XN000022-1991-11-09 — Page 4

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1991

THE TIME

IS

ANY

"THE SITUATION IS THAT A COUPLE OF THE WOMEN WERE DISTRESSED AT THEY WERE GETTING ON THE FERRY. WHAT I HAVE EXPLAINED THAT THERE WAS A DOCTOR AT HEI LING CHAU. IF ANYONE WAS GIVEN SEDATION,

CLEARLY THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY, EMPHATICALLY, MEDICAL REASONS," HE SAID.

"THERE WOULD

HAVE BEEN NO QUESTION OF SEDATING ANYONE PURELY OF IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE JUDGEMENT REASONS. SECURITY DOCTOR ON THE SPOT. AND THAT I THINK IS CLEARLY CORRECT.

AS TO THE SITUATION AT THE AIRPORT TRANSIT CENTRE NIGHT, MR LEEKS SAID THAT THE NIGHT PASSED VERY PEACEFULLY.

FOR

FOR

THE

DURING THE

"SOME PEOPLE SLEPT. SOME PEOPLE CHATTED.

THERE WAS NO CHAOS,

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HE ADDED.

TROUBLE-FREE FLIGHT TO HANOI

THE FIRST FLIGHT OF VIETNAMESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS REPATRIATED UNDER THE ORDERLY RETURN PROGRAMME WAS COMPLETED UNEVENTFULLY TODAY (SATURDAY) WHEN THE PLANE LANDED IN HANOI AT 12.50 PM (HONG KONG TIME), A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.

"ALL 59 PEOPLE DISEMBARKED WITHOUT TROUBLE," HE SAID.

THEY WERE MET BY VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES. FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION OF FORMALITIES AT THE AIRPORT, THE PEOPLE WERE DUE TO BE TRANSFERRED TO CO NHUE TRANSIT CENTRE IN THE SAME WAY AS RETURNEES UNDER THE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME.

THE SPOKESMAN WELCOMED THE FACT THAT THE GROUP WERE NOW BACK IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY AND WOULD SOON BE RETURNING TO THEIR OWN HOMES.

"THEY WILL BE DOING THIS WITH ALL THE SAME GUARANTEES OF SAFETY AND MONITORING EXTENDED TO OTHER RETURNEES, AND THEIR FAMILIES WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR UNHCR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP THEM RE-ESTABLISH THEMSELVES BACK IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.

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THE GROUP WERE ESCORTED BY 30 MALE AND 10 FEMALE POLICE OFFICERS WHO WERE UNARMED AND DRESSED IN CIVILIAN CLOTHES. ALSO ON BOARD WERE NURSES, IMMIGRATION OFFICERS, INTERPRETERS AND PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR JOHN SHANNON.

THE PLANE LEFT HANOI AT 2 PM (HONG KONG TIME) FOR THE RETURN FLIGHT TO HONG KONG.

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