TNAG-1417-FCO40-1900-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 156

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28.

Incidentally, to our knowledge, none of the countries

of the region giving temporary asylum to Vietnamese and other Indo-Chinese refugees is party to the 1951 Convention and 1967

protocol. They nevertheless, like Hong Kong, cooperate as far as possible with UNHCR in the Protection of and assistance

to refugees.

Evidence to suggest that other resettlement countries take

refugees from other places of first asylum in preference to

those from Hong Kong.

29. The table in part II of our Memorandum suggests this to be

the case. When questioned as to the reasons for this preference,

resettlement countries tend to reply that they do not see

Hong Kong as a priority because it is a British responsibility.

Evidence of tension, hopelessness and potential violence in the

closed centres

30. Paragraph 19(1) of part IB of our Memorandum describes the type of problem which can result from the tension in the centres. Earlier, in February 1983, because of friction

between Northern and Southern Vietnamese, the two groups had

to be segregated into separate centres.

31. As resettlement prospects diminish, the refugees'

frustration is bound to increase.

Although the Hong Kong

Government aims to ensure that the refugees' needs are provided for as fully as possible, and to preserve law and order in the centres, it is only too well aware that life in the centres is unsatisfactory in the long term, and that other solutions

must be found.

CURRENT REFUGEE STATISTICS (JANUARY 1985)

32. 11,900 refugees are currently in Hong Kong awaiting

/resettlement

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