TNAG-0887-FCO40-1097-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 172

*69 270

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG 292820Z MAY

TO IMMEDIATE F.C.0.

Некоиз

TOLIVED HAREGISTRY 7:0

3 0 MAY 1979

OFFICER

PA

по

•

8317

787

(751)

TELEGRAM NUMBER 668 OF 20 MAY, 1979

INFO IMMEDIATE M.V.D. AND HOME OFFICE.

REFERENCE FCO TELNO 325: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES SIBONGA.

PLEASE PASS TO BIRT HOME OFFICE, IMMEDIATELY.

FOLLOWING FROM DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION,

1. M.V. SIBONGA ENTERED HONG KONG WATERS AT 1500 HOURS (0600 GMT).

IMMIGRATION PROCESSING STARTED IMMEDIATELY AND SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY TOMORROW AFTERNOON. THE REFUGEES WILL ALSO RECEIVE AN INITIAL

HEALTH EXAMINATION.

2. AT PRESENT THERE ARE 38,000 REFUGEES IN HONG KONG OF WHOM 4,000

HAVE ARRIVED ON SMALL BOATS WITHIN THE LAST 48 HOURS WHO ARE STILL BEING KEPT ON BOARD BECAUSE OF ACUTE ACCOMMODATION PROBLEMS. IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO FIND TEMPORARY SHELTER ASHORE FOR THE SIBONGA REFUGEES AND MIGHT MEAN DELAYING THE LANDING OF THE SMALL BOAT REFUGEES, SOME OF WHOSE BOATS ARE IN AN EXTREMELY CROWDED CONDITION AND IN ACUTE DANGER OF SINKING, ON THE OTHER HAND, PRESSURE WILL BE BROUGHT UPON US BY THE LOCAL AGENT OF SIBONGA TO OFF LOAD THE REFUGEES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN VIEW OF LONDON'S ANNOUNCEMENT TO ACCEPT THEM. IT IS IMPERATIVE THEREFORE THAT WE RECEIVE YOUR IMMEDIATE CONFIRMATION OF THE DETAILED ARRANGEMENTS REGARDING THE RESETTLEMENT OF THE 982 REFUGEES (313 MALE, 274 FEMALE AND 395 CHILDREN).

MACLEHOSE

FILES

COPIES TO

HK & GD

PS

UND

SEAD

FED

SAD

EID (E)

PUSD

OID

IPD

NEWS D MVD

PS/LPS PS/MR HURD PS/MR BLAKER

PS/PUS SIR A DUFF

SIR A PARSONS

MR CORTAZZI MR LEAHY MR MURRAY

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

MR BURLEIGH

HOME OFFICE

QUEEN ANNE'S GATE

MR BIRT

HOME OFFICE

LUNAR HOUSE CROYDON

MR V MCGEE FAO ODM

LONDON