comprises four panels of two members each drawn from both the civil service and the community at large.
The decision of the Review Board is notified to the asylum seeker as soon as possible. The Board's decision is final, but UNHCR can intervene if it believes that a case has not been fully presented or, because of mistakes in translation or interpretation, has been misrepresented. While the UNHCR are empowered to reverse decisions and grant refugee status under their own mandate, there must be exceptional and strong grounds to justify this.
When all avenues have been explored and a decision not to grant refugee status remains unchanged, the asylum seeker must, as agreed at the 1989 International Conference on Indo-Chinese Refugees, and in accordance with international practice, return to his country of
origin.
These procedures are in accordance with
internationally accepted criteria, are monitored at all stages by the UNHCR and are considered fair and
thorough.
We have consulted Hong Kong on the case of Mr Manh Luong Nguyen. They confirm that he arrived in Hong Kong on 16 May 1989 and was screened-out by the Director of Immigration on 3 July 1990. This decision was confirmed by the Review Board on 10 October 1990 and Mr Nguyen is now in Whitehead Camp, Section 5. Hong Kong also point out that there are no "trick questions" as Mr Nguyen's
brother claims in his letter.