XN000022-1994-05-20 — Page 9

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ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT DETAINEES

FRIDAY, MAY 20, 1994

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN CONFIRMED TODAY (FRIDAY) THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT DETAINEES IN THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES AS THE TWO GIRLS RELEASED INTO THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE'S CARE ON WEDNESDAY.

HOWEVER, TWO OTHER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT GIRLS, IN DETENTION FOR A MUCH SHORTER TIME, WERE RELEASED TODAY INTO THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE'S CARE.

THESE TWO GIRLS ARE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, AGED 16 AND 17, AND HAVE BEEN DETAINED FOR A LITTLE OVER THREE MONTHS AND THE TRIAL AT WHICH THEY ARE ESSENTIAL WITNESSES IN DUE SOON.

"IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES,

PROCEDURE SPOKESMAN

"

THE

IT WAS DECIDED TO FOLLOW THE SAME AS WITH AU YEUNG LING-LING AND TONG HIU-KWAN, EXPLAINED.

THE SPOKESMAN CONFIRMED THAT ALL OTHER CASES OF ΙΙ WITNESSES DETAINED AT PRESENT INVOLVED EITHER SHORTER PERIODS OR ADULTS.

"TWENTY-TWO OF THE TOTAL OF 34 DETAINED AS OF YESTERDAY ARE ADULT ILLEGALS, INCLUDING OTHER NATIONALS AS WELL AS CHINESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

"TWELVE ARE BELOW 21, OF WHOM FOUR ARE BELOW 18 AND ARE NOW IN MA TAU WAI GIRLS' HOME.

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NONE OF THOSE BELOW 21 HAVE BEEN DETAINED FOR LONGER THAN FOUR MONTHS, WHILE THE TRIALS AT WHICH THEY ARE ESSENTIAL WITNESSES WERE PREPARED," HE ADDED.

AGAINST

THE SPOKESMAN SAID: "WE MUST NOT JEOPARDISE THE FIGHT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ENCOURAGE AND PROFIT FROM IT, OR THOSE WHO PREY ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

"THESE WITNESSES ARE VITAL IN ORDER TO PROSECUTE THOSE ACCUSED OF ABUSING AND EXPLOITING THEM.

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NEW PROCEDURE TO SPEED UP LAW TRANSLATION

THE

PROCEDURE OF

A BILL PROPOSING TO SIMPLIFY THE AUTHENTICATION CHINESE TEXTS OF THE ORDINANCES ENACTED IN ENGLISH ONLY HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL.

THE

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT SAID UPON PASSAGE OF BILL, MORE CHINESE TEXTS OF THE ORDINANCES COULD BE DECLARED AUTHENTIC SOON.

IT WAS ALSO HOPED THAT THE LAW TRANSLATION PROGRAMME WOULD BE SPEEDED UP, SO THAT ALL ORDINANCES WOULD HAVE BOTH CHINESE AND ENGLISH TEXTS BY JULY 1997, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

/THE OFFICIAL