TNAG-0940-FCO40-1159-Visits-by-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Ministers-and-officials-t-1980 — Page 4

از

CONFIDENTIAL

2 -

understandably fairly empty-looking in mid-morning:

they

were in any case at about two-thirds' capacity. Kai Tak North consists partly of brick Air Force camp buildings, including a camp hospital, and partly of the locally designed hanger-like refugee huts which hold potentially 300 refugees each: Kai Tak East is totally made up of new huts. Both had clinics and classes with volunteer teachers: North had a

creche, and a volunteer (US) dentist. All refugees in these camps are issued with special identity cards which enable them to move freely in Hong Kong and take employment, The huts are strewn with the proceeds of their opportunity to work televisions, new clothes etc. A recurrent feature of conversation with those showing me round was the danger of the refugees being favourably treated in comparison with Hong Kong citizens: they lived rent (and services) free, albeit in very cramped circumstances, two to a space 8' x 8' x 4', and had much better access in general to medical and other 'social service' facilities,

-

3. The visit to the former first offenders' prison/ detention centre at Chi Ma Wan on Lantau Island (ten minutes by helicopter from Hong Kong Island) was arranged both because of the continuing UNHCR pressure for Hong Kong to moderate its policy of treating them as 'illegal immigrants' to be returned to China, and of the recent correspondence complaining about conditions there. The main differences between Chi Ma Wan and the Kai Tak camps were the barbed wire topped perimeter fences, the general lack of any employment possibilities (a few Vietnamese were employed on laundry and minor building work, but the huts were notably fuller of idle adults than Kai Tak), and the resulting lack of the material possessions which were everywhere in Kai Tak. The Salvation Army had provided clothing, but there were no voluntary agency personnel present: the clinic was staffed by a Prison Department doctor and orderlies, and some classes being run by Prison Department teachers. Eating was in a central hall, where films were shown twice a week, in contrast

With the

ARMEIDENTTA