WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1990
VIETNAMESE RETURNEES RECEIVE SYMPATHETIC TREATMENT
THE
ANY
SCHEME
IN REPORTS FROM THE BRITISH EMBASSY
HANOI HAVE ASSURED EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER THAT HONG KONG GOVERNMENT THAT THERE IS NO
REPATRIATION VIETNAMESE WHO HAVE RETURNED UNDER THE VOLUNTARY HAVE RECEIVED ANYTHING BUT HELPFUL AND SYMPATHETIC TREATMENT.
]
THIS THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY THE HON GEOFFREY BARNES, SAID
TO A QUESTION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN REPLY FROM DR THE HON DANIEL TSE.
TSE
ALL BUT THE MOST MR BARNES ADDED THAT THE REPORTS CONCERNED
THE EIGHT BATCHES ΤΟ WHICH DR RECENT RETURNEES, AND COVERED REFERRED.
GENERAL
TREATMENT
"THE GOVERNMENT WILL KEEP IN TOUCH OVER THE
REPORT'S FROM THE GIVEN TO VOLUNTARY RETURNEES BY MEANS OF PERIODIC
FROM VISITORS BRITISH EMBASSY IN HANOI AND FROM INFORMATION RECEIVED
THEIR WELFARE, MR BARNES TO VIETNAM WHO VISIT RETURNEES TO ASSESS EMPHASISED.
BY
HE POINTED OUT THAT SO FAR SUCH COMPLAINTS AS HAD BEEN MADE LACK OF INFORMATION RETURNEES HAD TURNED OUT TO BE BASED UPON A
ON
THEIR RIGHTS AND THEIR PART ABOUT
RATHER ENTITLEMENTS,
THAN ANY UNHELPFULNESS ON THE PART OF LOCAL OFFICIALS.
THEM 10
IN HAD,
OCCASIONALLY SOME ENTITLEMENT BY UPON WHEREAS,
RECEIVED FACT,
THERE HAD ALSO BEEN CASES OF RETURNEES BEING TOO EMBARRASSED TO
THEY WERK ENTITLED; AND SEEK THE HELP TO WHICH
SECURE MORE THAN THEIR RETURNEES HAD ATTEMPTED TO
NO HELP HAD CLAIMING THAT
BEEN EXTENDED
THEY INVESTIGATION, IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT ASSISTANCE.
MR BARNES RXPLAINED THAT THE BOAT PEOPLE RETURNED TO THEIR FAMILY SYSTEM, WHICH WAS ONE OF VILLAGES WHERE THE EXTENDED STRENGTHS OF VIETNAMESE SOCIETY, PROVIDED ASSISTANCE.
OWN
THE
WAS
THE UNHCR PAYMENT OF US$30 PER HEAD PER MONTH FOR ONE YEAR
A WELCOME PAID IN LOCAL CURRENCY, QUARTERLY IN ADVANCE, AND THIS WAS SOURCE OF INCOME DURING THE INITIAL SETTLING-IN PERIOD AFTER RETURN.
"UNEMPLOYMENT IS, OF COURSE, A SEVERE PROBLEM THROUGHOUT
SO FOR THOSE VIETNAM AND PARTICULARLY
VIETNAMESE WHO HAD BECOME
MR BARNES SAID. INACTIVE AFTER LONG PERIODS IN CAMPS IN HONG KONG,
TO HE SAID THOSE WITHOUT SPECIAL SKILLS HAD FOUND IT DIFFICULT
MANY BECAME SMALL- OBTAIN EMPLOYMENT, BUT IT HAD BEEN OBSERVED THAT SCALE TRADERS AND SHOPKEEPERS.
MR BARNES SAID THE GOVERNMENT UNDERSTOOD THAT HAD ONE MONITOR AT PRESENT IN VIETNAM.
THE UNHCR ONLY
/THE MONITOR'S