HKB 243 123
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
26 FEB 1990
CONFIDENTIAL
FROM:
DATE:
C C D Haswell
Hong Kong Department
2 February 1990
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
CC:
Mr Gillmore
4
Motate
Mr McLaren
PS/ME Maude Good_ all useful
approach a pooral;
Mr Colvin, SEAD
Mr Paul, HKD
Mr Brenton, UND
Special Advisers
I prefer
Phillecaren's
witter for UNiter then selvest
van Leewen. Please herp
ean or van Leeren
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: INFORMATION ACTIVITIES e
1.
ga بسمات
In the dielephanting of th further developments
In her minute of 29 January, PS/Mr Maude asked for material on
various aspects of present and future information activities, to
discourage clandestine departures, to supplement counselling in
support of the volunteer programme, and about trouble makers and their weapons in the camps.
2. We still await a response on these points from Hanoi, whose
inquiries will have been hampered by the Lunar New Year
celebrations. In the meantime, the following is a summary of
details and suggestions received so far.
Clandestine Departures
3.
So
UNHCR's information effort is run from their Bangkok office.
far they have processed material shot in Hong Kong by a Vietnamese
film team into one ten-minute film which has been shown three times
on television in Northern Vietnam. UNHCR claim this has made
considerable impact. They have also prepared a thirty-minute film
for broadcasting and distribution as a video, which should be ready
within a month. UNHCR have reported difficulties in persuading US
staff in Hong Kong to give interviews about the obstacles to securing resettleman in the United States. We are making further inquiries about this.
`3/2.
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The Voluntary Programme
4. I attach HK telno 383 about progress with the voluntary programme and measures already in hand to improve its effectiveness. Details of the counselling effort are in para 4, sub paras A-E, from
which it is clear that the local UNHCR Office in Hong Kong, under
Van Leeuwen, is perhaps more of a hindrance than a help. We might
consider suggesting to the Governor that he send a personal message
to Van Leeuwen reminding him of UNHCR's counselling obligations
as set out in the documentation attached to the CPA (highlighted set
attached) and asking him to ensure that his staff makes every effort
to put across the message of the CPA clearly, both in writing and by
means of all available video material, and to ensure that all those
in the camps are fully aware of the option and advantages of
volunteering to return to Vietnam. Such a veiled ultimatum might
be useful in putting Van Leeuwen on the spot if and when the time
comes to seek his removal.
5. I have made some progress on the suggestion that we should arrange for a cameraman to accompany volunteers back from Hong Kong
to their communities (para 4 of PS/Mr Maude's minute of 22 January).
Finance Department have confirmed orally that they would be able to
top up Mr McLaren's AUS programme budget to meet costs up to
£12,000. Action is in hand to make this money directly available.
Security Branch in Hong Kong is now working on a shooting script to cover material from Hong Kong, during the return flight and in Vietnam. They have agreed we should aim to produce film for use in the camps, to augment the information broadcast in Vietnam to deter,
dete clandestine departures, and also for possible use in a UK
documentary.
6.
There may be a problem over the availability of Michael Pitts,
the proposed cameraman. He has a commitment in Belize from
12 February and then a possible two month commitment filming
Siberian tigers for Anglia TV from 5 March. He is keen to accept
the Vietnam work, but if he is unable to do so will recommend an
alternative. The advantage of using him is that he is truly
independent.
Another option would be to commission the Hong Kong
Government Information Service to do the filming. But their work
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