XN000022-1984-09-11 — Page 8

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1984

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WITHIN A WEEK OF THE WOMAN'S ARRIVAL SHE WAS ARRESTED AND REPATRIATED WHILE HER MOTHER AND THE FACTORY PROPRIETOR ARE NOW ON BAIL PENDING FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS AND SUBSEQUENTLY A COURT APPEARANCE.

ANOTHER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT DICED WITH DEATH TO SWIM TO HONG KONG, MANAGED TO MAKE HIS WAY INTO THE URBAN AREA BUT ON THE SAME DAY WAS PICKED UP IN A ROUTINE POLICE STOP AND SEARCH.

THESE THREE EVENTS ARE EXAMPLES OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO THOUGHT THEY COULD SLIP INTO HONG KONG, FIND EMPLOYMENT AND SETTLE HERE PERMANENTLY.

''BUT WHAT THEY AND THE MANY OTHER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS DID NOT REALISE IS THAT THEY ARE LIKELY TO BE PICKED UP AND REPATRIATED WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF THEIR ARRIVAL. A POLICE SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

HE POINTED THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO SURVIVE AS UNDERGROUND CITIZENS" - ALL AVENUES TO SURVIVAL ARE CLOSED:

THEY CANNOT FIND EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE WITHOUT IDENTITY CARDS EMPLOYERS WOULD FACE PROSECUTION.

THEY CANNOT OBTAIN ANY SERVICES FROM GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WITHOUT IDENTITY CARDS.

AND THEY CANNOT MOVE ABOUT FREELY BECAUSE OF THE HIGH RISK OF BEING PICKED UP BY POLICE IN SPOT CHECKS.

REGARDING POLICE VIGILANCE AND ACTION, THE SPOKESMAN SAID 66 PER CENT OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FERRETED OUT BETWEEN LATE JUNE AND LAST MONTH WERE LOCATED THROUGH STOP AND SEARCH OPERATIONS.

OTHER STATISTICS FOR THIS PERIOD SHOWED THAT 58 PER CENT OF THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WERE ARRESTED WITHIN 10 DAYS OF THEIR ARRIVAL. OF THESE, 84 PER CENT WERE ARRESTED IN FIVE DAYS OR LESS.

HE STRESSED THAT CONTRARY TO PERSISTENT RUMOURS SPREAD BY SNAKE-HEADS INTERESTED ONLY IN MONEY AND NOT THE SAFETY OF THEIR HUMAN CARGO, THERE WILL BE NO AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

THE MEASURES INTRODUCED IN 1980 - EMPOWERING SECURITY FORCES TO CHECK IDENTITIES AND OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR RESIDENTS TO CARRY PROOF OF IDENTITY - ARE AS ESSENTIAL NOW AS THEY WERE FOUR YEARS AGO AND IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE TO ABANDON THEM, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

HE ADDED THAT APART FROM CONTINUOUS CHECKS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY, THERE WAS NO QUESTION OF ANY SLACKENING OF ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION EFFORTS AT THE BORDER.

''THE POLICE AND THE SECURITY FORCES WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN A HIGH STATE OF VIGILANCE BOTH AT THE LAND AND SEA BORDERS,' HE SAID.