XN000022-1997-01-03 — Page 2

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Closure of Whitehead Detention Centre and a review of 1996

The Whitehead Detention Centre for Vietnamese migrants (VMs) is closed today (Friday) as the VM population in Hong Kong drops to a record low of 6,300 since the late 1970s.

The acting Refugee Co-ordinator, Ms Sally Wong, said that since 1989, more than 63,000 VMs had been repatriated to Vietnam under the voluntary (Volrep) and orderly repatriation programmes.

She added that in 1996, the pace of repatriation was accelerated in May and again in October, resulting in several records being made in the year:

a total of 15,100 VMs were repatriated, the highest annual repatriation record;

7,000 VMs were repatriated under ORP, the highest ORP figure achieved since the programme commenced in November 1991;

2,155 VMs were repatriated (under Volrep and ORP) in November alone, the highest monthly figure;

over 700 VMs returned to Vietnam voluntarily on four flights on December 19, the highest daily Volrep figure.

The VM population, which stood at over 20,000 at the beginning of 1996, fell to about 6,300 at the end of the year, which was the lowest figure since the late 1970s.

With the successes in repatriation and the declining VM population, Tai A Chau Detention Centre was closed in September 1996. The main camp of Whitehead Detention Centre is also closing down today, leaving only two voluntary repatriation centres, a unit for Ex-China Vietnamese Illegal Immigrants, and the security unit in the camp to provide temporary holding facilities for some VMs immediately prior to their repatriation under ORP.

The bulk of the remaining VMs are now accommodated in High Island Detention Centre.

"We are pleased that the transfer operation today at Whitehead has proceeded smoothly," Ms Wong said. "This is likely to be the last major operation at the camp.'

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