XN000022-1996-10-24 — Page 19

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Transfer of VMs from Whitehead Detention Centre today

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A group of about 790 Vietnamese migrants (VMs) will be transferred from Section 2 of Whitehead Detention Centre (WHDC) to its Security Unit and Victoria Prison (VP) today (Thursday) in preparation for their return to Vietnam under the Orderly Repatriation Programme.

They will join another group of about 360 VMs in VP and the Security Unit of WHDC, majority of whom have voluntarily presented themselves for transfer from WHDC yesterday (Wednesday), for pre-flight documentation and medical checks prior to their repatriation on October 28 and 31 and on November 5, 12 and 19.

The transfer will be observed by independent monitors.

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VMs transferred pending repatriation

An operation was carried out smoothly today (Thursday) at Whitehead Detention Centre (WHDC) to transfer 784 Vietnamese Migrants (VMS) pending return to Vietnam under the Orderly Repatriation Programme.

Some 642 VMs were transferred to Victoria Prison in two conveys while 142 to the security unit at the detention centre awaiting for the scheduled flight later this month and early November.

They are all residents of section 2 in WHDC.

The operation went smoothly without display of violence from the VMs except a few needed persuasion to move by themselves. The three and a half hours exercise ended at about 12.30 pm without incident.