TNAG-1426-FCO40-1909-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-general-1985 — Page 94

Closed Camp Policy

4.

No desire to see

absolutely necessary.

closed

camp policy continue any longer than

A temporary measure. Must point out that it

has been effective in discouraging Vietnamese from setting out from

Vietnam for Hong Kong: Hong Kong arrivals have decreased

considerably more sharply than those for SE Asian region as a whole

since policy was introduced in July 1982. Wide support for policy

in Hong Kong: important to

see it in this

(IF PRESSED on SCORRI recommendation that camp s be abolished;

factors which are largely outside HMG's or Hong Kong Government's

control will ultimately dictate how long closed camps will need to

remain in being: rate of arrivals from Vietnam and rate of

departures to countries of resettlement.)

Closed Camp Conditions

:

context.

5. Can do no better than quote words of Mr Hartling, UNHCR, during

his recent visit to Hong Kong. He described conditions in the

closed camp s as "very encouraging" and said the Hong Kong authorites

and voluntary agencies were doing a

agencies were doing a very good job, for which he was

very grateful.