TNAG-0899-FCO40-1109-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 212

A/34/627 English Annex I Page 2

I.

INTRODUCTION

1.

A grave crisis exists in South-East Asia. This paper relates to the hundreds of thousands of refugees and displaced persons whose fundamental right to life and security is at risk. Expanded, concerted and comprehensive action is urgently needed of the international community.

2. The human tragedy of the refugees and displaced persons is inseparable from the political and economic developments relating to Indo-China. The immediate crisis results from the dimensions of the exodus, the present denials of asylum and the imbalance between the large numbers arriving and the rate at which durable solutions are being found for them.

3. Since 1975, over a million persons are known to have left their countries from the three States of the Indo-China peninsula. Over 550,000 al of them have sought asylum in South-East Asia, some 200,000 of whom have already been resettled away from the area. Over 350,000 remain in countries of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) group and in Hong Kong. Between 1 January and 30 June 1979, there was a net increase of over 155,000 persons in the camps in South-East Asia, despite the departure of some 54,000 over the same period.

4. In December 1978, the High Commissioner convened a Consultative Meeting with Interested Governments on Refugees and Displaced Persons in South-East Asia. The summing up by the Chair of the outcome of the meeting will be found in appendix I below.

5.

Despite the most strenuous efforts over the past months that have witnessed a doubling in resettlement opportunities between October 1978 and May 1979 (from 53,500 to 125,000 over a 12-month span), the problem has clearly run ahead of the solutions.

6. This note briefly describes the present situation in the region, analyses some aspects of it and suggests a plan of action, for consideration by Governments at the meeting convened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 20 and 21 July 1979.

II. PRESENT SITUATION

A.

Land cases

Thailand

7. Since 1975, over 245,500 persons arriving by land from Kampuchea, Laos and Viet Nam have been given temporary asylum in Thailand. At 30 June 1979, 81,500 of

a/ In addition, some 235,000 entered China (para. 12), 150,000 entered Viet Nam (para. 11) and over 130,000 were resettled directly to the United States.

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