(284
AR 650
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG 131151Z MOV 78
See 292
TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO,1382 OF 19 NOVEMBER,
PA
HKK 243/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
14 NOV 1978
DISK OFM.CCA
INDEX
No
PA
285
REG: TRY
Action Taken
INFO IMMEDIATE: CANBERRA, WASHINGTON, UKMIS GENEVA, HANO!,
KUALA LUMPUR, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PRIORITY : JAKARTA, BANGKOK, UKMIS NEW YORK, PEKING.
M.1.P.T : REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM.
1. FOLLOWING ARE EXTRACTS FROM REPORT BY RAPHAEL PURA AND
BARRY WAIN IN THE ASIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL' ON 9 NOVEMBER,
ENTITLED: 'VOYAGE TO NOWHERE/EVIDENCE IS GROWING OF VIETNAMESE ROLE IN EXODUS OF REFUGEES/ JOURNEY OF THE HI HONG OFFERS BEST PROOF YET OF ACTIVE ASSISTANCE/NOBODY KNOWS WHAT TO DO''.
QUOTE
ON OCT 15, A 1,580-TON COASTAL FREIGHTER CALLED THE HI HONG STEAMED OUT OF SINGAPORE - EMPTY BUT FOR ITS CREW. SAILING UNDER A NEWLY ACQUIRED PANAMANIAN REGISTRATION, THE 30-YEAR-OLD VESSEL WAS APPARENTLY BOUND FOR HONG KONG, WHERE, ITS AGENTS SAID, IT WS
TO BE SCRAPPED.
IT NEVER ARRIVED.
INSTEAD, SIXTEEN DAYS AFTER LEAVING SINGAPORE, THE HI HONG GLIDED INTO INDONESIAN WATERS AND DROPPED ANCHOR OFF THE NORTHWEST COAST OF BORNEO WITH A HUMAN CARGO OF 2,518 ETHNIC
CHINESE FROM VIETNAM.
THE STORY.......IS BEING UNTANGLED WITH MOUNTING ALARM BY SOUTHEAST ASIAN GOVERNMENT MINISTRIES, EMBASSIES, CONSULATES AND UNITED NATIONS OFFICIALS FROM JAKARTA AND KUALA
LUMPUR TO HONG KONG........IN CONFIDENTIAL REPORTS, OFFICIALS SAY THE HI HONG AFFAIR OFFERS THE MOST CONCRETE
CONFIRMATION YET THAT VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ARE OPENLY
AND ACTIVELY ASSISTING ETHNIC CHINESE RESIDENTS OF VIETNAM TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY UNDER THE GUISE OF BEING REFUGEES.
NOW OFFICIALS
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