amnesty international
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Parliamentary
Under-Secretary of State
The Rt. Hon. Lord Goronwy-Roberts Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW 1
Recd.
To
18/6
Ack
13th June 1974
Dear Lord Goronwy-Roberts,
I am very grateful to you for allowing myself and Cheng Huan to come and see you yesterday. It was kind of you to give us so much of your time.
While we recognise that the Hongkong Government is responsible for the Crown Colony's own immigration policy, and that there are major immigration and social problems involved, we are encouraged to know that "reasonable opportunity" will be given to enable the 119 South Vietnamese to seek asylum in other countries. Amnesty International is making approaches to other governments with a view to granting asylum to those of the 119 who are conscientious objectors, or who are otherwise claiming political asylum. The Govern- ments of Sweden, Holland, France, Germany and Australia have been approached.
As I explained to you, we are particularly concerned about the fate of the 119 in view of South Vietnam's detention policies, its proven record of torture and the fact that draft-evaders who are caught are often put immediately into front-line units. I think it is important to delay any decision about the deportation of these South Vietnamese nationals pending a review of each individual case on humanitarian grounds, to determine whether granting asylum in llongkông of elsewhere is justified.
Yours respectfully and sincerely,
44828
Martin Ennals Secretary General
Chairman of the International Executive: SEAN MACBRIDE, S.C. Secretary General: Martin ENNALS
land
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PATRONS: The Archbishop of Canterbury, Great Britain Roger Baldwin, President of the International League for the Rights of Man, U.S.A. Danilo Dolci, Sicily Professor Erich Fromm, New York and Mexico · Lt.-Gen. Sir Brian Horrocks, Great Britain. Jean-Flavien Lalive, Switzer-
Professor Salvador de Madariaga, Spain Yehudi Menuhin, Great Britain Professor Gunnar Myrdal, Sweden
Alan Paton, South Africa Dr. Martin Niemöller, Germany Sean MacBride, S.C., Ireland Professor Giorgio La Pira, Italy Professor Julius Stone, Australia
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL HAS CONSULTATIVE STATUS WITH THE UNITED NATIONS (ECOSOC)
THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE THE ORGANISATION OF AMERICAN STATES AND IS RECOGNISED BY THE ORGANISATION OF AFRICAN UNITY
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UNESCO
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