TNAG-0880-FCO40-1090-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 47

4. All small boat refugees who are provided with temporary shelter

in Hong Kong in this way are looked after by the local representative

of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, who meets the

cost of their food and accommodation as well as undertaking to

arrange for their permanent resettlement in other countries.

5. Despite this assistance from the UNHCR, small boat refugees

are placing an increasing burden on Hong Kong; the rate of departure

of refugees for permanent settlement elsewhere has not kept pace

with the rate of arrivals and it has become very difficult to find

suitable accommodation for the increasing numbers. In 1978, only

just over 2,000 Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong were permanently

resettled in other countries. By contrast, over 5,100 small boat

refugees were given temporary refuge in Hong Kong during 1978, and

a further 2,000 in January 1979 alone.

6. In addition, Hong Kong has been forced to accept over 3,300

refugees who arrived on board the Taiwanese-owned, Panamanian-

registered freighter, HUEY FONG. This vessel reached Hong Kong

on 23 December, despite having been told six days previously that

it would not be allowed to enter Hong Kong. The Master ignored

repeated requests to him to continue his journey to the port in

Taiwan that was his originally scheduled destination. After the

vessel had remained at anchor off Hong Kong for four weeks, the

Hong Kong Government felt obliged, out of common humanity, to allow

the refugees to land, even though this meant departing from their

namal policy of only accepting refugees from vessels where Hong Kong

was the first port of call. The Master of the vessel has now been

/charged