WE ARE NOT ALONE IN OUR VIEW THAT MANY OF THE VIETNAMESE
REFUGEES ARE ESSENTIALLY ECONOMIC REFUGEES. INDEED THE MAJOR
RESTTLEMENT COUNTRIES CITE THIS AS A REASON FOR NOT TAKING MORE
REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG. THE THAI GOVERNMENT HAVE ALSO EXPRESSED
VIEWS ON THIS QUESTION THEIR REPRESENTATIVE AT UNHCR's
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING LAST OCTOBER FAVOURED 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 CONVENTION 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 ARE WHICH MAY NEED FURTHER INTERNATIONAL
STUDY.
:
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.