26
WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 1990
TT
THE FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY, INFORMED ANALYSIS OF THE NATURE OF HONG RESPECT, THE SURVEY RESULTS ARE A USEFUL TRADE STATISTICS.
tr
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HOWEVER, FACILITATE A MORE
KONG-CHINA TRADE. SUPPLEMENT
IN THIS TO THE REGULAR
SURVEY RESULTS FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 1989 AND MORE DETAILED STATISTICS FOR JANUARY DECEMBER 1989 WILL BE INCLUDED IN PART I OF THE MARCH 1990 ISSUE OF THE "HONG KONG EXTERNAL TRADE" WHICH WILL BE ON SALE NEXT WEEK AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS Centre, GROUND FLOOR, GPO BUILDING, CONNAUGHT PLACE, CENTRAL AT $27 PER COPY.
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GOVT REPLY TO UNHCR ON SEARCH AT WHITEHEAD
*
* * *
THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR
ALISTAIR ASPREY,
HAS DENIED
CHARGES BY THE UNHCR THAT TEAR GAS WAS
EXCESSIVELY USED DURING THE WEAPONS SEARCH ON MAY 4 AT THE WHITEHEAD DETENTION CENTRE.
HE HAS ALSO REJECTED CLAIMS THAT LARGE NUMBERS OF BOAT PEOPLE WERE LEFT IN THE OPEN IN POOR WEATHER AND WITHOUT ADEQUATE TOILET FACILITIES FOR THE FULL DURATION OF THE SEARCH.
IN HIS REPLY LETTER TO THE UNHCR, MR ASPREY SAID PEPPER FOG, A MILD FORM OF TEAR GAS, WAS USED IN OVERCOMING VIOLENT RESISTANCE FROM PEOPLE WHO HAD BARRICADED THEMSELVES INSIDE THE DORMITORY BLOCKS.
"C.S. GAS WAS ALSO USED, BUT I DO NOT CONSIDER THE USE OF EITHER TO HAVE BEEN EXCESSIVE," HE SAID.
MR ASPREY POINTED OUT THAT AS THE POLICE COMPLETED THE SEARCH OF EACH DORMITORY, THE RESIDENTS WERE PERMITTED TO RETURN.
THE SEARCH WAS A LONG AND COMPLEX OPERATION WHICH WAS NOT COMPLETED UNTIL MID-AFTERNOON. HOWEVER, NONE OF THE VBP WERE LEFT IN THE OPEN FOR THE DURATION OF THE WHOLE OPERATION AS THE UNHCR CLAIMS," HE SAID.
THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY EMPHASISED THAT THE POLICE AND CSD OFFICERS CARRIED OUT THEIR DUTIES WITH THE MINIMUM DEGREE OF FORCE.
"THERE WAS A REAL THREAT TO THEIR SAFETY, AS THERE WAS TO THE SAFETY OF THE CAMP POPULATION IN GENERAL FROM THE VIOLENT MINORITY, AND I BELIEVE THAT THESE OFFICERS BEHAVED WITH GREAT DISCIPLINE AND RESTRAINT IN VERY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES,' HE SAID.
MR ASPREY SAID HE HAD NOT YET RECEIVED ANY SPECIFIC CLAIM OF ILL-TREATMENT DURING THE SEARCH BUT ANY SUCH CLAIM WOULD BE THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED BY THE COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE POLICE OFFICE (CAPO).
/HE ALSO