TNAG-0498-FCO40-563-Deportation-of-foreign-nationals-from-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 89

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(g) (h)

Reason for leaving Vietnam Documents held (whatever type).

Officers from the Immigration Department were present during these preliminary interviews. They received copies of the completed pro-forma for each person and on the information supplied

segregated the cases where there was a possible claim to remain in Hong Kong. After that, where

necessary further enquiries were made after the

immigrants had been placed in detention.

The Government of Hong Kong acted in all this in accordance with the legal powers contained in the Immigration Ordinance (Cap. 115).

Specifically the Director of Immigration has power

to detain for up to two months, under sections 18 and 32 of the Ordinance, persons "refused permission to land" (under section 11). This includes groups arriving by boat such as the 119 from South

Vietnam.

You should also know that the Hong Kong

Director of Immigration denies that he used the

words attributed to him in Mr Tracy's letter. He of course received a very large number of enquiries about the group after they had been arrested,

and

Hong Kong have told us that he replied along the lines that "the illegal immigrants had been refused permission to land, were being interro-

gated, and would remain detained until enquiries

were completed and a decision made about their

future. This might take some time in view of the very large numbers involved and the complexity

of the case".

I told you in my earlier letter that the

group were only returned to South Vietnam after

specific assurances had been received from the

South Vietnamese Government as to how they would

be treated.

:

After the 118 had been repatriated it was

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