TNAG-0882-FCO40-1092-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 72

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20.

21.

22.

(b)

(c)

Thus, if a master who was prosecuted clained that his passengers were survivors of a shipwreck, the burden of proving that would be on him. Clause 3 added three new Sections to the Ordinance providing for the forfeiture of ships where the Master or owner was guilty of an offence;

The Shipping and Port Control (Amendment) Bill 1979 added new penal provisions under which any person who without reasonable excuse disabled, abandoned, scuttled or beached any vessel within Hong Keng waters could be fined up to $200,000 or sent to prison for up to four years. The Bill also increased the penalties to a similar level for the offence of endangering the safety of persons carried on a vessel;

and

The Immigration (Amendment) Bill 1979, which enabled a person from Vietnam who was refused permission to land in Hong Kong to be removed after a longer period of time than the two month limit previously allowed, and to be detained in the meantime.

11th January, 1979

The UNHCR representative in Hong Kong had a second meeting with representatives of the refugees and the ship's master on board HMS Beachampton. He told them that there had been no change in the Government's position and ho briefed them on what was known of Taiwan's policy. He referred to the offer from Frankfurt and Hong Kong's rejection of it, adding that the offer would remain available if the ship went to Taiwan and that he was confident further offers would be forthcoming. refugees said that they had almost completed the list of personal details of those on board. Pasanayacam said that he could use those to make preliminary settlement enquiries and send them to the authorities in Taiwan if the ship went there.

12th January, 1979

(a)

(b)

The

Following the supply of five days rations to the ship, the Master was reminded, in a message from HMS Wolverton, that he had been given food and water for his voyage to Taiwan, and that the offer of an escort for this voyage, first made on 25th December, still stood. He was asked when he wished the escort vessel to be made available.

A letter from the ship addressed to the Governor pleaded on humanitarian grounds that the refugees be allowed to disembark in Hong Kong.

13th January, 1979

(a)

The

Two mectings tock place on board HMS Wolverton. first was between the UNHCR representative and representatives of the refugees, at which the latter handed over the lists they had prepared giving details of refugees and their overseas connections. The other

was between the Master and officials from Marine Department

(including an undisclosed CID officer). The purpose of this

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