17
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 1988
IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS MEET 'TI MOTHERS' REPRESENTATIVES
* * *
IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS TODAY (WEDNESDAY) HAD A "FRANK AND HARMONIOUS" MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE "ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT MOTHERS" TO DISCUSS THE PROCEDURES AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE REPATRIATION OF THE WOMEN.
AND
THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION (CONTROL INVESTIGATION), MR JOHN YEUNG, SAID THE REPRESENTATIVES SHOWED THEIR WILLINGNESS TO CO-OPERATE WITH THE GOVERNMENT.
"THEY ALSO EXPRESSED AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION AND POLICY, HE SAID.
++
"WE ALSO INFORMED THEM THAT THE DEPARTMENT WILL HELP THEM AS FAR AS POSSIBLE WITH SOME OF THEIR REQUESTS FOR PRACTICAL ASSISTANCE, MR YEUNG ADDED.
SOME OF THE QUESTIONS RAISED BY THE REPRESENTATIVES INCLUDED THE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS FOR CHILDREN WHO MAY ACCOMPANY THEIR MOTHERS TO CHINA, AND THE TIME REQUIRED TO MAKE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS BEFORE THE REPATRIATION.
"IN THE MEANTIME, WE HAVE ASKED THEM TO CONTINUE TO REPORT ΤΟ US UNDER THEIR RECOGNIZANCE CONDITIONS, HE SAID.
MR YEUNG ALSO EMPHASISED THAT THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT ON APRIL 27 LAST YEAR CONCERNING CHILDREN BORN IN CHINA BUT WHO HAD ARRIVED ILLEGALLY IN HONG KONG WAS NOT AN AMNESTY.
THE CHILDREN WERE GIVEN 24 HOURS TO REPORT TO THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT. AFTER VERIFICATION BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES THEY WERE ASKED TO RETURN TO CHINA AND TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY LEGALLY UNDER A ONE- WAY EXIT PERMIT.
THE MOVE SIGNALLED THE END OF A MORE LIBERAL POLICY TOWARDS THE CHILDREN SMUGGLED IN FROM CHINA, HE SAID.
THE 65 "ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT MOTHERS" WHO SURFACED ON APRIL 28 WERE A DIFFERENT CATEGORY: THEY WERE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
ENTERED HONG KONG AND GAVE BIRTH WHILE HERK.
WHO
THE GOVERNMENT POLICY FOR THIS CATEGORY OF ADULT WOMEN HAS ALWAYS BREN REPATRIATION, UNLESS CIRCUMSTANCES CONTAIN STRONG HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS FOR THEM TO BE ALLOWED TO STAY.
THEY HAD BEEN ASKED TO FOLLOW THE LEGAL CHANNEL, THE
PERMIT SYSTEM, FOR RESIDENTS
RESIDENCE.
OF
CHINA
TO
ΤΟ COME
HONG KONG
ONE-WAY FOR
/AGREEMENTS HAVE