WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1984
6
LEGAL PROVISIONS ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS EXTENDED
*******
VARIOUS LEGAL PROVISIONS DEALING WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA AND VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WERE EXTENDED TODAY BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR ANOTHER YEAR FROM THE END OF 1984.
IN RECENT YEARS, THE NUMBERS OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AND OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA HAVE DIMINISHED DRAMATICALLY.
+BUT THE HARD FACT REMAINS THAT THE PROBLEMS OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE STILL WITH US,+ THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON DAVID JEAFFRESON, SAID IN THE COUNCIL.
IN THE FIRST 10 MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, 2 019 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES REACHED HERE, COMPARED WITH 3 573 IN THE SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR.
MR JEAFFRESON REPORTED THERE HAD BEEN A MARKED INCREASE IN THE NUMBERS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA THIS YEAR, LARGELY AS A RESULT OF RUMOURS THAT AN AMNESTY WOULD BE GRANTED ON THE SIGNING OF THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT. HE STRESSED THERE WAS +NO TRUTH WHATSOEVER+ IN THESE RUMOURS.
IN THE FIRST 10 MONTHS, 7 550 CHINESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WERE ARRESTED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ENTER HONG KONG AND 2 404 EVADERS WERE CAUGHT WITHIN HONG KONG, COMPARED WITH 4 046 BORDER ARRESTS AND 2 514 EVADERS DURING LAST YEAR'S CORRESPONDING PERIOD.
PARTS VITA AND VIIB OF THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE WERE ENACTED IN AUGUST 1979 TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF TRAFFICKING IN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
UNDER THESE PROVISIONS, ANY PERSON WHO AIDS SUCH IMMIGRANTS TO GET INTO HONG KONG COMMITS AN OFFENCE PUNISHABLE BY A FINE OF UP TO $5 MILLION AND BY LIFE IMPRISONMENT WHILE THE SHIP AND OTHER PROPERTY INVOLVED ARE LIABLE TO FORFEITURE.
BUT BY VIRTUE OF SECTIONS 37M AND 37T OF THE ORDINANCE, THESE TWO PROVISIONS WILL EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31, 1984.
SECTION 18 (3) OF THE ORDINANCE WAS ENACTED IN JANUARY 1979 TO PROVIDE THAT VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, HAVING REFUSED PERMISSION TO LAND HERE, ARE SUBJECT TO REMOVAL FROM HONG KONG AT ANY TIME. THIS SECTION, TOO, WILL EXPIRE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
+BECAUSE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ARE STILL COMING HERE, WE NEED TO RETAIN THE LEGISLATIVE POWERS NECESSARY TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS EFFECTIVELY.
+BUT IT REMAINS OUR FIRM BELIEF THAT THESE PROBLEMS WILL NOT STAY WITH US PERMANENTLY, MR JEAFFRESON SAID.
+
/HE EXPLAINED ......