TNAG-0791-FCO40-995-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 236

THE BRITISH COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

0 EATON GATE LONDON SW1W 9BT TELEPHONE 01-730 9611

FOR INFORMATIONS

KAMPUCHEA (CAMBODIA)

"Recalling the great hardship and heavy losses suffered by the people of Cambodia during the war which culminated in the victory of the Khmer Rouge and recognising the determination of the new regime to bring about fundamental changes in their society,

The British Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Commission for International Justice and Peace of the Bishop's Conferen⚫e of England and Wales, nevertheless

Im

2.

3.

4.

5.

profoundly deplore the atrocities perpetrated in Kampuchea since the victory of the Khmer Rouge in ..pril 1975, resulting in large- scale loss of life;

bring to the attention of the Churches' Commission on Inter- national Affairs of the World Council of Churches and the Pontifical Commission (Justice and Peace), the urgent need to rally world opinion on behal of the victims of these atrocities and against any further killings and repression and to mobilise all possible help for refugees from Kampuchea still in Thailand;

welcome Her Majesty's Government's decision to raise events in Kampuchea in the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and to increase the British Government's contribution to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees;

But also ask Her Majesty's Government

(a) to offer authorities in Phnom Penh medical supplies and

assistance for the people of Kampuchea,

(b)

(c)

(a)

(e)

(f)

to increase the present allocation of entry permits to refugees from Kampuchea who wish to settle in the United Kingdom, without reducing the allocation of entry permits to other categories of immigrants,

to further efforts to resettle refugees from Kampuchea in other host countries,

to provide grants-in-aid to recognised voluntary agencies at work in refugee camps in Thailand,

to press for the United Nations to be able to observe the screening process for refugees arriving after 15th November 1977 and to have access to those to whom registration as refugees has been denied.

to take any diplomatic or other initiatives open to them which may bring about more humanitarian conditions in Kampuchea.

Urge Christians to express the depth of their concern in all ways open to them; for example, in prayer, by keeping vigils in local

•hurches and by giving funds to aid agencies carrying out relief work in Thailand. In particular, support is asked for the ecumenical vigil to be held in Westminster Cathedral on Saturday, 11th February, 1978, from 1 p.m. to

p.m."

END OF RESOLUTION

PTO