GPS 400
RESTRICTED
тор стру
FM HONG KONG 190800Z APR 83
TO ROUTINE ASUNCION
RECEIV
RESTRICTED
IN
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1 OF 19 APRIL 1983
49
PA Hkk 24372. HKK 243/2 25 Apr 33
TRY
AND TO BOGOTA, BRASILIA, CARACAS, GEORGETOWN (ALSO FOR PARAMARIBO), LIMA, MONTEVIDEO, QUITO, SANTIAGO
INFO FCO, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
POSSIBLE RESETTLEMENT OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN SOUTH AMERICA
HONG KONG CURRENTLY PLAYS HOST TO 12,500 VRS, WITH THE PROSPECT ON PREVIOUS YEARS' PATTERNS OF AN ADDITIONAL 6,000 IN THE NEXT 6 MONTHS. UNLIKE PREVIOUS YEARS, RESETTLEMENT HAS ALL BUT DRIED UP. AT THE START OF 1982 1,300 WERE LEAVING HERE A MONTH, WHILE BY END 1982 ONLY 180 WERE LEAVING. ON CURRENT RATE OF DEPARTURE, THOSE ALREADY HERE WILL TAKE AT LEAST 4 YEARS TO BE RESETTLED. EUROPE, AUSTRALIA AND NORTH AMERICA, TRADITIONAL PLACES FOR RESETTLEMENT, ARE SAYING THEY HAVE TAKEN ENOUGH.
2. AS A RESULT, HONG KONG HAS BY FAR THE LARGEST VIETNAMESE BOAT
OF THE TOTAL), AND BY FAR
POPULATION IN THE REGION (31 %
THE LARGEST PROPORTION OF LONG TERM REFUGEES (32 PERCENT HAVE BEEN HERE OVER 3 YEARS). WE HAVE INSTITUTED MEASURES TO DETER FURTHER ARRIVALS HUMANELY BY PLACING THEM IN CLOSED CENTRES WHERE THEY CANNOT TAKE UP OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT. BUT THEY CONTINUE TO COME. WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST POPULATION DENSITIES IN THE WORLD AND FACE CONTINUING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA WHICH WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH BY REPATRIATION.
3. AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, WE ARE OBLIGED TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO LOOK FOR POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE AREAS FOR RE-SETTLING REFUGEES. KARL STUMPF, A WELL KNOWN HONG KONG COMMUNITY FIGURE WHO HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN SOCIAL WORK HERE FOR 30 YEARS, IS CONVINCED THAT SOUTH AMERICA IS ONE OF THE FEW REMAINING AREAS OF THE WORLD WHICH MIGHT BE WILLING TO TAKE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES. WE WROTE TO SOUTH AMERICAN POSTS IN AUGUST 1981 ABOUT AN EXPLORATORY TRIP WHICH STUMPF PROPOSED TO MAKE. FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS THE VISIT WAS POSTPONED. STUMPF NOW WISHES TO REVIVE THE IDEA. HE IS CONFIDENT THAT HE COULD FIND FUNDS TO GIVE ANY REFUGEES WHICH SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRIES WERE PREPARED TO TAKE A GOOD START AND RELIEVE THE BURDEN ON THE RECEIVING COUNTRY.
REGISTRY
PA
Action Tax
AF 28kd
See
53
55
3
RESTRICTED
14.
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