XN000022-1989-06-13 — Page 6

TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 1989

5

HE SAID THE COMMUNITY HAD BECOME INCREASINGLY UNWILLING TOLERATE THE ARRIVAL OF A NEVER ENDING FLOOD OF PEOPLE FROM VIETNAM.

TO

"THEY ASK WHEN IT WILL EVER STOP. UNDERSTANDABLY THEY BEGRUDGE THE RESOURCES AND THE EFFORTS WHICH THEY HAVE DEVOTED ΤΟ THESE UNINVITED GUESTS AT THIS DIFFICULT TIME IN HONG KONG'S HISTORY WHEN SO MANY OTHER PRIORITIES ARE CLAMOURING FOR OUR ATTENTION, SIR DAVID SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE SUMS SPENT WERE NOT SMALL AND THAT COSTS HAD BEEN RISING SHARPLY: US$120 MILLION IN THE LAST FIVE YEAAS, OF WHICH US$64 MILLION WAS SPENT LAST YEAR ALONE.

'PEOPLE QUESTION WHETHER THE GENEROSITY WE HAVE SHOWN MANY YEARS IS NOT NOW BEING ABUSED, SIR DAVID SAID.

FOR SO

40

"ALL

TO THIS AGAINST A BACKGROUND WHERE EVERY DAY SOME 30

VIETNAM, OFTEN HAVE PEOPLE WHO, UNLIKE THE BOAT PEOPLE FROM

CLOSE CONNECTIONS WITH RELATIVES IN HONG KONG, HAVE TO BE RETURNED TO CHINA BECAUSE THEY HAVE COME INTO THE TERRITORY ILLEGALLY

WE HAVE NO ROOM FOR THEM," HE POINTED OUT.

ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE 1979 GENEVA STILL FLOODING IN, HONG KONG

AND

WERE

BREAKING DOWN AND PEOPLE INTRODUCED A POLICY OF SCREENING IN ΤΟ FIND OUT WHEREBY ALL WHO ARRIVED WERE SCREENED

RULES REFUGEES UNDER ACCEPTED

AS

INTERNATIONAL

LAST YEAR

JUNE WHETHER THEY APPROVED BY THE UNHCR.

INDEED SO ELABORATE

"THE PROCESS HAS BEEN CAREFUL, ELABORATE THAT UP TO NOW IT HAS BEEN TOO SLOW, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

||

"CAREFUL EXAMINATION OF A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL CASES HAS SHOWN THAT SOME 90 PER CENT OF THOSE SCREENED SO FAR DO QUALIFY FOR REFUGEE STATUS UNDER NORMAL INTERNATIONAL CRITERIA.

NOT

"THEIR REASONS FOR LEAVING VIETNAM HAVE BEEN ESSENTIALLY 11 SIR ECONOMIC. THEIR CHANCES OF RESETTLEMENT ARE THUS VIRTUALLY NIL, DAVID EXPLAINED.

BUT

DESPITE THE CHANGE IN POLICY LARGE NUMBERS HAD TO POUR INTO HONG KONG.

CONTINUED

ARRIVED IN HONG KONG "THIS YEAR SOME 18,000 PEOPLE HAVE BOAT FROM VIETNAM. 4,500 OF THESE HAVE ARRIVED SINCE THE BEGINNING JUNE, SIR DAVID SAID.

I

BY OF

HAD AN "EVERY DAY FOR THE LAST SIX WEEKS WE HAVE

AVERAGE OF SAILING INTO HONG KONG ON SMALL OVER 300 MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN BOATS.

"WE SIR DAVID SAID.

LOOK TO ARRANGEMENTS WHICH DEAL WITH ALL

"THE SITUATION IS NOW CRITICAL, THIS CONFERENCE TO PROVIDE NEW ASPECTS OF THE PROBLEM WE NOW FACE.

GONE ON SOLUTION."

"ONLY THEN CAN WE CONTINUE TO PLAY OUR PART, THIS PROBLEM

OUT TOO LONG. IT NOW CRIES

FOR A REALISTIC

AND

HAS LASTING

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