TNAG-0498-FCO40-563-Deportation-of-foreign-nationals-from-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 71

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did we?

matter of the 118. But, assuming that the trials (the timing of which must by now be very close) do not result in any excessive or inhuman punishment, we should like to resume the removal of illegal immigrants to Vietnam under Hong Kong's normal policy. We also hope to return to other countries as in the past. This would of course be subject to the general conditions Lord Goronwy-Roberts laid down to the Governor.

9.

(i)

We hope that the foregoing will help provide the answer to the third question asked by CHENG Huan of Amnesty International. The answers to his first two questions are:-

We simply do not know how many South Vietnamese draft-dodgers and/or deserters there are in Hong Kong. Those concerned will either have entered illegally or have entered legally and overstayed. We fear that the total may be substantial. Of the 119 illegal immigrants who were caught in June trying to enter Hong Kong, 73 were of military age (18-40).

(ii)

During 1973 only 10 illegal immigrants were returned to South Vietnam, two male and eight female. Of the two males, one was aged seven and the other aged twenty so that only the latter was probably a draft-dodger. During 1974 the only males of military age returned so far were the 73 out of the group of 118.

10.

In your telegram No. 716 of 14 August you enquired about the repatriation of four other illegal immigrants to Vietnam (namely those who took part in the demonstration on the night of 16/17 June and who were subsequently found to be illegally here themselves). Their case would be covered by paragraph 8 above and we see no reason why we should not return them if the outcome of the trials referred to in that paragraph is satisfactory.

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In the same telegram you asked that an opportunity be given to any interested organisation to try to arrange for the four illegal immigrants to go to a third country. I take it that, if such an opportunity were afforded in these cases, it would have to be given to all other illegal immigrants whom we proposed to return to their own countries. I hope that you can see from this letter why that proposal should not be pursued. Such a course could only have the effect of encouraging illegal immigration on a vast scale from all over South-East Asia, the illegal entrants knowing that they would be kept in Hong Kong until arrangements had been made for them to be sent on to some other country. It would be wholly unreasonable to expect Hong Kong to act in this manner as a transit camp for migrant Chinese from all over the Far East.

/contd..

CONFIDENTIAL