the refugees would not be subject effectively to Government control and
there is no obvious site available for early
and economic development.
(c) Option 3 is to maintain existing policy but at a certain
stage put new arrivals into large Government camps in which the refugees could not work.
(1)
(2)
The advantages would be that
local resentment would be reduced, and in times of local underemployment or unemployment, refugees would be seen not to be working.
The disadvantages would be
the problem and cost of management of such camps particularly over a very long period the difficulty of developing such camps quickly, cost in terms of loss of services to local people and
the problem of maintaining law and order.
(d) Option 4 would be to process the refugees on arrival, giving them some means of identification as refugees (registered for resettlement with UNHCR) and then allow them to make their own way in Hong Kong pending the (remote) opportunity of resettlement.
(1)
(2)
The advantages of this course would be that
it would reduce the burden on the Administration and on public funds
act as marginal deterrent on refugees who expect to be cared for in a camp.
The disadvantages are that
it would remove pressure in third countries
to offer resettlement places
it would be resented by the general public in its present mood. (There is also the possibility that some might attempt to compare the treatment of refugees from Vietnam and those illegal immigrants who are apprehended and returned to China), it would increase the burden on our social services and
in times of unemployment this pool of labour would attract adverse local reaction.
it might attract increasing numbers of refugees if resettlement prospects elsewhere decline and conditions in ASEAN camps deteriorate further.
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