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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1987
"THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES ARRIVING FROM VIETNAM SO FAR THIS YEAR HAS INCREASED BY 38 PER CENT OVER THE SAME PERIOD IN 1986. THE NUMBER LEAVING FOR RESETTLEMENT HAS DECLINED BY 47 PER CENT. STATISTICS TELL THEIR OWN STORIES. IT IS A MOST UNSATISFACTORY SITUATION.'
THE GOVERNOR SAID HONG KONG, WITH THE CONTINUING HBLP OF BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER REFUGEES, WOULD CONTINUE TO PRESS RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO TAKE REFUGEES FROM THE TERRITORY. BOTH THE UK AND THE UNHCR HAD BERKING MORE PLACES ON HONG KONG'S BEHALF, HE NOTED.
THOSE
THE
FOR
MORE BEEN
"BUT RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES HAVE BECOME VERY SELECTIVE IN CHOOSING WHOM THEY WILL ACCEPT," SIR DAVID SAID, "MOST NOW INBIST THAT THOSE THEY TAKE SHOULD HAVE CLOSE FAMILY CONNECTIONS WITH VIETNAMESE ALREADY SETTLED IN THEIR COUNTRIES. THIS MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO RESETTLE MANY OF OUR REFUGEES.
"WE HAVE A PARTICULAR PROBLEM IN THAT AN INCREASING NUMBER OF THE ARRIVALS ARE ETHNIC VIETNAMESE FROM NORTH VIETNAM WHO HAVE NO CONNECTIONS IN COUNTRIES OF RESETTLEMENT. MANY PEOPLE IN OUR CAMPS HAVE WAITED FOR YEARS IN THE HOPE OF BEING RESETTLED: 3,500 REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM HAVE BEEN HERE FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS. **
REQUIRED
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION WAS ANOTHER PROBLEM WHICH CONSTANT ATTENTION, THE GOVERNOR SAID, AND HE NOTED A SUDDEN INCREASE WAS SPARKED IN JUNE BY BASELESS RUMOURS OF AN AMNESTY.
"OUR SECURITY FORCES ONCE AGAIN ENSURED THAT NEARLY ALL OF THE ARRIVALS WERE CAUGHT ON ENTRY AND RETURNED FORTHWITH. THEY DESERVE OUR CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS FOR THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND UNREMITTING EFFORTS.
WITH THE GUANGDONG LARGE PART IN STOPPING THE
"WE BENEFITTED TOO FROM GOOD CO-OPERATION AND SHENZHEN AUTHORITIES WHO PLAYED FLOW."
BIR DAVID EMPHASISED ANEW THAT THERE WOULD BE NO AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS,
"TO THE FAMILIAR PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION HAS, IN RECENT MONTHS, BEEN ADDED THAT OF FORMER VIETNAMESE REFUGERA SETTLED IN CHINA WHO HAVE TRIED TO ENTER HONG KONG ILLEGALLY," HE SAID.
"WHILE THEY ARE WITH US THESE PEOPLE ARR A STRAIN KESOURCES IN THE SAME WAY AS REFUGEES. BUT THRY ARE IMMIGRANTS, NOT REFUGEES, AND MUST BE TREATED AS SUCH.
ON OUR ILLEGAL
WITH THE EFFECTIVE AND WELCOME CO-OPERATION OF THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES, STEPS HAD BEEN TAKEN ΤΟ CONTAIN THE FLOW, AND THE EXERCISE OF RETURNING THESE PEOPLE TO CHINA WAS PROCEEDING SMOOTHLY.
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