XN000022-1989-11-29 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1989

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MANDATORY REPATRIATION IS THE BEST OPTION

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MANDATORY REPATRIATION IS THE BEST ARRANGEMENT FOR EVERYONE CONCERNED, INCLUDING THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SCREENED OUT AS NON-REFUGEES, THE HON ALLEN LEE SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL WAS LEADING OFF DEBATE ON HIS MOTION CALLING FOR URGENT MANDATORY REPATRIATION OF BOAT PEOPLE CLASSIFIED AS NON-REFUGEES.

HIS MOTION READS: "THAT THIS COUNCIL URGES HER MAJE

MAJESTY'S

GOVERNMENT TO SECURE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WHETHER THROUGH THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION AGREED AT GENEVA IN JUNE THIS YEAR OR THROUGH BILATERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE VIETNAMESE

URGENT GOVERNMENT, THE

MANDATORY REPATRIATION FROM HONG KONG VIETNAM OF ALL VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE CLASSIFIED AS NON-REFUGEES".

ΤΟ

WAS

REVIEWING THE BOAT PEOPLE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG OVER THE PAST 14 YEARS, MR LEE SAID THE PROSPECT SEEMED BLEAK UNLESS A SOLUTION FOUND QUICKLY.

HE SAID MANDATORY REPATRIATION WAS THE BEST ARRANGEMENT NOT ONLY FOR HONG KONG BUT FOR THE NON-REFUGEES THEMSELVES AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY HAD NO HOPE OF GOING WHERE THEY WANTED TO.

AN

THEY WERE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, AND MANDATORY REPATRIATION WAS INTERNATIONALLY

FOR DEALING WITH ILLEGAL

IMMIGRANTS.

ACCEPTED METHOD

"IF AN ARRANGEMENT IS MADE WHEREBY THEY CAN RETURN

TO VIETNAM WITH PRACTICAL ASSISTANCE AND SUPERVISION IN A HUMANE AND DIGNIFIED MANNER, AND WITH THE ASSURANCE THAT THEY WILL NOT BF UNFAIRLY TREATED, THEY CAN END THEIR UNCERTAIN CONFINEMENT IN THE DETENTION CENTRES IN HONG KONG AND RESUME A NORMAL LIFE AT HOME,' HE SAID.

T

HE NOTED THAT THIS ARRANGEMENT WAS, IN FACT, AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF THE SCREENING POLICY.

MR LEE SAID THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION DRAWN UP IN GENEVA AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN JUNE THIS YEAR HELD OUT HOPE FOR A MORE REALISTIC SOLUTION FOR DEALING WITH THE NON-REFUGEES.

THE CONFERENCE HAD AGREED THAT NON-REFUGEES SHOULD BE REPATRIATED TO VIETNAM. IT HAD SET UP A STEERING COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE THE ADOPTION OF MEASURES WHICH WOULD ENSURE THAT NON-REFUGEES WOULD RETURN TO THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.

"THIS, IN MY VIEW, MUST BE CARRIED OUT WITHOUT DELAY. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE URGENTLY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE STRANDED IN HONG KONG. WE ARE STRETCHED го OUR LIMITS, HE SAID.

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H

/MR LEE

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