressed concern about counter-counselling by US NGOs; the Raison/Ennals report referred to them spreading disinformation in the camps about conditions in Vietnam. Ms Dawson-Shepherd denied that these were NGOs under contract to UNHCR. But UNHCR was used to having to put up with this from US Indo-Chinese refugee organisations or religious communities. UNHCR was committed to its own counselling programme and had specifically assigned staff to it. The number of volunteers among the screened out was beginning to improve. UNHCR was also counselling new arrivals.
3. Ms Dawson-Shepherd raised the following points:
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UNHCR/UNDP joint programmes. A joint mission would shortly be going to Vietnam to assess possible projects, for which she appealed for funding. Mr Maude said that he had discussed the question of aid to Vietnam with Mr Stoltenberg. The UN High Commissioner saw this as one of a number of measures which would have to be taken together, including mandatory repatriation.
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Conditions in the camps. Ms Dawson-Shepherd expressed concern, particularly about Whitehead camp where there were sections into which the UNHCR had not been able to go for weeks. She also singled out Tai Ah Chau. Mr Maude said that these security problems were a function of the numbers of VBP and the length of time they spent in the camps. HKG was taking the UNHCR's concerns about security seriously and looking carefully at what could be done.
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