TNAG-1014-FCO40-1264-HM-Government-s-responsibility-for-internal-affairs-in-Hong--1981 — Page 41

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

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2

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26.3.79

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CONFIDENTIAL ##

50 social workers (but no boat people) staged another demonstration in front of Housing Dept. H2. No arrests

were made.

The Chief Secretary replied to 28 local and international bodies which had written to the Hong Kong Government

denouncing the arrest of the Yaumatei protesters. It is

believed that the intemational organisations have been ,asked to write to the H.K. Govt. by the protesters

themselves.

25.4-79

9.5.79

The Hon. Andrew So asked in LegCo the number of boat dwellers

in FK and how many of those were on HD's waiting list.

S for H answered the first part of the question and explained

that answer to the second part would be difficult as boat

people might be applying through a forwarding address.

S for H took the occasion to reiterate Government policy

regarding the rehousing of boat people.

The Hon. Peter C. Wong raised in LegCo a question on public

assembly.

7

What has been recorded above is an attempt to trace the involvement and

after-effects of pressure groups' participation in a social issue. The list is by no means exhaustive as pressure group members have known to speak out either individually or collectively on numerous occasions and have also contributed frequently to letters-to-the editor columns.

The boat-people issue has given rise to special articles in Rospapers and topical documentaries cn television.

All these

have not been recorded here but an obvious conclusion is that

due to the pressure groups' persistence, and directly as a result of media coverage, the boat people issue has become a well-known one. On the whole, the public watched with detached interest and, according to HAD

feedback, is not taking sides as the issue shifted from its original

focus on boat people to that on public assembly and public protest.

CONFIDENTIAL ##

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