TNAG-1184-FCO40-1486-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-the--1982 — Page 81

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VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AND HONG KONG NOTE FOR MR ME PIKE

1.

In July 1982 the Hong Kong Government introduced a new closed

camp policy aimed at deterring refugee arrivals from Vietnam. Wide

publicity has been given to this including broadcasts by the

Vietnamese service of the BBC and the Voice of America, as well as

inserting a short note giving details of the policy into all letters

sent by refugees back to Vietnam.

2.

It is difficult to assess how widespread knowledge of the new

situation is in Vietnam. In August, only 1 in 5 arrivals knew

anything about the new policy. Latest indications are that about half of arrivals realise there has been some tightening up. The

Vietnamese authorities appear unlikely to give the new situation. much publicity.

3.

There has been a 45% drop in departures from Vietnam this

year (54,200 departures in first 7 months of 1981: 29,800 in 1982),

but no corresponding drop in those arriving in Hong Kong September arrivals for 1982 are very close to figures for 1981. 50% of those leaving Vietnam for the South East Asian area are now choosing Hong Kong, whose refugee population of over 13,200 is by far the largest in the region. [ 40% of these have been in Hong Kong for over 2 years, and it is this group the Hong Kong authorities are most anxious to remove]. 3 months is too short a period to assess the closed camp policy, but it does not appear to have significantly curbed arrivals.

4.

Despite the 7,000 who have arrived so far this year, Hong Kong has had only 13% of the regional off-take in the last 4 months.

443 left this September, compared with 1,673 in September 1981. The UNHCR target off-take is 1,000 per month in 1982; this has dropped to 400 per month over the last 3 months, of whom the USA took three-fifths. The total number of refugees in camps this