WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1989
24
FIRST OF ALL, UNDER THE TIME LIMITS AND STAFF CONSTRAINTS, WB CAN NEVER GET ALL THE NEW ARRIVALS SCREENED IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE AND UP TILL NOW, NO ONE CAN BE SURE HOW THE SCREENING PROCEDURES CAN POSSIBLY DETERMINE ONE'S REFUGEE'S STATUS.
"SECONDLY, GIVEN THE EXISTING POLITICAL SITUATION IN VIETNAM, THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES BEING REPATRIATED CAN NEVER COMPENSATE FOR NUMBER OF NEW ARRIVALS.
THE
"AS FOR VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION, IT IS CLEAR FROM THE FACT THAT SO FAR ONLY ABOUT 150 BOAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY SENT BACK. NOT TO MENTION THE COST WE HAVE TO BEAR IN TRANSPORT AND OTHER SUPPORTING SERVICES," HE SAID.
DR LEONG UNDERLINED THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION IN A POSSIBLE SOLUTION AND IN PARTICULAR THE ROLE THAT BRITAIN MUST TAKE IN SORTING OUT THE MESS WHICH, HE SAID, BRITAIN ITSELF HAD PLAYED AN IMPORTANT PART IN BRINGING ABOUT.
OF THE
"IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT HONG KONG SHOULD SUFFER BECAUSE FIRST ASYLUM POLICY THE RESULT OF A PEG SIGNED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT FOR US SOME 10 YEARS AGO.
"THE POLICY WAS ONCE SUCCESSFUL WHEN IT RECEIVED INTERNATIONAL BACK-UP FROM THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES. THE SITUATION IS NOW DIFFERENT THE RESETTLEMENT FIGURES ARE SLOW WHILE THE INFLUX IS ARRIVING AT JET SPEED," HE SAID.
— 1
NUMBER OF PAST FIVE
ACCEPTED,
DR LEONG SAID HE WAS GROSSLY UNHAPPY WITH THE SMALL REFUGEES THAT BRITAIN HAD TAKEN IN FROM HONG KONG OVER THE YEARS COMPARED WITH WHAT OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES HAD AND THE SLIGHT INCREASE IN RESETTLEMENT NUMBERS PROMISED EARLIER WOULD ONLY BE GRANTED UNDER SPECIFIED CONDITIONS.
HE ALSO SAID BRITAIN HAD ONLY MADE A MINIMAL COMMITMENT THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS. ITS "MINUTE" MONETARY OFFERS TO THE UNITED NATIONS WERE OF LITTLE HELP TO HONG KONG.
HOW
"IF BRITAIN CANNOT AFFORD TO GRANT THE RIGHT OF ABODE ΤΟ THE 3.28 MILLION HONG KONG RESIDENTS FOR WHICH IT IS HELD RESPONSIBLE, CAN IT EXPECT US - WITH ALL OUR CONSTRAINTS TO GRANT THE ASYLUM SEEKERS THE RIGHT TO STAY?" HE ASKED.
-
VIETNAMESE
DR LEONG LIKENED THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ISSUE TO A PATIENT IN CRITICAL CONDITION WHO NEEDED DEFINITIVE TREATMENT RIGHT AWAY. HIS PRESCRIPTION WAS :
SCRAP THE FIRST ASYLUM POLICY SO AS ΤΟ FREE HONG KONG FROM THE OBLIGATION OF HAVING TO ACCEPT ALL WHO COME IN, OR ELSE BRITAIN SHOULD SHOULDER MOST OF THE FINANCIAL
IMPLICATION THAT HONG KONG WAS BEARING NOW;
* FIGHT FOR COMPULSORY REPATRIATION DURING THE COMING GENEVA CONFERENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL NEW ARRIVALS WILL BE SENT BACK:
AND