TNAG-0497-FCO40-562-Deportation-of-foreign-nationals-from-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 116

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Mr Kale

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PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts

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ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS RETURNED FROM HONG KONG TO SOUTH VIETNAM

Lord Goronwy-Roberts has asked about the significance of Hong Kong telegram no. 829 of 14 August, in which the Governor tells us that the Hong Kong Immigration Department hold photographs of all male members of the group.

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Saigon reported on 12 August in their telegram no. 222, para. 3, that Mr Sanguinetti was keen on the theory that substitutes would be produced at the trial to make up for prisoners, who had 'died, been sent to the front or otherwise spirited away". In our

ed, telegram no. 111, para. 3, we accordingly asked Saigon for brief details of the obstacles in the way of rigging court appearances in this way, given Vietnamese legal procedures. Saigon replied in their elegram no. 226, para. 2, that each accused would be required at the opening of the case to confirm his identification and address. Substitution would thus become public knowledge and involve connivance among lawyers on a large scale, which H M Ambassador considered "highly improbable".

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The purpose of the Governor's telegram no. 829 is therefore presumably to let us know that the identity of the accused male members of the group could if we wished be checked when they appear in court by reference to the photographs held by his Immigration Department.

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This morning, incidentally, I had a telephone call from Mr Cheng Huan of Amnesty International. He said that Amnesty had not heard from Mr Sanguinetti since before he went to Saigon; had we any news of him, as they were getting worried about his safety? I told him that Mr Sanguinetti had indeed reached Saigon and called on the Ambassador; and that a member of the Embassy staff had accompanied him to the airport - so I saw no need for concern about his safety in Vietnam. We understood he was heading for London. It is, I think, remarkable that, although he left Saigon on 10 August, five days later he has still made no contact whatever with Amnesty on a matter about which he and they claim to be so deeply and urgently concerned.

15 August 1974

SEAD

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R B Crowson

Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept.