RESTRICTED
วา
101714
MDLOAN 4194
RESTRICTED
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 297
OF 021745Z FEBRUARY 90
HKB
RECEIVED IN
243 14
:Y
22 FEB 1990
*GISTRY
thin
“?
DESK OFFICER INDEX
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, HANO
Lakem
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: SUICIDE LOTTERY
1.
WE ARE FAXING TO YOU AN ARTICLE FROM TODAY'S DAILY EXPRESS
ALLEGING THAT GANG LEADERS IN THE CAMPS ARE FORCING PEOPLE TO
TAKE PART IN SUICIDE LOTTERIES. ACCORDING TO THE REPORT ONE ATTEMPTED SUICIDE WAS REFUSING TO BE DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL FOR FEAR OF BEING TORTURED ON RETURN TO HIS CAMP. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON THIS.
2. IT WOULD SEEM THAT IF PEOPLE IN THE CAMPS ARE SUBJECT TO THIS
KIND OF INTIMIDATION AND FEAR THEY COULD BE RIPE CANDIDATES FOR
THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TO KNOW WHETHER THERE ARE ANY ARRANGEMENTS IN THE CAMPS TO ENABLE PEOPLE TO VOLUNTEER CLANDESTINELY, WITHOUT FEAR OF REPRISALS TO THEMSELVES OR THEIR FAMILIES, AND TO MOVE THEM QUICKLY TO LO WU TO AWAIT RETURN.
3. WE HAVE ALSO SEEN HONG KONG PRESS ARTICLES MENTIONING PLANS TO SEPARATE OUT TROUBLE MAKERS, PARTICULARLY IN CHI MA WAN, SO AS TO REDUCE THE INTIMIDATION OF THOSE WHO MIGHT BE WILLING TO VOLUNTEER. GRATEFUL FOR CONFIRMATION THAT THIS IS BEING CONSIDERED.
HURD
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
112
DISTRIBUTION
121
.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
PUSD
RMD
PS
PS/MR MAUDE
PS/MR SAINSBURY
PS/LORD BRABAZON
PS/MRS CHALKER
PS/PUS
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