TNAG-0877-FCO40-1087-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 91

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HKK 243/1

SSAY

TO INMEDIATE CERTAIN MISSIONS AND DEPENDENT TE NO. 51

TELNO GUIDANCE 1 OF 3 JANUARY

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES OFF HONG KONG

3

TERA

5 JAN1979

DÈSK OP INDEX

No

RE

RY

Action ten

31

1. CONSIDERABLE INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION HAS DEEN FOCUSSED ON THE PLIGHT OF THE 2700 REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM ON BOARD THE PANAMANIAN

REGISTERED FREIGHTER HUEY FONG WHICH HAS BEEN ANCHORED OFF

PONG KONG SINCE 23 DECEMBER, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAVE REFUSED

TO ALLOW THEM TO LAND, INTEREST HAS TENDED TO CONCENTRATE ON THE

SUFFERING OF THE REFUGEES, AVD THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT FEAR THAT

THE PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING THEIR POLICY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FULLY

UNDERSTOOD. WE HOPE THEREFORE THAT POSTS WILL, WHERE APPROPRIATE,

BE ABLE TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE GENERALLY LIBERAL AND HUMANE

POLICY THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAVE BEEN ADOPTING TOWARDS

REFUGEES FROM TIDO-CHINA, AND TO THE SPECIAL PROBLEMS THAT THE

HUEY FONG CASE PRESENTS FOR THEM. GENERAL BACKGROUND TO THE UK

POLICY ON REFUGEES FROM INDO-CHINA, INCLUDING DETAILS OF HONG KONG'S PROBLEMS, WAS GIVEN IN SAVING GUIDANCE 175 OF 22 DECEMBER.

LINE TO TAKE

(402) HKK

243/1 (1978)

2. WE AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT BELIEVE THAT THE TRAGIC

PROBLEM OF BOAT REFUGEES FROM INDO CHINA SHOULD BE DEALT WITH IN A

HUMANE AND ORDERLY FASHION. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAVE

CONSISTENTLY FOLLOWED THE PRINCIPAL THAT SHIPWRECKED SURVIVORS

RESCUED BY OCEAN-GOING VESSELS SHOULD BE LANDED AT THE FIRST

SCHEDULED PORT OF CALL. THIS PRINCIPAL HAS ALSO BEEN APPLIED TO

REFUGEES ARRIVING IN THEIR OWN SMALL DOATS OR RESCUED BY LOCAL

FISHING VESSELO. IN LINE WITH THIS POLICY, 5172 SMALL BOAT

REFUGEES WERE ALLOWED TO LAND IN HONG KONG IN 1978. OF THESE,

ONLY 2108 HAVE SO FAR BEEN RESETTLED ELSEWHERE.

3. THE MASTER OF THE HEUY FONG CLAIMS THAT HE RESCUED THE 2700

REFUGEES AT SEA ON 16 DECEMBER, ON 17 DECEMBER, WHILE STILL MUCH

CLOSER TO MANY OTHER PORTS, HE REQUESTED PERMISSION TO BRING THE

REFUGEES TO HONG KONG. SINCE THE SHIP'S NEXT SCHEDULED PORT OF CALL

WAS KAOHSIUNG IN TAIWAN, HE WAS TOLD THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED

TO ENTER HONG KONG AND HE WAS ADVISED TO CONTINUE TO HIS ORIGINAL

DESTINATION. HE IGNORED THIS MESSAGE AND ARRIVED OFF HONG KONG SIX

DAYS LATER.

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