TNAG-1419-FCO40-1902-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 90

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CERTAINLY DUE TO THE CLOSED CAMP POLICY. IN HMG'S VIEW,

ABOLITION OF THE POLICY WOULD CAUSE A SHARP RISE IN THE NUMBER OF

ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG, AND CONSEQUENTLY AN UNACCEPTABLE AND

UNMANAGEABLE RISE IN THE CAMP POPULATION IN HONG KONG.

7. (UK'S RECORD ON RESETTLEMENT OF VIETNAMESE.) THE UK HAS

ACCEPTED SOME 19,000 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FOR RESETTLEMENT SINCE

1979, MOST OF THEM FROM HONG KONG. IT HAS A CONTINUING

INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENT TO ACCEPT FAMILY REUNION AND SHIP RESCUE

CASES. AS SCORRI'S REPORT RECOGNISED, THE VIETNAMESE HAVE HAD

DIFFICULTY IN ADAPTING TO LIFE IN THE UK. DESPITE THIS HMG

RECOGNISE THE NEED IDENTIFIED BY SCORRI TO REVIVE THE

INTERNATIONAL RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMME: TO REDUCE THE BURDEN ON

HONG KONG: AND TO REUNITE THOSE IN CAMPS WITH THEIR FAMILIES IN

THE UK. IT HAS THEREFORE DECIDED TO ACCEPT SCORRI'S

RECOMMENDATION THAT THE FAMILY REUNION CRITERIA BE RELAXED FOR

VIETNAMESE IN CAMPS IN COUNTRIES OF TEMPORARY ASYLUM.

BACKGROUND (FOR USE AS NECESSARY)

8. SINCE 1975 OVER 100,000 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES HAVE ARRIVED IN HONG KONG. ALL HAVE BEEN OFFERED TEMPORARY ASYLUM BY THE HKG.

NONE HAVE BEEN TURNED AWAY. HONG KONG HAS ALSO ACCEPTED SOME

14,500 DISPLACED INDO-CHINESE FOR PERMANENT SETTLEMENT.

9. AT FIRST THE REFUGEES WERE RESETTLED AT A RATE WHICH KEPT

PACE WITH THE CONTINUING INFLUX FROM VIETNAM. SINCE 1982 HOWEVER

THE RESETTLEMENT RATE HAS SLOWED AND THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES IN HONG KONG HAS INCREASED. SINCE JULY 1982 THE HKG HAVE PLACED ALL

NEW ARRIVALS IN CLOSED CAMPS, IN THE HOPE THAT THIS WILL DISCOURAGE OTHERS FROM LEAVING VIETNAM. (PREVIOUSLY REFUGEES

WERE ACCOMMODATED IN OPEN CAMPS FROM WHICH THEY COULD SEEK

EMPLOYMENT IN HONG KONG.) THE POLICY APPEARS TO BE HAVING SOME EFFECT ON THE NUMBERS ARRIVING IN HONG KONG: ARRIVALS FOR 1984 WERE 38 PERCENT DOWN ON 1983 FIGURES, COMPARED WITH A DECREASE OF 17 PERCENT IN THE SOUTH EAST ASIAN REGOIN AS A WHOLE, HOWEVER THERE ARE STILL SOME 10,500 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG AWAITING RESETTLEMENT, THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF ANY PLACE OF FIRST ASYLUM IN SOUTH EAST ASIA.

10. IN APRIL 1985 THE HOME AFFAIRS SUB-COMMITTEE ON RACE

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