XN000022-1989-02-15 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1989

MR BARNES SAID THAT IN USING THE

TERMS "REFUGEE" AND "BOAT PEOPLE" IN HIS REPLY HE WISHED TO MAKE CLEAR THAT "REFUGEE" MEANT SOMEONE WHO ARRIVED FROM VIETNAM WITHOUT NORMAL DOCUMENTATION BEFORE JUNE 16, 1988, OR SUCH A PERSON WHO ARRIVED AFTER THAT DATE WHO HAD BEEN CLASSIFIED AS A REFUGEE AS A RESULT OF SCREENING.

"BOAT PEOPLE" WAS A MORE GENERIC TERM MEANING THOSE WHO ARRIVED ON OR AFTER JUNE 16 1988 WHO HAD EITHER NOT BEEN SCREENED OR HAD BEEN SCREENED-OUT AS NON-REFUGEES.

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MR BARNES SAID REPATRIATION WAS THE ONLY LOGICAL DURABLE SOLUTION AVAILABLE FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO DID NOT QUALIFY FOR REFUGEE STATUS. THIS COVERED BOTH VOLUNTARY AND INVOLUNTARY RETURNS.

"WE ARE ENCOURAGED BY THE

ESTABLISHING ARRANGEMENTS WITH

FI

PROGRESS WHICH HAS BEEN MADE IN UNHCR AND WITH THE VIETNAMESE

AUTHORITIES FOR REPATRIATION, HE SAID.

"WE HAVE MADE A START WITH THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPRESSED A WISH TO RETURN AND WE HOPE THAT MORE WILL VOLUNTEER ΤΟ RETURN ONCE THIS CHANNEL BECOMES ESTABLISHED."

MR BARNES SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD AGREED TO ADOPT A LIBERALISATION PROGRAMME FROM JUNE LAST YEAR APPLYING ONLY TO THE CLOSED CAMPS FOR REFUGEES LEADING TO THE UNHCR TAKING OVER THE MANAGEMENT ROLE THROUGH ITS OPERATIONAL AGENCIES.

THERE WERE THREE MAIN REASONS FOR THE ADOPTION OF THIS POLICY. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE CLOSED CAMP POLICY WAS INTRODUCED IN 1982 AND WAS INTENDED TO ACT AS A DETERRENT ΤΟ PEOPLE WHO WERE CONSIDERING LEAVING VIETNAM FOR HONG KONG.

BY EARLY 1988, WITH INCREASING NUMBERS OF BOAT PEOPLE ARRIVING FROM VIETNAM, IT HAD BECOME CLEAR THAT THE DETERRENT EFFECT OF THE CLOSED CAMP POLICY WOULD NO LONGER SERVE ANY USEFUL PURPOSE AND WOULD INDEED BE POSITIVELY DETRIMENTAL TO THEIR RESETTLEMENT PROSPECTS, AND THAT A NEW INITIATIVE WAS REQUIRED.

IT WAS THEREFORE DECIDED TO EMBARK ON THE PRESENT SCREENING POLICY FOR DETERMINING REFUGEE STATUS.

"

'FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN GRANTED REFUGEE STATUS, ONLY PRACTICAL DURABLE SOLUTION IS RESETTLEMENT,

THE

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MR BARNES SAID.

I.E.

REFUGEE

"THE INTENTION OF THE PROGRAMME OF LIBERALISATION ALLOWING PEOPLE TO TAKE UP OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT AND SCHOOLING, IS TO IMPROVE SUBSTANTIALLY THE RESETTLEMENT PROSPECTS OF THE POPULATION AND THUS TO HASTEN THEIR DEPARTURE FROM HONG KONG.

MR BARNES SAID THE LIBERALISATION PROGRAMME FINANCIALLY BENEFICIAL FOR HONG KONG.

TI

WOULD

BE

/"ONCE THE