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MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1988
SCREENING OF 48 VIETNAMESE COMPLETED
THE GOVERNMENT HAS COMPLETED ITS SCREENING PROCEDURES FOR DETERMINING THE STATUS OF 48 VIETNAMESE ASYLUM SEEKERS WHO HAVE ARRIVED IN HONG KONG AFTER JUNE 15 THIS YEAR.
OF THE GROUP SCREENED, SEVEN PEOPLE IN ONE FAMILY WERE FOUND TO BE REFUGEES, THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED TO A REFUGEE CAMP PRIOR TO RESETTLEMENT OVERSEAS.
WERE
THE OTHER 41, COMPRISING SEVEN GROUPS AND 18 INDIVIDUALS, FOUND NOT TO BE REFUGGES. THEY WILL BE HELD IN DETENTION CENTRES PENDING REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM.
"DETERMINATION NOTICES HAVE BEEN SERVED ON THE 48 ASYLUM SEEKERS TODAY BY IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT STAFF AT THE CHI MA WAN DETENTION CENTRE, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.
"THOSE PEOPLE FOUND NOT TO BE REFUGEES HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THEIR RIGHT TO OBJECT TO THE RESULT UNDER THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE, AS WELL AS THEIR RIGHT TO LEGAL ADVICE IN PREPARING THEIR OBJECTIONS.
"THE UNHCR WILL MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO ENSURE THAT LEGAL ADVICE
IS MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL THOSE WHO NEED IT."
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE SCREENING PROCEDURES WERE BASED ON THE UNHCR PROCEDURES AND CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING REFUGEE STATUS ESTABLISHED UNDER THE 1951 CONVENTION AND THE 1967 PROTOCOL, AND TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THE SPECIAL SITUATION OF ASYLUM SEEKERS FROM VIETNAM.
"STAFF OF THE UNHCR WERE PRESENT DURING SOME OF THE INTERVIEWS AS OBSERVERS, HE SAID.
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