TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1989
1.
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE:
REPATRIATION
A GROUP OF 51 VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE DETERMINED NON-REFUGEES WERE TODAY (TUESDAY) RETURNED TO VIETNAM.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE GROUP COMPRISED EIGHT WOMEN AND 26 CHILDREN.
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"THEIR RETURN TO THEIR HOME COUNTRY IS IN LINE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION WHICH WAS AGREED BY THE WORLD COMMUNITY AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN GENEVA IN JUNE THIS YEAR." HE SAID.
"THEY FLEW BACK TO HANOI IN THE COMPANY OF HONG KONG OFFICIALS, NONE OF WHOM WERE ARMED.
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"TODAY'S OPERATION WAS CARRIED OUT WITHOUT INCIDENT AND ACCORDANCE WITH ESTABLISHED INTERNATIONAL PROCEDURES FOR REMOVING PERSONS REFUSED PERMISSION TO REMAIN IN A TERRITORY."
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THOSE WHO RETURNED TODAY WERE AMONG THE FIRST WHO HAD BEEN THROUGH THE WHOLE OF THE STATUS DETERMINATION PROCEDURES.
"TREY HAVE BEEN SCREENED IN ACCORDANCE WITH UNHCR APPROVED PROCEDURES, UNDER A SYSTEM MONITORED RY THE UNHCR. THIS INCLUDED APPEALS TO AN INDEPENDENT BOARD OF REVIEW WHICH CONFIRMED THAT THEY WERE NOT REFUGEES UNDER THE INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED DEFINITION OF THAT TERM. HE SAID.
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"THE UNHCR ARE INVOLVED AT EVERY STEP OF THE DETERMINATION PROCEDURES. THE SYSTEM. INCLUDING THE QUESTIONNAIRE ITSELF. WAS AGREED WITH THE UNHCR, THEY MONITOR THE PROCESS AND HELP WITH APPEALS.
"AT THE VERY END OF THE WHOLE EXERCISE THE UNHCR HAS A RIGHT TO GIVE REFUGEE STATUS TO ANY PERSON WHOSE APPEAL HAS DEEN TURNED DOWN. NO PERSON JUDGED BY THE UNHCR TO BE A REFUGEE IS BEING SENT BACK."
THE SPOKESMAN EMPHASISED THAT THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT HAVE GIVEN US FIRM ASSURANCES THAT THOSE RETURNING WOULD NOT BE PUNISHED FOR HAVING LEFT CLANDESTINELY THAT THEY WOULD BE TREATED HUMANELY
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AND THAT THEIR TREATMENT COULD BE MONITORED AFTER RETURN.
"BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE WITH THOSE WHO RETURNED EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE HAVE EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT WILL HONOUR THEIR ASSURANCES OF GOOD TREATMENT.'
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT AFTER THEIR RETURN TO VIETNAM, THE GROUP'S SITUATION WOULD BE MONITORED.
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