XN000022-1990-11-28 — Page 7

PROVISIONS TO TACKLE VIET PROBLEM AND CURB II TRAFFIC EXTENDED

DEAL PROVISIONS TO

WITH THE THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO EXTEND

TO PROVIDE PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE ASYLUM SEEKERS AND

MORE EFFECTIVE SANCTIONS AGAINST THE TRAFFIC IN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, AT LEAST FOR MORE YEAR.

ONE

THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON ALISTAIR ASPREY, SAID THIS

AND 18(3)

PARTS WHEN MOVING A MOTION WHICH SOUGHT TO EXTEND SECTION

FURTHER VIIA AND VIIB OF THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE FOR A THE END OF 1991.

HE EXPLAINED THAT SECTION 18(3) OF THE ORDINANCE IN JANUARY 1979 TO ENABLE THE GOVERNMENT TO DEAL WITH THE VIETNAMESE ASYLUM SEEKERS.

YEAR UNTIL

WAS ENACTED PROBLEM OF

WHICH

TO LAND THAT

AN

THE LIMITED IT REMOVED

OF TWO MONTHS DURING IMMIGRATION OFFICER MIGHT REMOVE A PERSON REFUSED PERMISSION IN HONG KONG, IF IT APPEARED TO THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION THAT PERSON WAS PREVIOUSLY RESIDENT IN VIETNAM.

PARTS ON THE OTHER HAND, MR ASPREY SAID

VIIA AND VIIB WERE MORE EFFECTIVE SANCTIONS BNACTED IN AUGUST 1979 TO PROVIDE

AGAINST THE TRAFFIC IN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

UNDER

TWO THE

PROVISIONS,

ANY PERSON WHO

AIDED

ILLEGAL

ΤΟ CONVICTION

A SHIPS AND

IMMIGRANTS TO ENTER HONG KONG COMMITTED AN OFFENCE.

HE POINTED OUT THAT OFFENDERS WERE LIABLE ON FINE UP TO $5 MILLION AND IMPRISONMENT FOR LIFE, WHILE THE OTHER PROPERTY INVOLVED WERE LIABLE TO FORFEITURE.

THE PROVISIONS DECEMBER 31 THIS

AND MR ASPREY ADDED THAT THE SUBSECTION BEEN RE-ENACTED ANNUALLY AND WOULD EXPIRE ON UNLESS EXTENDED BY RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL.

HE SAID HE BELIEVED THESE PROVISIONS WERE STILL NECESSARY.

HAD

YEAR

PEOPLE ON THE VIETNAMESE BOAT

(VBP), MR ASPREY NOTED THAT AND UNHCR SECTION 18(3) NEEDED TO BE RETAINED TO GIVE THE GOVERNMENT TIME TO MAKE REPATRIATION WORK.

HE POINTED OUT THAT SO

FAR THIS

YEAR, SOME

VBP 6,000

HAD

ARRIVED.

NUMBER

OF

"ALTHOUGH IT IS ENCOURAGING TO NOTE THAT THE ARRIVALS HAS DECREASED CONSIDERABLY AS COMPARED WITH 1988 OR 1989, THE PROBLEM IS LIKELY TO BE WITH US FOR SOME TIME YET.

SHOULD HAVE DOWN

THE

WE "IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT ADEQUATE POWERS TO IMPLEMENT IN FULL THE PROCEDURE LAID COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS FROM VIETNAM: TO TEMPORARY ASYLUM, TO SCREEN NEW ARRIVALS TO DETERMINE THEIR REFUORE

TO RESETTLE GENUINE REFUGEES AND NON-REFUGEES SAFELY TO THEIR HOMES IN VIETNAM.

STATUS,

GIVE CLAIM ΤΟ TO RETURN

/"THIS IS