XN000022-1989-11-20 — Page 6

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1989

MR BARNES EXPLAINED THAT THE OFFICERS INVOLVED WERE DIRECTED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO MOVE THE 48 PEOPLE CONCERNED WITHOUT JEOPARDISING THE SAFETY OF THOSE DIRECTLY INVOLVED OR THE OTHER INMATES OF THE CHI MA WAN CAMP.

"THEY CARRIED OUT THIS POTENTIALLY DIFFICULT OPERATION SERIOUS INCIDENT. HE SAID.

"ONLY A MINIMUM

WITHOUT

DEGREE OF FORCE WAS USED. THIS WAS ONLY EMPLOYED WHEN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY AND THE SMALL NUMBER OF MINOR INJURIES RECEIVED BY SOME OF THE CSD OFFICERS AND THE VIETNAMESE TESTIFIES TO THIS."

COMMENTING ON SOME OF THE SPECIFIC POINTS MADE IN THE UNHCR REPORTS, MR BARNES SAID THAT ALL THOSE BOAT PEOPLE MOVED WERE EXAMINED BY MEDICAL OFFICERS AT CHI MA WAN AND AGAIN AT PHOENIX HOUSE.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE UNHCR'S OWN MEDICAL REPORTS CONFIRMED THOSE OF THE CSD MEDICAL OFFICERS IN THAT THEY GAVE DETAILS OF MINOR INJURIES RECEIVED BY FIVK VIETNAMESE.

THAT

THE MOST SERIOUS OF THE UNHCR'S INJURY REPORTS ALLEGED ONE PERSON HAD SUSTAINED A FRACTURED RIB. HE SAID. AND X-RAYS AND FURTHER MEDICAL REPORTS HAD CONFIRMED THE ORIGINAL. ASSESSMENT THAT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE AND THAT NO FRACTURE WAS SUSTAINED.

MR BARNES ALSO REFUTED THE UNHCR'S ALLEGATIONS THAT PEOPLE AT CHI MA WAN WERE RENDERED UNCONSCIOUS AND HAD TO BE REVIVED BY NURSES.

"NONE WAS STUNNED OR BECAME UNCONSCIOUS OR WAS KNOCKED ΤΟ THE GROUND." HE SAID.

AS TO THE TIMING OF THE TRANSFER FROM THE HUTS. MR BARNES CLARIFIED THAT THE OPERATION BEGAN AT 6 AM. NOT 4 AM, AND DESCRIBED THIS AS "NOT AT ALL UNUSUAL" FOR MOVEMENTS FROM AN OUTER ISLAND ΤΟ A MAINLAND SITE.

HE EMPHASISED THAT THE OPERATION HAD BEEN PLANNED WITH GREAT CARE AS ON A PREVIOUS ATTEMPT. SOME WEEKS EARLIER. THE CSD HAD ENCOUNTERED IMMEDIATE THREATS OF VIOLENCE AND ARSON AND A FLAT REFUSAL BY BOAT PEOPLE TO MOVE FROM THEIR HUT.

"IT WAS THEREFORE ESSENTIAL ON THIS OCCASION TO EMPLOY SUFFICIENT STAFF TO ENSURE THE SAFETY BOTH OF THE PEOPLE TO BE MOVED AND OF ALL OTHER INMATES OF CHI MA WAN."

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