XN000022-1985-02-14 — Page 2

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1985

BOAT PEOPLE DECIDE AGAINST CLOSED CENTRES

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FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR A GROUP OF 39 VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WHO SPENT NEARLY SEVEN WEEKS SAILING FROM NORTH VIETNAM TO HONG KONG ELECTED TO CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY RATHER THAN ENTER ONE OF THE TERRITORY'S CLOSED CENTRES.

THEY WERE PROVIDED WITH A FRESH SUPPLY OF FOOD AND WATER AND MINOR REPAIRS WERE CARRIED OUT TO THEIR BOAT ENGINE BEFORE THEY SAILED ON.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE 39 WERE FROM A BOATLOAD OF 44 INTERCEPTED BY MARINE POLICE OFF SIU AH CHAU TO THE SOUTHWEST OF HONG KONG ON THE EVENING OF FEBRUARY 7. THEY HAD LEFT GUANGNING IN NORTH VIETNAM ON DECEMBER 20 LAST YEAR.

AFTER THE ENGINE REPAIRS WERE CARRIED OUT BY A MARINE DEPARTMENT CONTRACTOR, THE 39 LEFT HONG KONG ON THE AFTERNOON OF FEBRUARY 9.

THE FIVE WHO CHOSE TO STAY WERE TRANSFERRED TO CHI MA WAN CLOSED CENTRE TWO DAYS LATER, ON FEBRUARY 11.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE GROUP WERE AWARE OF THE GOVERNMENT POLICY TO DETA IN NEW ARRIVALS FROM VIETNAM IN CLOSED CENTRES, AND ALL BUT THE FIVE ELECTED TO CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY.

THIS WAS THE FOURTH TIME SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE CLOSED CENTRE POLICY THAT A GROUP OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE HAD OPTED TO CONTINUE THE IR JOURNEY OUT OF HONG KONG WATERS.

IN THE FIRST CASE ON MAY 20, 1983 A GROUP OF 14 ARRIVED IN HONG KONG BUT LEFT TWO DAYS LATER. THE SECOND GROUP OF 17 ARRIVED ON APRIL 19, 1984 AND LEFT FIVE DAYS LATER. THE THIRD GROUP CF 14 ARRIVED ON AUGUST 9 LAST YEAR AND LEFT ON AUGUST 15.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT IN ALL CASES EVERY REQUEST THAT

THE BOAT PEOPLE MADE FOR SUPPLIES OR REPAIRS TO THEIR VESSELS HAD BEEN COMPLIED WITH.

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