TNAG-0891-FCO40-1101-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 35

GR 290

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 2415882 WKMIS GENEVA

HKK 243

1

1185

P.A.

1442%

FM HONG KONG 2412132. JUNE 79, I

TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA

TELNO.18 OF 24 JUNE,

INFO IMMEDIATE: F.C.O,

HONG KONG GOVT CFFICE LONDON.

YOUR TELNO.13: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

PLEASE PASS FOLLOWING TO GOVERNOR ON ARRIVAL.

1. THE FOLLOWING SUPPLEMENTS OUR TELNOS.844 AND 845 TO F.C.O (COPIED TO UKMIS GENEVA).

179

180

2. THE JUNE FIGURES FOR REFUGEES TO 0700Z TODAY ARE:

ARRIVALS: 17,015.

see (1188A)

DEPARTURES: 815.

TOTAL IN HONG KONG: 57,279.

3. THE DAILY AVERAGE OF ARRIVALS 18-24 JUNE WAS 482. WEATHER CONDITIONS PROBABLY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS REDUCTION. 900 REFUGEES

ARE REPORTED TO HAVE REACHED MACAU YESTERDAY.

4.

ANALYSIS OF 5,000 ARRIVALS IN THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE (ALL ON SMALL BOATS) SHOWS:

(A) A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE PROPORTION OF ARRIVALS IN SMALL BOATS FROM SOUTH VIETNAM: 426 COMPARED WITH 16% OF

SMALL BOAT ARRIVALS IN MAY AND APRIL:

(1) A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE PROPORTION OF ETHNIC VIETNAMESE ARRIVALS ON SMALL BOATS FROM THE SOUTH: 52% COMPARED WITH 36% IN MAY AND APRIL:

*

(c)