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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1988
EARLY DISTURBANCES GENERALLY WERE MINOR FIGHTS BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS AND PETTY THEFTS.
BUT THEN KNIVES AND SCISSORS IMPROVISED FROM SCRAPS OF METAL FOR POSSIBLE USE AS WEAPONS BEGAN BEING SURRENDERED BY THE INMATES THEMSELVES TO PREVENT A GROWTH IN THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE AMONG THEM.
"ALL THESE BLADES, KNIVES AND SCISSORS HAVE BEEN VOLUNTARILY SURRENDERED BY THE BOAT PEOPLE," SAID MR WILLY-FURTH. "SOME HAVE BEEN IMPROVISED FROM PIECES OF METAL LEFT BEHIND BY CONTRACTORS.
"THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE HERE ARE LAW ABIDING AND PEACEFUL. THEY DON'T WANT THESE THINGS LYING ABOUT."
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A CLOSELY SECURE PLACE HAS NOW BEEN SET ASIDE AT THE CAMP AS KNIFE STORE WHERE CUTTING IMPLEMENTS ARE ISSUED AND RETURNED UNDER STRICT SUPERVISION.
IMPLEMENTS USED AT THE CAMP BARBER SHOP ARE ALSO USED UNDER
RESTRICTION.
"WE HAVE FOUND PEOPLE WITH USEFUL SKILLS, SUCH AS TEACHERS + BARBERS AND LAUNDERERS," SAID MR WILLY-FURTH.
FAMILY GROUPS ARE NOW ACCOMMODATED SEPARATELY AND SINGLE WOMEN ALSO HAVE THEIR OWN DORMITORY.
ONE INMATE WHO HAS OBSERVED THE VALUE OF THE HUMANITARIAN APPROACH BY POLICE OFFICERS, BOTH OFFICIALLY AND INFORMALLY, IS THE CAMP INTERPRETER MISS PHAN THI BICH NGAN, WHO ARRIVED LIKE HER FELLOW INMATES ABOARD A RAMSHACKLE AND CROWDED MOTOR BOAT FROM VIETNAM.
"THE POLICE OFFICERS ARE BEING VERY KIND," SAID NGAN, A CHEMISTRY GRADUATE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HUE. "THEY HAVE GIVEN THE CHILDREN SWEETS AND CLOTHS AND OFFERED THEIR FRIENDSHIP TO THE PEOPLE IN THE CAMP.
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"THEY HAVE TAUGHT THE INMATES FROM THEIR OWN BEHAVIOUR. THE PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO QUEUE FOR FOOD AND OTHER SERVICES AT THE CAMP. THEY NEVER SAW AN ORDERLY QUEUE IN VIETNAM,
"I THINK THE FIRM APPROACH HAS ALSO TAUGHT PEOPLE THAT IF YOU MAKE TROUBLE YOU WILL GET TROUBLE.
"IT'S A MIXTURE OF FRIENDLINESS AND DISCIPLINE.
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NGAN WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE OPENING OF THE NEW SCHOOL, WHICH WOULD OCCUPY ALL CHILDREN AROUND 250 AGED FROM THREE TO 15.
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"IT WILL KEEP THEM BUSY, INSTEAD OF JUST RUNNING AROUND AND GETTING INTO TROUBLE CLIMBING TREES. I WOULD LIKE TO TEACH MY KNOWLEDGE OF ENGLISH TO THE CHILDREN."
/ASKED IF.....................