TNAG-0521-FCO40-616-Visit-of-Lord-Goronwy-Roberts--Parliamentary-Under-Secretary-1975 — Page 152

LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS'S VISIT TO HONG KONG: 11-17 JANUARY

BRIEF NO. 23: IMMIGRATION FROM SOUTH-EAST ASIA (OTHER THAN CHINA)

1.

118 illegal immigrants from South Vietnam, arrested on 2 June, were repatriated on 17 June despite representations made on their behalf by Amnesty International and others, following official Vietnamese assurances that the group would not be harshly treated.

2.

The British and Hong Kong Governments were criticised for believing the Vietnamese assurances and for sending the group back. Largely through the efforts of Amnesty, wide international publicity was given to reports that some members of the group had died since their return to Saigon, and that others had been sent to front-line units without training. The reports proved to be widely exaggerated. Most of the 118 were tried, following their return, for illegal exit from Vietnam; and 33 were additionally tried for desertion.

Those

found guilty received sentences which, given that South Vietnam faces a war-time situation, could not be regarded as excessive.

3.

No further returns of South Vietnamese illegal immigrants have been made since 17 June. However, following Lord Gorowny-Roberts's approval of the department's submission of 9 December (and Mr Male's addendum of 11 December), a letter was sent to Hong Kong on 20 December setting out guidelines for future policy. Subject to the conditions set out in that letter (and in particular to Hong Kong obtaining satisfactory prior assurances from the Vietnamese and Khmer Governments on the lines of those obtained for the 118), the Governor now has authority to resume returns.

Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Department

7 January 1975

CONFIDENTIAL

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