TNAG-1425-FCO40-1908-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-general-1985 — Page 61

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

Sir

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Translation

Draft Speech by Hon WONG Lam, OBE, JP Legislative Council - 15.5,85

The Vietnamese Refugee Problem in Hong Kong

Although Hong Kong can do very little to assist

Vietnamese refugees, the efforts we have already made is well

known to all. As my Honourable colleagues will soon elaborate

on this point, I have no intention of reiterating all the

facts here.

In my opinion, when any person with an impartial mind

is commenting on the way in which Hong Kong handles the issue

of Vietnamese refugees, he should take a viewpoint of sympathy

and understanding. Apart from sympathizing with Hong Kong's

limitation in this regard, he should understand that the key to

a solution lies in preventing the recurrence of a refugee influx,

and in assisting the Vietnamese refugees presently staying in

Hong Kong to resettle in various countries. If one avoids to

discuss the crux of the problem and just accuses Hong Kong of

adopting inhumane measures, he may be likened to a person sitting

alone in a Rolls Royce car and accusing the driver of an overloaded

bus of not placing extra seats on top of the bus to accommodate

more passengers. His comments are neither pragmatic nor fair.

What we need is international assistance rendered through practical

action.

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