XN000022-1987-01-07 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1987

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IT MIGHT BE ARGUED BY THE GOVERNMENT THAT SUCH MEASURES COULD CREATE SECURITY RISKS, AND THAT SUCH MEASURES OUGHT NOT TO BE TAKEN UNTIL AFTER NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT WERE MORE OR LESS COMPLETED, HE SAID.

+BUT I CAN ARGUE WITH EQUAL FORCE THAT THE CURRENT SITUATION IS CRITICAL ENOUGH FOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO CONSIDER TAKING STRONGER ACTION IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR 5.5 MILLION HONG KONG CITIZENS WHO LIVE IN ONE OF THE MOST OVERCROWDED CITIES IN THE WORLD, HE SAID.

MR CHEONG-LEEN ADDED THAT IT WAS BECOMING MORE AND MORE ILLOGICAL AND INCONSISTENT, POLICY-WISE, FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO CONTINUE WITH ITS PRESENT POLICY OF REPATRIATING ALL CHINESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHEREAS ALL VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WERE TAKEN IN WITHOUT EXCEPTION.

CLOSED CAMPS FAIL TO DETER

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THE HON POON CHI-FAI TODAY (WEDNESDAY) CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO REVIEW ITS POLICY ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AND TO REFUSE TO CONTINUE ACCOMMODATING ECONOMIC REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM.

SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DURING THE ADJOURNMENT

DEBATE ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, MR POON SAID:

+IF SUCH REFUSAL IS ALLEGED TO BE INHUMANE, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK WHETHER IT IS HUMANE TO USE THE EXISTING CLOSED CAMPS AND TO REPATRIATE THE BOAT BRIDES AND CHILD ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.+

MR POON SAID CLOSED CAMPS HAD FAILED TO ACHIEVE ANY DETERRENT EFFECT, AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND OTHER RESOURCES WERE BEING SPENT ON HOUSING AND TAKING CARE OF THE REFUGEES.

+HENCE IT CAN BE SAID THAT WE HAVE DONE OUR VERY BEST AND ALL THAT WE CAN DO, HE SAID.

IN DECIDING ITS POLICY ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, MR POON SAID HONG KONG SHOULD ALSO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE PROBLEMS NOW FACED BY THE TERRITORY, THE CAPABILITY WHICH IT COULD AFFORD AND WHETHER SUCH A POLICY WOULD BE HARMFUL TO STABILITY AND PROSPERITY.

IT WOULD BE UNREALISTIC AND UNFAIR TO ALLEGE THAT HONG KONG WAS INHUMANE JUST BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT CONTINUE TO ACCEPT VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

/+IN FACT,

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