TNAG-0496-FCO40-561-Deportation-of-foreign-nationals-from-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 152

HASTINGS & CO.

HON KONG

Mr. Greville Janner, M.P.

House of Commons

CONTINUED NO.................".a:

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by the Governor, bút it is doubtful whether this will be useful if only because the Governor himself is at present in the United Kingdom.

We should therefore be grateful if you could take up the matter with Lord Roberts as soon as possible. In addition to raising with him the points which we have mentioned above, you might draw his attention to the following matters

1). Certain of the detainees, by their relatives, have approached Sin Wah, the new China news agency in Hong Kong and Defacto representative here of the Peoples Republic of China with a view to securing the Chinese Government's assistance, A political commentator of a newspaper here who is close to left-wing sources, has a suspicion (and no more than a suspicion) that the Hong Kong Government might try to arrange with the Chinese Government for the re-gees to be "admitted" to China. This would have the advantage that 1-

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1). The Government of China might claim that it was receiving refugees from South Vietnam,

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The Hong Kong Government would be freed from the necessity of giving permission to stay to the refugees,

Further, many of the refugees fear that if they are returned to South Vietnam, they may face severe punislunent including, in some cases, a death sentence, by the South Vietnam Government, in particular, the young detainees who are liable to conscription in South Vietnam fear for the consequences of their being returned there.

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Further, we feel that stern action should be taken against the Director of Immigration, Mr. W.E. Collard, in view of his statement to the press, reported on 7th June (copy herewith) that "they will stay locked up until I decide otherwise," This statement shows a deplorable disregard for personal liberty and the rule of law.

In case you may be personally too busy to take up this matter, I am circulating copies of this letter and the enclosures to the Members of Parliament listed below im

Tom Pendry

2. Ben Ford

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James Johnson

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