THURSDAY, JULY 14, 1983
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THIRD REFUGEE CLOSED CAMP BEING BUILT
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THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT, FOLLOWING THE AGREEMENT OF THE BRITISH FORCES TO RELEASE PART OF THE BOWRING ARMY CAMP IN TUEN MUN, A CLOSED CENTRE WILL BE BUILT ON THE SITE TO PROVIDE ACCOMMODATION FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ARRIVING IN HONG KONG.
THE 17-AGRE CAMP, SITUATED TWO KILOMETRES NORTH OF TUEN MUN, WILL BE THE THIRD CLOSED CENTRE SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE CLOSED CENTRE POLICY ON JULY 2, 1982.
1982. IT WILL BE COMPLETELY SEGREGATED FROM THE SURROUNDING AREA.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT AS OF TODAY, THERE WERE 13 074 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG, OF WHOM 5 159 WERE DETAINED IN CLOSED CENTRES.
THE FIRST CLOSED CENTRE IN CHI MA WAN HAS A CAPACITY OF 3 500 AND AN ADDITIONAL 2 500 PLACES WILL BE AVAILABLE IN AUGUST WHEN THE NEW HEI LING CHAU CLOSED CENTRE IS COMPLETED, HE ADDED.
+AS HONG KONG IS NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF ITS TRADITIONAL ARRIVALS SEASON AND DEPARTURES FOR RESETTLEMENT FROM HONG KONG HAVE DROPPED, ADDITIONAL CLOSED CENTRE ACCOMMODATION IS NECESSARY, THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT.
+ IN PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL CLOSED CENTRE WE ARE MAKING CLEAR TO FUTURE ARRIVALS FROM VIETNAM WHO PERSIST IN COMING HERE THAT THEY WILL BE DETAINED, AND THAT HONG KONG WILL MAINTAIN ITS CURRENT POLICY TO DISCOURAGE ARRIVALS AS FAR AS IS HUMANELY POSSIBLE.
SCHEDULED FOR OCCUPATION IN JANURAY 1984, THE BOWRING CENTRE WILL INITIALLY PROVIDE ACCOMMODATION FOR 1 400 REFUGEES, TO BE INCREASED TO 2 000 WHEN THE ARMY VACATES THE REST OF THE CAMP.
THE COST OF CONVERTING THE SITE INTO A CLOSED CENTRE IS ESTIMATED AT ABOUT $15.4 MILLION.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE USE OF BOWRING AS A CLOSED CENTRE WOULD BE TEMPORARY - UP TO APRIL 1986, IN ORDER TO ALLOW A MAJOR ROAD EXTENSION PROJECT IN THE AREA TO PROCEED.
+CAREFUL CONSIDERATION HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE SELECTION OF THE SITE FROM ALL THE ALTERNATIVES AVAILABLE, HE SAID, AND SECURITY MEASURES IN THE VICINITY WILL BE STRENGTHENED. A DOUBLE
PERIMETER FENCE WILL BE CONSTRUCTED, AND THE CENTRE WILL BE FULLY MANNED BY SPECIALLY RECRUITED OFFICERS OF THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT+.
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