TNAG-1012-FCO40-1262-Address-by-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--at-t-1981 — Page 51

IMMIGRATION PROBLEMS

35

Vietnamese Refugees

99.

Before the Geneva Conference in 1979 the flood of Vietnamese

Boat Refugees was a nightmare.

but at a comparatively low level.

...

Since then the problem has continued

There is no evidence of a resumption

of massive organised departures. Nevertheless arrivals in Hong Kong

for this year so far already exceed the total for the whole of last year:

and arrivals in other first asylum countries show a similar, if less

marked, trend. So the fact is that large numbers of people still

remain prepared to face unbelievable risks at sea to escape the

conditions in their homeland.

100.

Faced with this human tragedy we have continued to provide

first asylum to those who reach our shores. This is right. But it

is also right that the international community should continue to

play its part in resettlement. Over 74,000 refugees have been's

resettled from Hong Kong since 1979. We are particularly grateful

I

for the efforts made in resettlement by the United States, Canada

and the United Kingdom and for the work of the United Nations High

Commission for Refugees and of the voluntary agencies. But we still

have over 14,000 and they continue to arrive. If places of first

/asylum

.....