GRS 400
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 211751Z JAN 81
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 54 OF 21 JANUARY
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RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
26 JAN 1981
DECK OFACER
FOLLOWING RECEIVED FROM HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFIGI INDEX
FROM COMMISSIONER,
LONDON OFFICE
2
REGISTRY Action Taken
PA
MS
ᄑ
PERO
UNHAPPY WANDERERS IN LONDON
YOUR TELNO 11 OF 7 JANUARY.
WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THEIR TRAIL VIA SOURCES INCLUDING HONG KON
PRESS CONTACTS HERE.
2. YESTERDAY (20.1.81) THEY WERE REFUSED U.S. VISAS AND, ACCORDING TO
THE STUDENT INTERPRETING FOR THEM, STAGED A QUOTE MINI-DEMO UNQUOTE
OR PROTEST IN THE EMBASSY EXCLAM
3. THEY SAW AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL'S REFUGEE COORDINATOR, LINDSAY STEWART, FOR 2 1/2 HOURS. SUBSEQUENTLY LINDSAY STEWART CALLED HELEN
YU OF THIS OFFICE TO SAY :
(A) SHE HAD ARRANGED FOR WANDERERS TO SEE WESLEY GRICK, UNHCR DEPUTY
REPRESENTATIVE ON 21.1.31:
(B) THEY WERE NOT ENTIRELY HAPPY WITH THE WANDERERS STORY (MY READING OF THIS IS THAT THEY ARE NOT IMPRESSED):
(C) AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL WOULD NOT BE INTERESTED UNLESS GENUINE
POLITICAL REFUGEES WERE INVOLVED (AND AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL FEARED
THAT AMONGST THE THOUSANDS REPATRIATED THERE COULD BE SOME SUCH
CASES).
4. LINDSAY STEWART WAS GIVEN THE BACKGROUND TO HKG'S CHANGE IN
POLICY REGARDING CHINA ILLEGALS. IT WAS FIRMLY POINTED OUT THAT HERE
WE ARE DEALING WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, NOT REFUGEES. ENOUGH BROAD
HINTS WERE DROPPED ABOUT WANDERERS' POLITICAL ASSOCIATION TO SUGGEST
THAT THEIR BONA FINDES ARE DUBIOUS. IT WAS H YU'S IMPRESSION THAT
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL DREW SIMILAR CONCLUSIONS DURING THEIR EXCHANGE
WITH WANDERERS.
5. AS REGARDS LAU'S CASE, LINDSAY STEWART WAS TOLD PARAS 2 AND 3 IN
YOUR TELNO 1671 PLUS THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER OF
LAU BEING MALTREATED AFTER REPATRIATION.
6. THE POINT WAS ALSO MADE THAT BOTH AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AND UNHCR
HAVE REPRESENTATIVES IN HONG KONG. THESE, AND OTHER WELFARE AGENCIES,
WOULD HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE TO WANDERERS.
CONFIDENTIAL
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