XN000022-1990-08-29 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1990

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VOLUNTEERS RETURN TO VIETNAM

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A GROUP OF 140 VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE TODAY (WEDNESDAY) RETURNED TO VIETNAM UNDER THE UNHCR'S VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME.

THIS BROUGHT TO 445 THE NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE WHO RETURNED HOME VOLUNTARILY THIS MONTH.

THE FIGURE FOR LAST MONTH WAS 634.

A TOTAL OF 4,239 HAVE RETURNED TO VIETNAM SINCE THE PROGRAMME OF VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION STARTED 18 MONTHS AGO. THE NUMBER OF RETURNEES INCREASED STEADILY AS THE PROGRAMME WAS IMPLEMENTED, FROM 74 IN MARCH 1989 TO 298 IN MARCH THIS YEAR, AND THEN TO 634 IN JULY THIS YEAR, BEFORE THE REVERSAL THIS MONTH.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD SECURED AN AGREEMENT WITH HANOI THAT 1,000 VOLUNTEERS A MONTH WOULD BE ACCEPTED BACK, FROM MAY THIS YEAR.

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"BUT THE NUMBER WHO ACTUALLY RETURNED WAS ALWAYS WELL SHORT OF THIS FIGURE BECAUSE OF INSUFFICIENT VOLUNTEERS, THE SPOKESMAN NOTED.

"EVERY EFFORT IS MADE TO ENCOURAGE BOAT PEOPLE ΤΟ RETURN ΤΟ

VIETNAM.

"A VIDEO TAPE ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE RETURNED IS SHOWN IN VARIOUS DETENTION CENTRES. IT DEMONSTRATES THAT RETURNEES HAVE NOT BEEN ILL TREATED AND ARE LEADING NORMAL LIVES BACK IN THEIR HOMETOWN.

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THE UNHOR HAVE ALSO BEEN PROVIDING COUNSELLING то THE BOAT PEOPLE ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES OPEN TO THEM TO RETURN VOLUNTARILY ΤΟ VIETNAM.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT EVEN WITH THE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME AND THE COMPARATIVELY SMALLER NUMBER OF NEW ARRIVALS IN 1990, THE OVERALL VIETNAMESE POPULATION IN HONG KONG HAD NOT DECREASED BECAUSE THE COMBINED ARRIVAL FIGURE AND BIRTH RATE EXCEEDED THE DEPARTURE RATE.

THERE ARE CURRENTLY MORE THAN 44,000 VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG, IN ADDITION ΤΟ 9,600 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AWAITING RESETTLEMENT.

THE SPOKESMAN REITERATED THAT THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS' OBJECTIVE REMAINED THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION, INCLUDING THE RETURN OF ALL NON-REFUGEES TO VIETNAM.

"OUR EFFORTS ARE DIRECTED AT REACHING A CONSENSUS TOWARDS THIS END AT THE NEXT MEETING OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE," HE ADDED.

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