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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1989
MR BARNES SAID WHAT MUST BE
UNDERSTOOD BY THE CRITICS OF MANDATORY REPATRIATION WAS THAT. FAR FROM BEING CONTRARY TO THE СРА. IT WAS AN INTRINSIC AND LOGICAL PART OF IT.
"ONCE SOMEONE HAS BEEN SCREENED OUT AS A NON-REFUGEE. THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE TO RETURNING, WITH SAFEGUARDS, TO VIETNAM.
"THAT IS THE CLEAR MESSAGE OF THE CPA, AND IT IS SIMPLY UNREALISTIC TO EXPECT ALL NON-REFUGEES TO VOLUNTEER TO RETURN. HE
SAID.
MR BARNES SAID THERE WAS NO ALTERNATIVE ΤΟ REPATRIATION THOSE NON-VOLUNTEERS WHO WOULD BE THE MAJORITY.
Fr
FOR
"THEY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR RESETTLEMENT: AND THE ONLY OTHER OPTION. WHICH IS INDEFINITE DETENTION IN PERMANENT CAMPS IN HONG KONG, HAS TO BE DISCOUNTED.
"OTHERWISE THAT WOULD INDEED BE A GRIM PROSPECT: NOT ONLY FOR THE MEN. WOMEN AND CHILDREN CONCERNED. BUT ALSO FOR HONG KONG AS A CONTINUING SOCIAL. ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL BURDEN. HE SAID.
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MR BARNES POINTED OUT THAT THE OUTWARD SURGE OF VIETNAMESE FROM THEIR HOMELAND COULD NO LONGER BE VIEWED IN THE SIMPLE. IDEOLOGICAL FASHION OF FORMER YEARS. ACCORDING TO WHICH EVERY PERSON LEAVING VIETNAM WAS REGARDED AUTOMATICALLY AS A REFUGEE SEEKING ASYLUM.
HE SAID WHILE HONG KONG HAD TURNED NONE AWAY, IT WAS EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNISE THAT THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE SAW HONG KONG ONLY AS A TRANSIT CENTRE TO RESETTLEMENT ELSEWHERE.
"AND FOR OVERSEAS VIETNAMESE, OR OTHERS, TO FOSTER SUCH HOPES OF RESETTLEMENT IS TO MISLEAD IRRESPONSIBLY THESE UNFORTUNATE PEOPLE WHOM NOBODY WANTS." HE SAID.
MR BARNES SAID THE LACK OF CONSENSUS ON ALTERNATIVES TO VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION IN GENEVA LAST MONTH SHOULD NOT OBSCURE THE GOOD PROGRESS WHICH HAD BEEN MADE WITH OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE CPA--RESETTLEMENT OF REFUGEES, THE ORDERLY DEPARTURE PROGRAMME FROM VIETNAM AND THE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME.
HE SAID HONG KONG REMAINED COMMITTED ΤΟ THE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME. WHICH WAS FIRST ENGINEERED BY THE TERRITORY IN TALKS HELD IN HANOI IN AUGUST LAST YEAR. AS AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF THE OPA. OVER 500 PEOPLE HAD NOW RETURNED TO VIETNAM UNDER THIS PROGRAMME WHICH STARTED THIS YEAR.
AS FOR RESETTLEMENT. SOME 3.400 VIETNAMESE RESETTLED SO FAR THIS YEAR AND THE SECRETARY FOR THE TOTAL FOR 1989 TO BE OVER 14.000.
REFUGEES HAD BEEN SECURITY EXPECTED
"ALTHOUGH OUR