XN000022-1988-06-15 — Page 5

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1988

THE DETENTION CENTRE, PURPOSE IN A FEW DAYS' TIME, SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

ΤΟ BE WOULD

VACATED AND ADAPTED FOR THIS BE MANNED BY THE CORRECTIONAL

"THERE IS NO SIMPLE SOLUTION TO THE SERIOUS PROBLEM WHICH CONFRONTS US, WE RECOGNISE THAT WE CANNOT SOLVE IT ON OUR OWN AND THAT INTRODUCTION OF SCREENING IS NOT THE WHOLE ANSWER," SIR DAVID

SAID.

"BUT WE FEEL MOST STRONGLY THAT A STAND MUST BE TAKEN HERE AND NOW AGAINST THE CONTINUING OUTFLOW OF BOAT PEOPLE FROM VIETNAM, THE VAST MAJORITY OF WHOM HAVE NO CLAIM TO BE TREATED AS REFUGEES IN THE NORMAL INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED SENSE."

**

REFERRING TO THE 16,000 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES NOW IN HONG KONG OF WHOM MORE THAN 3,700 HAD BEEN HERE FOR MORE THAN THREE YEARS, SIR DAVID SAID THESE PEOPLE HAD BEEN ACCEPTED BY HONG KONG AS REFUGEES AND MUST CONTINUE TO BE TREATED AS SUCH.

"DURABLE SOLUTIONS FOR THESE REFUGEES MUST BE FOUND, MEANS PRIMARILY RESETTLEMENT IN THIRD COUNTRIES, HE SAID.

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AND THAT

"BUT TO CONTINUE TO ACCEPT ALL ARRIVALS AS REFUGEES WOULD PREJUDICE EVEN FURTHER THE PROSPECTS FOR RESETTLEMENT OF THOSE ALREADY HERE AND INCREASE THE FRUSTRATION WHICH IS ALREADY WIDESPREAD AMONGST THEM.

"I

SIR DAVID STRESSED THAT HONG KONG HAD GREATER NEED OF RESETTLEMENT PLACES NOW THAN AT ANY TIME IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.

LOOKING BACK ON THE PAST 13 YEARS SINCE THE BOAT PEOPLE BEGAN TO COME TO HONG KONG IN 1975, SIR DAVID SAID THE TERRITORY HAD GIVEN TEMPORARY ASYLUM TO NO LESS THAN 123,000 BOAT PEOPLE AND ITSELF HAD RESETTLED SOME 15,000 INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES.

"WE HAVE NEVER FORCED ANYONE AWAY, NOR WOULD WE CONTEMPLATE DOING SO NOW," HE SAID.

"PUSHING, OR TOWING, SMALL, LEAKY BOATS FILLED WITH MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN BACK OUT TO SEA WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN OUR HUMANE AND CARING COMMUNITY.

"I

WE SHALL CONTINUE THEREFORE TO OBSERVE OUR INTERNATIONAL JUMANITARIAN OBLIGATIONS."

HOWEVER, SIR DAVID SAID A

AND

DURABLE HUMANITARIAN WAY MUST BE

FOUND OF STOPPING THESE MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN FROM PUTTING ΤΟ SEA IN SMALL BOATS IN THE HOPE OF MAKING A NEW LIFE FOR THEMSELVES IN WESTERN COUNTRIES.

"IT IS