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Ref: 171/C/
PERSONS IN TRANSIT
17. South East Asia Pormits will be issued by the appropriate permit issuing
authority to persons who need to travel through South East Asia Command to destinations elsewhere, provided that such persons carry valid authority to enter the territory of their destination.
18.
19.
20.
21.
Reference to the territorial authority or to HQ ¡LFSEA is necessary except in the case of MALAYA where no reference is required.
Permits will be boldly. endorsed TRANSIT ONLY and mado valid for the minimum period required.
Such permits are only required by travellers who need to land in permit territories,
Where civilians wish to leave French or Dutch territory within South East Asia Command for destinations outside the command and their journeys do not lie through South East Asia territories transit permits will not be necessary nor will any reference necd to be made to 0 LFSEA. Such journeys will be cleared by the French or Dutch territorial authority concerned through normal diplomatic and/or consular channels with the country of destination.
GENERAL
22.
In principle, where local conditions pormit, all persons who were domiciled in a territory before the war will be welcomed back. For reasons of public benefit, any priorities will be allotted to such persons as are self supporting or can contribute towards the rehabilitation of the territory. At present only low priority can be given to persons without pre-war domiciliary or business claims.
23. Each application whether from British Allied or neutral nationals will be
judged on its merits. There is no quota system for any nationals, but the numbers admitted at any time are entirely at the discretion of the local authorities who alone possess enough knowledge to decide.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR ACCOMMODATION
24
In respect of British territorios it is essential that persons applying for entry permits should be warned that for some time to come they will encounter difficulties in the matter of accommodation, that the cost of living is high, that there are shortages of supplies of all kinds including furniture, bedding and household utensils, and that there is a scarcity of road transport. If such persons are unable to arrange accommodation before arrival they should apply direct to the British Military Administration concerned for advice before making application for a passage. should be given the maximum notice of all civilians about to leave for the territory under its administration and the Dominion and Colonial Offices have been requested to signal appropriate extracts of shipping lists direct to the BMA as far in advance as possible.
The BMA
No civilian, with the exception of those exempted in para 1 above will be permitted to land by sea, air or rail in the specified territories without a properly completed South East Asia Permit, and no such civilian should begin his journey without a properly completed Permit.
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