XN000022-1987-01-07 — Page 14

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1987

HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SHOULD ASK THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO OBTAIN AN ASSURANCE FROM VIETNAM THAT REFUGEES WOULD NOT BE TREATED INHUMANELY ON REPATRIATION TO THE COUNTRY AND, FOLLOWING THE ASSURANCE, THAT ALL FUTURE REFUGEES BE REPATRIATED TO VIETNAM.

MR LEE SAID THAT BRITAIN HAD NEVER BEEN HELPFUL IN GRANTING RESETTLEMENT, BUT VISITORS FROM BRITAIN HAD HOWEVER HARSHLY ATTACKED THE CLOSED CAMP POLICY, IN PUBLIC DOCUMENTS SUCH AS THE REFUGEE ACTION REPORT.

+IT IS EASY TO SAY KIND THINGS BY WORD OF MOUTH AND DENOUNCE OTHER PEOPLE BUT GIVE THEM NO HELP AT ALL, HE SAID.

MR LEE NOTED THAT VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WERE LIKELY TO BE LEFT BEHIND IN HONG KONG FOR PROLONGED PERIODS AND CONSTITUTE A HEAVY BURDEN ON RESOURCES WHICH COULD AMOUNT TO HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR.

HE SAID HE FELT THAT IT WAS BLATANT INJUSTICE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THAT VIETNAMESE HAD COME HERE WITH THE MOTIVE OF A BETTER LIFE, BUT THE ENORMOUS BURDEN THEY IMPOSED ON HONG KONG RESOURCES MIGHT LOWER OUR OWN LIVING STANDARD.

FURTHER BIG REFUGEE EXODUS UNLIKELY *****

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE A TOUGHER STAND IN URGING BRITAIN TO INCREASE ITS INTAKE OF VIETNAMESE REFUGESS, THE HON LIU LIT- FOR SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE, MR LIU ALSO URGED BRITAIN TO EXPEDITE THE PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS BY VIETNAMESE REFUGEES SEAKING EMIGRATION.

HE ALSO SAID THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN VIETNAM WAS BECOMING MORE STABLE AND POLITICAL PERSECUTION WERE BEING TONED DOWN, MAKING A FURTHER BIG EXODUS OF REFUGEES UNLIKELY.

+HENCE, EVEN IF HONG KONG DECLARES THAT IT WILL NO LONGER PROVIDE ANY SHELTER FOR REFUGEES, I BELIEVE IT WILL NOT BE ACCUSED OF BEING INHUMANE BY OTHER COUNTRIES, HE ADDED.

MR LIU SAID THE REMAINING PROBLEM WAS HOW TO DEAL WITH THOSE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WHO WERE NOT ABLE, AND PERHAPS WOULD NEVER BE ABLE, TO LEAVE HONG KONG.

THIS PROBLEM