WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1987
HONG KONG MUST BE ALLOWED FLEXIBILITY
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THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT MUST AT LEAST ALLOW HONG KONG TO IMPLEMENT THE FIRST ASYLUM CONCEPT IN A FLEXIBLE MANNER IF THE TERRITORY IS TO EFFECTIVELY CONTAIN OR ALLEVIATE ITS REFUGEE PROBLEM, DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY
(WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING IN THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
DR HO SUGGESTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SET UP A SCREENING UNIT UNDER THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE THE STATUS OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ARRIVING HERE.
+THOSE ARRIVALS, WHO CAN SATISFY THE IMMIGRATION OFFICERS OF THEIR STATUS AS GENUINE REFUGEES, WILL BE GIVEN SANCTUARY AND BE ACCOMMODATED IN CLOSED CAMPS, PENDING SUBSEQUENT PERMANENT RESETTLEMENT OVERSEAS.
+THOSE ARRIVALS WHO FAIL TO PROVE THEIR REFUGEE STATUS WILL BE DETAINED IN OUR CLOSED CAMPS TO WAIT FOR EVENTUAL REPATRIATION,+ DR HO SAID.
HE FELT THAT THIS MEASURE WOULD BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY.
DR HO NOTED THAT AFTER HAVING ACCEPTED 457 REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG LAST YEAR, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD DISCONTINUED ITS FAMILY REUNION PROGRAMME FOR THE RESETTLEMENT OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
THIS NEGATIVE POLICY DECISION WAS DETRIMENTAL TO HONG KONG'S RESETTLEMENT PLANS AND HAD MADE OTHER COUNTRIES RECONSIDER THEIR RESETTLEMENT OFFERS, HE SAID.
+IT IS DIFFICULT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE UNITED KINGDOM CAN SUSPEND ITS OFFTAKE OF REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG AND, AT THE SAME TIME, THRUST UPON US THE OBLIGATION OF OBSERVING THE FIRST ASYLUM CONCEPT BY VIRTUE OF ITS SOVEREIGNTY AUTHORITY, HE SAID.
UNDER THE FIRST ASYLUM CONCEPT. THE FIRST ASYLUM COUNTRIES WOULD ACCEPT ALL REFUGEES LANDING ON THEIR SHORES AND WOULD NOT TOW THEIR BOATS BACK TO SEA. THE MAIN RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES WOULD THEN PROCESS THE REFUGEES IN AN ORDERLY FASHION AND FIND THEM PERMANENT HOMES.
DR HO SAID THAT HONG KONG HAD FAITHFULLY ABIDED BY THE AGREEMENT UNDERLYING THE FIRST ASYLUM CONCEPT AND HAD ALL THE TIME BEEN ALLOWING BOAT REFUGEES TO LAND ON ITS SHORES.
IRONICALLY THE RESETTLEMENT RATES FOR REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG ARE MUCH LOWER THAN THOSE FROM OTHER FIRST ASYLUM COUNTRIES. IT APPEARS THEREFORE THAT WE HAVE BEEN EXPLOITED AND PENALISED FOR OUR HUMANITARIAN APPROACH TO THE BOAT REFUGEES,+ HE SAID.
/DR HO