TNAG-0946-FCO40-1165-Local-Intelligence-Committee-assessment-of-the-political-sit-1980 — Page 52

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23.

Escapes by boat, particularly from the west, again accounted

for the majority (51%) of arrests. Many of them were from coastal communes

of Dongguan County, where escape activity appears to be open and where

there was reported cadre involvement in at least some attempts to escape

in motorised vessels. Hong Kong residents and syndicates may have been

involved in some of these activities, either in meeting escape boats in

the Pearl River Estuary or in providing shelter and transport after arrival. The reduced number of arrivals by boat in early March may result

from a reported increase in Chinese security measures.

น

Escapes by boat

from the north east were fewer, probably because of unfavourable winds

and tides; reported improved anti-escape measures in eastern Guangdong;

a growing shortage of boats; and restrictions placed on persons

boarding fishing vessels.

24.

The higher number of arrests in February bears out the assessment

in our last report : at the beginning of the year, uncertainty over the

implementation of the new regulations in Guangdong initially resulted in

fewer persons leaving. But as it became known that the average illegal

immigrant arrested was not in fact receiving punishment of any severity,

the numbers rose again. It now appears that the penalty for a first attempt

at escape is about 15 days detention. The great majority of immigrants are

trying for the first time and this mild punishment must make the risk seem

worth taking. In addition, the campaign of exhortation, warning and rallies

which was given new life in December, seems, as with previous campaigns

last year, to have petered out after two months.

From Vietnam

25.

A total of 157 persons arrived in 5 boats. Of these, 26 were

ethnic Vietnamese and had been picked up by a Danish merchant ship. One

boat carrying 105 passengers, the majority of them ethnic Chinese, was

found to be from China as was one man who claimed to have stowed away in

a merchant ship. The remaining 25 were all ethnic Vietnamese from Central

Vietnam.

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/ para 26.