XN000022-1985-12-04 — Page 10

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1985

HE SAID SINCE THE PUBLICATION OF THE ORDER, THERE WERE CONSIDERABLE CONCERNS AMONG THE MINORITIES IN HONG KONG THAT THEY WOULD BECOME STATELESS.

EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE OFFERED BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZENSHIP (BOC) AFTER JULY 1, 1997, AND PROVISIONS WOULD BE MADE FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN BORN AFTER 1997 FOR BOC STATUS, THERE WAS A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY THAT THE THIRD GENERATION OF THE MINORITY GROUP WOULD BECOME STATELESS, HE SAID.

HE NOTED THAT THE INDIAN COMMUNITY HAD MADE REPRESENTATION TO UMELCO AND EXPRESSED STRONGLY THAT EVEN IF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT OBTAINED THE AGREEMENT FROM THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT THAT THE IR FUTURE DESCENDANTS COULD APPLY FOR CHINESE CITIZENSHIP, THEY WERE RELUCTANT, AT THIS STAGE, TO COMMIT THEMSELVES TO ACCEPTANCE.

+NO ONE SHOULD BECOME STATELESS DURING THE TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY NOR IN THE FUTURE,+ MR LEE SA ID.

+THESE MINORITIES IN HONG KONG CHOOSE TO BECOME BRITISH NATIONALS BECAUSE THEY HAVE FAITH IN THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.

+ IT IS UNETHICAL FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO TURN HER BACK AND WASH HER HANDS CLEAN WITH REGARD TO LESS THAN 10 000 MINORITIES IN THIS CATEGORY, HE ADDED.

MR LEE SAID ONE ARGUMENT HE HAD HEARD WAS THAT EVEN FOR A BRITISH CITIZEN LIVING OUTSIDE BRITAIN FOR TWO GENERATIONS, THE THIRD GENERATION WOULD LOSE BRITISH CITIZENSHIP,

THE DIFFERENCE, HE POINTED OUT, WAS THAT THE BRITISH CITIZEN HAD THE FREEDOM OF CHOICE WHILE THE MINORITIES IN HONG KONG DID NOT HAVE THIS FREEDOM OF CHOICE.

+ANOTHER ARGUMENT IS THAT IF BRITAIN OFFERS BRITISH CITIZENSHIP OR BDTC STATUS TO THE MINORITIES IN HONG KONG, WHAT ABOUT THE ETHNIC CHINESE BDTC PASSPORT HOLDERS? WHAT WOULD BE THE IR REACTION?

+1 HAVE TALKED TO QUITE A FEW CHINESE BDTC PASSPORT HOLDERS, I CAN SAFELY SAY THAT THEY HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THE MINORITIES OBTAINING BRITISH CITIZENSHIP OR RETAINING THE BDTC STATUS IN FACT, THEY WISH THE MINORITIES THE BEST OF LUCK, + MR LEE SA ID.

IT WAS A BRITISH RESPONSIBILITY TO OFFER THE LOCAL MINORITIES BRITISH CITIZENSHIP OR BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORY CITIZENSHIP IN ANOTHER BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORY, HE SAID.

+FAILING TO TAKE UP THIS RESPONSIBILITY IS UNTHINKABLE.

+1 HOPE MEMBERS OF THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT WOULD CONSIDER THIS CASE CAREFULLY, HE NOTED.

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