TNAG-1423-FCO40-1906-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-general-1985 — Page 95

CONFIDENTIAL

The policy, which is undoubtedly distasteful, has been criticised,

though not vehemently, by British MPs and journalists visiting Hong Kong. The British Refugee Council, the main UK body concerned with

refugee questions (partly funded by the Home Office) have examined

the policy and have made suggestions as to how the centres might be improved. Some of these have been implemented. The BRC appear to

regard the centes as a necessary evil, and recognise that there is

then no prospect of the Hong Kong Government abandoning it while boat

people continue to arrive. UNHCR, although they help finance the

centres have stated publicly that they consider the detention of

refugees "under prison-like conditions for prolonged periods of

time, in accordance with a policy of so-called humane deterrence" to

be "at variance with the principles of international protection".

(Notes on International Protection, 9 August 1984).

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7.

J

The closed camp policy is the only measure that the Hong Kong

Government have 80 far taken to try to deter Vietnamese from

travelling to Hong Kong. Although it by no means provides a

complete answer to the problem (refugees continue to arrive), and has itself created new problems, the Hong Kong Government consider

tha the advantages of the policy decisively outweigh the

disadvantages and that this one measure

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of deterrence must continue.

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