TNAG-0794-FCO40-998-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 46

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RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 28 DEC 1938

TO CERTAIN MISSIONS TELNO GUIDANCE 175 OF 22 DECEMBER 192

REFUGEES IN AND FROM INDO CHINA

1.

IND

DESZ O FICER

No

29/1

I REG RY

ction en

بخریم

Following the collapse of the non-Communist regimes in South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, about 700,000 people have fled from these countries since 1975. The number from Vietnam, especially ethnic Chinese, has risen sharply in the last few months (encouraged by Vietnamese officials who take payment and connive at the refugees flight). Over 12,000 fled Vietnam in October and arrived at various shores in South East Asia. The number who left in November exceeded 21,000. Most of them have made for Malaysia. The flow of refugees, many of whom lose their lives at sea, is expected to continue and possibly also to increase.

LINE TO TAKE

2. Although many have been satisfactorily resettled in countries outside Indo China, mainly in the USA, the problem and burdens the influx has placed on immediately pressed territories such as Thailand, Malaysia and Hong Kong are too big to be relieved without greater efforts by the international community as a whole and unless the Governments of the countries of exodus ameliorate their present policies.

3. Consultations about the Indo-Chinese refugees called by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on 11 and 12 December, though useful, provided no easy solutions to the problem. Almost 4,000 additional resettlement places were pledged and additional financial contributions amounting to $12 millions announced to help UNHCR cope with the increasing numbers. But the number of resettlement places available so far still falls far short of the overall requirement.

4. The UK's contribution to a solution has not been insignificant. Our ability, however, to absorb considerable numbers of refugees is limited given the Government's commitment to receiving families of immigrants and British passport holders from East Africa; we should in any case need to give special attention to the refugees presently in Hong Kong.

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