CONFIDENTIAL
3
010030
MDHIAN 2214
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HANOI
HKB 243117
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
TO DESKBY 120900Z HONG KONG
TELNO 08
30 JAN1990
DESK OFFICER
TRY
INDEX
HA
!
en
OF 12052OZ JANUARY 90 INFO IMMEDIATE FCO AND UKMTS GENEVA
TNA
YOUR TELNO 05: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
1. THE PROPOSED REPLY TO THE LEGCO QUESTION SHOULD CERTAINLY BE MORE POSITIVE. IN THE LAST 2 DAYS WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE HANOI OFFICE OF UNHCR AND IN PARTICULAR WITH THE OFFICIAL WHOSE PRINCIPAL FUNCTION IS MONITORING RETURNEES IN ALL PARTS OF VIETNAM, (NOT ONLY FROM HONG KONG). YOU SHOULD NOT REFER TO OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE UNHCR, BUT YOU MAY CONFIDENTLY REPLY THAT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER THAT ANY VIETNAMESE WHO HAVE RETURNED VOLUNTARILY OR INVOLUNTARILY FOR THAT MATTER - HAVE RECEIVED ANYTHING SHORT OF HELPFUL AND SYMPATHETIC TREATMENT.
2. ALL VBP RETURN TO MORE LESS THE SAME CONDITIONS THEY ORIGINALLY LEFT. THEY RETURN TO THEIR OWN VILLAGES WHERE THE EXTENDED FAMILY SYSTEM, WHICH IS ONE OF THE STRENGTHS OF VIETNAMESE SOCIETY, PROVIDES ASSISTANCE. THE UNHCR PAYMENT OF US DOLLARS 30 PER HEAD PER MONTH FOR ONE YEAR IS PAID, IN LOCAL CURRENCY, QUARTERLY IN DAVANCE, AND THIS IS A WELCOME SOURCE OF INCOME DURING THE INITIAL SETTLING BACK PERIOD. UNEMPLOYMENT IS OF COURSE A SEVERE PROBLEM THROUGHOUT VIETNAM AND PARTICULARLY SO FOR VBP WHO HAVE BECOME INACTIVE AFTER LONG PERIODS IN CAMPS IN HONG KONG DOING NOTHING FOR THEMSELVES. THOSE WITHOUT SPECIAL SKILLS FIND IT ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN EMPLOYMENT BUT EVENTUALLY TEND TO BECOME SMALL-SCALE TRADERS AND SHOPKEEPERS.
3. UNHCR HAS ONLY ONE FULL-TIME MONITOR. HIS METHOD OF WORKING IS TO SELECT CERTAIN AREAS AND GET TO KNOW WELL BOTH THE LOCAL OFFICIALS AND THE RETURNEE FAMILIES IN THOSE AREAS, BY MEANS OF FREQUENT VISITS. IT IS OF COURSE NOT POSSIBLE TO VISIT ALL RETURNEES WITH THE SAME FREQUENCY BUT VISITS TO OTHERS ARE MADE AT RANDOM FOR COMPARISON WITH THOSE SELECTED FOR MORE INTENSIVE MONITORING. THIS SEEMS TO BE WORKING WELL.
4. SO FAR, ANY COMPLAINTS RAISED BY RETURNEES HAVE TURNED OUT TO BE BASED ON LACK OF INFORMATION ON THEIR PART ABOUT THEIR
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