RESTRICTED
close screening of refugees so as to reveal which individuals
were genuine refugees and which were economic refugees. The former
category would come under UNHCR auspices, while economic
refugees would be dealt with according to local law. Some
might feel that a similar procedure should be adopted for Hong Kong. We come up against a problem, though, that under the
terms of the 1979 Geneva Conference, all boat refugees leaving Indo-China are categorised as refugees. Some would argue
though that, where economic motivation is clearly the prime
motivating factor, there is a call for a closer examination of this
basic assumption. This is an area which may need further
international study.
Should Economic migrants be repatriated?
Where the motivation for a refugee leaving a country
is predominantly economic, it is tempting to conclude that
,such refugees should be prime candidates for repatriation.
However, in the case of Vietnam, UNHCR has not managed to
elaborate any scheme for voluntary repatriation: there
are effectively no volunteers and the Vietnamese Government
have shown no willingness to cooperate. [See answer to question 11. Clearly, involuntary repatriation would be repugnant, unless we
so
were fully satisfied that those :.returned were not genuine refugees and would not
be maltreated if returned) Involuntary Repatriation (defensive)
dificult
It would be diff cult
to reconcile
involuntary
out of the
repatration with waterstanding,
arning
1979 Genera comference, and our position
Convention retaining
Vis
segnatory
of the 1954 Converting
RESTRICTED the status of refugees hind it's protocol of 1967. Moreover we would need to
assurances from the vietnamese that those returned
endegnate inthis" not be f inhumanely treated. So far they
have given no indication that they are prepared to cooperate in a programure of reportivation,
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.