TNAG-1424-FCO40-1907-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-general-1985 — Page 22

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those leaving Indo-China by boat.

The UK has SO far accepted around

19,000 Vietnamese although in the last three years it has accepted

less than 500 from Hong Kong. We have continuing international commitments to resettle family reunion and ship rescue cases.

III TREATMENT OF THE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG

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OPEN AND CLOSED CENTRES

5. All refugees arriving from Vietnam are granted refugee status by

the Hong Kong Government under a provision of the Immigration Ordinance (which was specially amended for this purpose). Initially

they were accommodated in open centres, run jointly by voluntary

agencies and the UNHCR and located in premises within the urban

areas provided by the Hong Kong Government.

They were

able to move freely in and out of the centres, and to seek outside

employment. (Over 90% of adult heads of families and single adults

in the open centres are employed).

6.

Initially the rate of

resettlement in Western countries

in

response to the crisis was high; in 1979 the average monthly rate of

resettlement from Hong Kong was 2,000; in 1980 this rose to 3,000,

in 1981 it fell to 1,500; and when, in 1982, it fell to 770 per

month, Hong Kong's refugee

population rose accordingly (see Table

I). The Hong Kong Government introduced the closed centre policy in

July of that year.

Since that date, under a further special

provision of the Hong Kong Immigration Ordinance, all newly arriving

refugees have been placed in closed centres, where they are detained

and are not permitted to seek outside employment. The aim of this

policy is to deter would-be refugees from setting out from Vietnam

for Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Government have attempted to ensure

that news of the policy reaches those still in Vietnam. The centres

are run by specially recruited staff of the Correctional Services

Department, which i s also responsible for

prisons and other correctional institutions.

the Hong Kong Government approximately one

expenditure on refugees (HK$ 20 million out of a total of HK$ 60

million in 1984).

running Hong Kong's

The UNHCR reimburses

third of its annual

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