TNAG-1419-FCO40-1902-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 216

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SCORRI REPORT: PASSAGE FOR INCLUSION IN WHITE PAPER

CLOSED CAMPS

RECOMMENDATION 2:

(i) Closed Camps should be abolished and their

inmates transferred to open camps

(ii)

I f the Closed Camps are not abolished, the

FCO should put on record immediately the

circumstances in which it would withdraw

its sanction from the closed camp policy

1.

HMG have considered these recommendations

carefully in close consultation with the Hong Kong

Government. As Mr Luce made clear in his evidence to

the Sub-Committee, neither HMG nor the Hong Kong

Government regard it as satisfactory or desirable that

refugees should be confined to closed camps.

The

present situation is far from ideal, and HMG fully

understand why it causes

HMG share that concern.

concern to the Sub-Committee.

However for the practical

reasons explained below, in present circumstances HMG

see no alternative to continuing the policy.

REASON FOR INTRODUCTION OF POLICY

2.

The

report correctly

camp s we re

introduced in

closed

states that "The

July 1982 as a policy of

11 'humane deterrence" to discourage other Vietnamese from coming to Hong Kong" (Para 20). The

Government and HMG felt that s ome

Hong Kong

was necessary

refugees were

kind of

because although the rate

arriving in Hong Kong had

deterrent

at

which

stabilised