TNAG-0495-FCO40-560-Deportation-of-foreign-nationals-from-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 6

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3. THE PRESS RELEASE ALSO STATED, "THESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE THE VICTIMS OF A SMUGGLING RACKET OF HUMAN CARGO WHICH IS NOT DEFENSIBLE ON HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS. IT VICTIMISES INNOCENT PEOPLE, EXPLOITS THEIR SUFFERING TO MAKE A FORTUNE FOR THE RACKETEERS AND CAUSES DISORDER AROUND THE WORLD'’

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4. WE SUGGEST THEREFORE THAT THE DRAFT ANSWER MIGHT COVER THE QUESTION OF ASSURANCES MORE CAREFULLY. WE SHOULD ALSO LIKE, IN ORDER TO AVOID SUBSEQUENT CHARGES OF NAIVETE ON THE PART OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE ASSURANCES WERE REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES NOT ONLY HERE, BUT ALSO IN SAIGON AND IN LONDON.

5. SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVE REPLY IS AS FOLLOWS:

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**THE GOVERNOR INFORMED ME BY TELEGRAM THAT ON 2 JUNE A

LOCALLY REGISTERED FISHING JUNK WAS INTERCEPTED IN COLONY WATERS AND WAS FOUND TO HAVE ON BOARD 119 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ALL OF CHINESE DESCENT, FROM SOUTH VIETNAM, INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THEY HAD BEEN FERRIED INTO HONG KONG WATERS FROM

A FREIGHTER AND THAT ARRANGEMENTS FOR THEIR ILLEGAL DEPARTURE

FROM VIETNAM HAD BEEN WELL ORGANISED, ALL BUT ONE OF THE

GROUP (WHO HAS SINCE ESTABLISHED A RIGHT TO REMAIN BY VIRTUE OF BIRTH IN HONG KONG) WERE RETURNED TO SOUTH VIETNAM ON 17 JUNE, THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT GAVE ASSURANCES IN HONG

KONG, CUBSEQUENTLY FULLY CONFIRMED TO THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN SAICON AND TO THE FC 0, THAT AFTER THEIR RETURN THERE WOULD

BE NO QUESTION OF EXECUTION OR TORTURE OR HARSH TREATMENT.

WHILE THE USUAL LEGAL PROCEEDINGO FOR BREACH OF THE IMMIGRATION

LAWS OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM WOULD HAVE TO BE TAKEN, THE PENALTIES INCURRED UNDER THESE LAWS WERE NOT LIKELY TO BE

SEVERE EXPECIALLY SIRGE THE GROUP COULD BE REGARDED AS VICTIMS

OF THE SYNDICATE WHICH HAD SMUGGLED THEM OUT OF VIETNAM. THE

SOUTH VIETNAMESE FOREIGN MINISTER-CONFIRMED THESE ASSURANCES

IN LONDON ON JULY IN CONVERSATION WITH MY HON FRIEND THE

MINISTER OF STATE?".

MACLEHOSE

FILES

מסין

HKION

SEAD

MVD

PARL UNIT

PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

PS/MR JATTERSLEY

MR MALE

**2.

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