His
his departure for Vietnam was owed 2 months 20 days' pay. brother and his wife had been cleaners and were each owed one month's pay on departure.
12. The group had had the clear intention of transitting Hong Kong en route to settlement in a third country. When they left Vietnam they did not know about the screening policy (which was introduced during their journey) and only found out about it later. On 14 July 1988 they were called for interview and on 1 August 1989 were officially told they were not refugees. It is not clear whether they had appealed through official channels during this period, but, according to the head of household, he sent written appeals after 1 August to Amnesty International and other organisations. Despite being told they were not refugees, they still hoped for resettlement. As soon as he knew the final decision of the authorities, the head of household said he had asked for a boat to sail on to another country, prepared to accept the risk of another sea journey. Because they no longer had any property, there was no incentive to return to Vietnam. But while they were in the camps, they received no information about the volunteer programme. According to the head of household, they were told not to worry about volunteering because, on their return to Vietnam, their lives would be guaranteed by the British and Vietnamese Governments. Nobody referred to the advantages of volunteering (such as additional money) and there were no audio-visual materials to explain and promote the voluntary programme. It was only after a quarrel erupted in Chi Ma Wa that the Kong Kong authorities explained that the UNHCR would help if they volunteered.
(This
13.
The group was transferred to Phoenix House on 31 October 1989. The head of household said they were treated well there and conditions were not bad, though it was like a jail. At this point they knew they would be returning to Vietnam and applied to the authorities to meet representatives of the Vietnamese authorities and the UNHCR to explain the difficulties of their situation. was apparently not granted.) Everything seemed normal on their return to Hanoi. Vietnamese officials treated them well and took them to a transit centre. They are now living in the house of a family who know their problems and will take no rent. The US$30/15 per head they received on return has all gone, but the Haiphong authorities will continue to supply US$30 per head every three months, which will be enough for rice but not for meat or clothing. There have been no problems with the Vietnamese authorities since their return and their life has harmonised with that of their neighbours. But the head of household needs a new boat to house his family and earn a living (the Hong Kong police told him that the one in which he sailed to Hong Kong
had been registration TB-1428 - destroyed). He estimates the cost of building and equipping a new boat would be about US$10,000. He says he could repay a loan over
ten years, but only if it were interest-free.
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