TNAG-1069-FCO40-1319-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-in-the-UK-1981 — Page 79

in Hong Kong are now overwhelmingly (98%) ethnic Vietnamese,

and the majority (77%) come from South Vietnam. They are now mostly

farmers and fishermen with relatively little education.

Present trends and conclusions

10.

Why do refugees continue to leave Vietnam in large numbers ?

(Hong Kong's arrivals so far this year, at 7,600, already exceed

arrivals for the whole of 1980). The principal reason would seem

to be the very difficult political and economic circumstances in

Vietnam, which result from the maintenance of the economy on a war-

footing in order to sustain the army of occupation in Cambodia and

large forces on the Sino-Vietnam border. This, and the imposition by

the North upon the South of a largely unworkable political and economic

system, seem to provide sufficiently strong reasons for the refugees

to brave the considerable (and known) risks of the journey. They set

out in small boats which are overloaded and ill-suited to a lengthy

sea crossing particularly since the time of year when the winds are

A

favourable for the journey to Hong Kong is also the typhoon season.

In addition to natural hazards, a number of refugees fall into the hands

of Thai pirates with horrifying consequences. We know that news of

these dangers filters back to Vietnam, since refugees can communicate

by letter, telegram and even telephone with their friends and relatives

there. There seems little sign that the Vietnamese Government is

contemplating any general change of policy which would alleviate

conditions in Vietnam and reduce the pressure to leave. The prospects

are therefore for a continuing exodus; although arrivals in Hong Kong

are likely to be fewer during the winter months when the winds are

unfavourable.

/11.