TNAG-1417-FCO40-1900-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 106

RESTRICTED

(g) Questions on UNHCR criticisms of policy

13

ANSWER:

Aware that UNHCR has criticised policies of "humane deterrence"

under which refugees are detained for prolonged periods. HMG

and Hong Kong Government share distaste for such measures.

Introduced reluctantly. Necessary evil. We of course look forward

to the day when the flow of arrivals from Vietnam reduces and the

level of resettlement increases to an extent that enables the Hong

Kong Government to relax the policy.

Closed centres run in cooperation

on with UNHCR who currently pay the annual cash expenditure one-third of cesty (HK$ 20 million out of a total

The figure for the total cost to HK

in 1984).

(Background

UNHCR

of HK$ 60 million was HK $ 110 million.

UNHCR Notes on International Protection, August

1984 which was quoted by British Refugee Council in "Behind Barbed

Wire" contained following statement, to which the question may

refer.

"While it will thus be seen that there may be situations, both with

regard to individual asylum-seekers and to large-scale influx, in which measures of detention may be justified, this is not the case

where asylum-seekers are detained with the sole object of

discouraging further arrivals. It has become evident that in certain countries the practice of detaining asylum-seekers is part of a clearly perceptible policy of discouraging the arrival of further asylum-seekers. In these countries refugees are frequently confined in prison or detained under prison-like conditions for prolonged periods of time in accordance with a policy of so-called "humane deterrence". Needless to say practices of this kind given

are at variance with the principles of

their underlying motivation international protection".)

-

-

DAY UNHCR also provide for provision of

dental

gervices та сило and

have recruited an

I

educational Coordinator for the closed

xCentres.)

RESTRICTED