TNAG-1182-FCO40-1484-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-the--1982 — Page 111

(113) in CR 1/4821/82

14th July 1982

6.

To put it simply, we have been hoisted) by our

own petard!

7.

You are correct in recording Dolly Lasan as saying that our new legislation which incorporates provision for repatriation is primarily for internal political digestion. We are under considerable pressure from Unofficials to do something about repatriation and to be seen to be doing something about it. You will appreciate that Hong Kong's attitude towards Vietnamese refugees is viewed critically by the Hong Kong public against our policy which, of necessity, provides for the repatriation of Chinese to China - and this includes husbands, wives and children who are returned daily when found to be here illegally.

8.

Of course, we fully appreciate the Protection Division's role, but when we see our refugee population steadily growing as it is today, because resettlement is now failing to keep abreast let alone ahead of the problem, we trust that the Protective Division will also understand our concern. We have done nothing to violate any of their "sacred principles". Indeed the UNHCR have always been at pains to commend us for our fairly human- itarian policies - and this from the High Commissioner himself last year and Dick Smyser, his Deputy.

9.

So, when you next meet with Ivor Jackson you might suggest he puts his heart at rest - at least for the time being(!). At the same time whilst we are fully aware of the current cry "managing the downside of the problem" we in Hong Kong have not yet had much of a glimpse of the reverse slope of this particular "feature".

10.

Arrivals of boat refugees throughout the region show a drop of some 46% overall for the first five months of this year compared with the same period last year. In Hong Kong, if we discount ship rescue cases, our arrival figures have gone up! That is to say that there has been an increase in the number of refugees setting out for Hong Kong when comparing 1981 figures with 1982. 3685 in 122 small boats last year compared with 4551 in 157 boats this year.

11.

Our present refugee population is now 11,300 and with the dismal resettlement figures which have been forecast we estimate that we will be up to 13 or 14,000 by the end of the year and still growing.

/.... 12.