· 6
103 Vietnamese transferred from High Island Centre
All 103 Vietnamese migrants scheduled for return to Vietnam under the Orderly Repatriation Programme next week voluntarily left the High Island Detention Centre early this (Friday) afternoon for Victoria Prison.
They will undergo pre-flight documentation and medical checks before leaving Hong Kong on Wednesday (January 18).
The Refugee Co-ordinator, Mr Brian Bresnihan, said a transfer exercise was originally planned for tomorrow afternoon. It had been brought forward 24 hours in the light of the fire in the centre early this morning.
The vast majority of the Vietnamese migrants presented themselves for transfer to Victoria Prison before noon. The last group of five volunteered shortly before 2 pm.
At no stage was it necessary to deploy officers of the Correctional Services Department or the Police to remove Vietnamese migrants out of the
camp.
In a subsequent search of the camp many home- made weapons were found and eight Vietnamese migrants suspected of involvement in the earlier fire were taken away for inquiries.
The fire broke out simultaneously in four dormitories which suggests that arson was involved.
Mr Bresnihan said he deplored the fire which could have had very serious consequences. "Fortunately, no Vietnamese migrants were injured. The Police are still investigating the incident."
Mr Bresnihan stressed that the Government remained determined to repatriate all screened-out Vietnamese migrants to Vietnam.
End/Friday, January 13, 1995