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Boat Cases
13.
At 30 June 1979, the principal locations of the some 195,000 pending boat cases were Hong Kong (59,000), Indonesia (43,000), Japan (550), Macau (2,800), Malaysia (75,000), the Philippines (5,000), Singapore (450) and Thailand (9,400).
14.
From the total of 277,000 arrivals by sca since 1975, by
30 June 1979,82,000 persons had been resettled, including 7,550 from Hong Kong, 3,650 from Indonesia, 350 from Macau, 45,400 from walaysia, 4,600 from the Philippines, 2,500 from Singapore and 12,950 from Thailand.
15.
Over the last months there has been a marked increase in the rate of arrivals. This has particularly affected Malaysia, Hong Kong and, recently, Indonesia. A total of 26,600 boat people arrived in the area in April 1979, 51,150 in May. 1979 and 56,950 in June 1979. These figures would, of course, be higher if asylum had been granted to all who sought it. Faced with the increase, however, certain of the countries most directly affected have refused permission to land and expelled many thousands of boat people to the high seas.
16. Given the apprehension as to future arrivals, and despite the availability of funds from UNHCR, certain Governments have been reluctant to allow the expansion of the centres for boat cases, a measure which is necessary to ensure adequate conditions for those allowed to land. For instance, one small island now holds some 40,000 boat people, in grossly inhospitable conditions. Over-crowded ships have been held off-shore for many months despite pleas to permit disembarkation. Logistical problems have become acute and the risk of epidemics grave. Notwithstanding every effort, food distribution arrangements, water supply and basic sanitation conditions have often been most unsatisfactory. With considerable help from voluntary organisations, the potentially critical consequences of inadequate facilities have been avoided, but the risks remain acutc.
17. UNHCR assistance for the support of boat cases as of 30 June 1979, totalled some US$43 million of which US$10.5 million has been provided in ..... Hong Kong, US$1.1 million in Macau, US$3.1 million in Indonesia, US$20.2 million in Malaysia, US$2 million in the Philippines, US$1 million · in Singapore and US$1.5 million in Thailand.
18.
Apart from very limited local settlement within the region, the only solution possible to date for boat cases has been resettlement outside the region.
Rescue at Sea
Many thousands of boat cases have been rescued on the high seas by
19. passing vessels.
'and unseaworthy.
The craft used by the boat cases are often over-loaded Boat cases have also reported that passing vessels have
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