XN000022-1991-06-12 — Page 12

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 1991

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SECURITY SITUATION IN VIETNAMESE DETENTION CENTRES BEING MONITORED

THE SECURITY SITUATION IN ALL VIETNAMESE DETENTION CENTRES IS WITH ANY KEPT UNDER CAREFUL REVIEW, AS ARE CONTINGENCY PLANS TO DEAL EMERGENCY THAT MAY ARISE.

ΤΟ

THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON ALISTAIR ASPREY, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN A WRITTEN REPLY A QUESTION FROM THE HON LAU WONG-FAT.

J

PUBLIC

THE SECRETARY NOTED THAT THE ESCAPE INCIDENT AT THE WHITEHEAD DETENTION CENTRE IN APRIL LAST YEAR HAD CAUSED UNDERSTANDABLE CONCERN OVER SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS AT THE DETENTION CENTRES.

"IN RESPONSE TUR GOVERNMENT HAS REVIEWED THE STANDARD OF PHYSICAL SECURITY AT ALL THE DETENTION CENTRES, AND SEVERAL IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE, HE SAID.

ON THE IMPROVEMENTS, MR ASPREY

SAID: "PERIMETER FENCING HAS

BEEN STRENGTHENED, AND THE FREQUENCY OF PERIMETER PATROLS HAS BEEN

INCREASED.

"MORE EFFECTIVE RAPID RESPONSE ARRANGEMENTS IN THE EVENT OF TROUBLE HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED.

"SEARCHES AT ALL VIETNAMESE REFUGEE AND VIETNAMESE DETENTION CENTRES FOR WEAPONS AND ESCAPEES HAVE ALSO BEEN STEPPED UP.

-

ESCAPRES AND TIJOS E POUND TN POSSESSION OF WEAPONS ARE

PROSECUTED.

**

BY

ΤΟ

MR ASPREY POINTED OUT THAT THESE MEASURES HAD BEEN BALANCED THE EFFORTS OF THE GOVERNMENT AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS EXPAND WORK AND OTHER PROGRAMMES FOR THOSE IN THE CENTRES, AND TO INCREASE THE PARTICIPATION OF THE VIETNAMESE THEMSELVES IN CAMP MANAGEMENT.

"THESE MEASURES HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING THE NUMBER OF ESCAPES FROM DETENTION CENTRES, HE SAID.

++

587 WERE STILL

MIGRANTS HAD MISSING AS AT

MR ASPRRY ADDED THAT SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF STATUS DETERMINATION EN JUNK 1988, A TOTAL OF 2,360 VIETNAMESE ESCAPED FROM DETENTION CENTRES JUNE 1 THIS YEAR.

AND

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