XN000022-1994-04-14 — Page 11

THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 1994

10

JPS TO INVESTIGATE WHITEHEAD OPERATION

**

TO

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, HAD ASKED TWO JUSTICES OF THE PEACE

MOVE CONDUCT A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION INTO THE EVENTS SURROUNDING THE OF 1,500 PEOPLE FROM THE WHITEHEAD DETENTION CENTRE TO THE HIGH ISLAND CENTRE ON APRIL 7.

THE TWO JUSTICES OF THE PEACE ARE MR ANDREW LI

AND PROFESSOR

DAVID TODD. BOTH HAVE AGREED TO CONDUCT THE INQUIRY AND TO START IMMEDIATELY. THEIR TERMS OF REFERENCE ARE:

票 TO ENQUIRE INTO THE EVENTS SURROUNDING THE REMOVAL

VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS FROM THE 1.500

WHITEHEAD CENTRE ON APRIL 7 AND TO REPORT IN PARTICULAR ON:

WORK

OF SOME

DETENTION

(1)

OF THE USE

FORCE IN THE DISCHARGE OF TEAR-GAS;

OPERATION,

INCLUDING

THE

(2)

THE INJURIES ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN SUSTAINED BY SOME THE MIGRANTS; AND

OF

(3)

THE RELEASE OF INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC CONCERNING THE OPERATION.

*

TO ADVISE WHETHER ANY CHANGES OR IMPROVEMENTS SHOULD BE MADE

IN THE CONDUCT OF SUCH OPERATIONS.

TO SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR OF THE ENQUIRY'S FINDINGS

AND RECOMMENDATIONS BY JUNE 10 THIS YEAR.

THE FINDINGS OF THE INQUIRY WILL BE MADE PUBLIC.

THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT JUSTICES OF THE PEACE CONDUCTED SIMILAR INQUIRY INTO THE TREATMENT OF VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS AT THE LING CHAU CENTRE IN JULY 1988.

A

HEI

THIS INQUIRY PROVED TO BE QUICK AND EFFECTIVE, AND IT HAS DECIDED TO USE THE SAME APPROACH ON THIS OCCASION.

0

BEEN

MARRAKESH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE

* * *

AND

MR INDUSTRY, THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE

TH CHAU, TODAY AN ASIAN PACIFIC ECONOMIC (THURSDAY) WELCOMED AN AGREEMENT TO HOLD COOPERATION (APEC) TRADE MINISTERS MEETING IN INDONESIA IN OCTOBER.

AT AN

THE AGREEMENT WAS REACHED

INFORMAL MEETING YESTERDAY AMONG TRADE MINISTERS FROM APEC ECONOMIES ATTENDING THE URUGUAY MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE IN MARRAKESH, MOROCCO.

ROUND

/"WE HAVE