XN000022-1989-06-13 — Page 3

TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 1989

IF

THERE IS A DELAY BETWEEN ARRIVAL AND REPATRIATION THEN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SHOULD SHOULDER THE COST.

THE

THE GOVERNOR SAID A COMPREHENSIVE

DISCUSSED BY THE CONFERENCE.

PLAN OF ACTION WAS BEING

"IF THIS PLAN IS TO ADDRESS THE ROOT OF

ALL COVERING NEED TO BE TRULY COMPREHENSIVE,

T

LISTED, HE SAID.

"ABOVE ALL, IT WILL HAVE TO REDUCE

THE PROBLEM IT WILL THE ASPECTS I HAVE

THE OUTFLOW FROM VIETNAM TO RETURN

AND TO ENSURE THAT PROPER ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE PUT IN PLACE THOSE WHO ARE FOUND NOT TO BE REFUGEES.'

SIR DAVID SAID THAT WITHOUT THIS HONG KONG COULD TO PLAY ITS PART BY PROVIDING FIRST ASYLUM. AN UNBALANCED BE THE SOUND OF ONLY ONE HAND CLAPPING.

NOT CONTINUE PLAN WOULD

BACK TO

ON THE COMMENT THAT IT WAS WRONG OR INHUMANE TO SEND VIETNAM THOSE WHO DID NOT VOLUNTEER TO GO, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "BUT IS IT? THIS IS WHAT IS DONE WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ALL OVER THE WORLD: THOSE WHO RETURN TO OF COURSE THERE MUST BE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ALL BE DECENTLY TREATED; AND THE ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD BE MONITORED."

TO ENCOURAGE

BOATS THE WORLD

HOWEVER, HE POINTED OUT THE REAL INHUMANITY WAS PEOPLE TO LEAVE VIETNAM WITH WOMEN AND YOUNG CHILDREN IN UNSAFE IN THE HOPE OF GETTING TO DESTINATIONS ON THE FAR SIDE OF WHICH THEY WOULD NEVER REACH BECAUSE THE DOORS WERE CLOSED.

" THE

PEOPLE SHOULD "THE REAL INHUMANITY IS THAT THESE UNFORTUNATE

HOPE OF RESETTLEMENT, HAVE TO BE CONFINED IN GOVERNOR ADDED.

CAMPS

WITH NO

"AS THE HIGH COMMISSIONER

FOR

REFUGEES HAS

RETURNS ARE FAR FEWER THAN NEW ARRIVALS. THE LOGIC THAT IN THE INTERESTS OF THE BOAT PEOPLE THEMSELVES SHOULD URGENTLY BE PUT IN PLACE.

SAID,

VOLUNTARY

IS INESCAPABLE

NEW ARRANGEMENTS

"THE HUMANE COURSE IS TO SET UP, AND SET UP QUICKLY, ARRANGEMENTS FOR RETURNING TO THEIR OWN COUNTRY THESE PEOPLE NOT REFUGEES,"

PRACTICAL WHO ARE

SIR DAVID GOVERNMENT ALONE.

SAID THIS WAS

NOT THE

OF VIEW

THE

HONG KONG

"SOME OF THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WORKING IN THE

REPATRIATION MANDATORY SEEING KONG ARE INCREASINGLY HUMANE ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM,

CAMPS IN AS THE

HONG ONLY

H

HE SAID.

BE SET

OF

"WE ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH THE STEERING COMMITTEE TO

THE VERY EARLY IMPLEMENTATION

UP BY THIS CONFERENCE TO ACHIEVE SUCH A SCHEME. THE PROCESS SHOULD START AT ONCE."

THE GOVERNOR