TNAG-1528-FCO40-2092-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-general-1986 — Page 20

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authorities say the Hong Kong government attempted a formal program of repat-

riation to Vietnam several years ago, but officials in London halted the plan.

1986--The Current Dilemma

As of May 1, 1986, there were 8,749 refugees in Hong Kong awaiting

resettlement overseas. Of this total, 62 percent have already spent more than

three years in Hong Kong camps, and 17 percent have remained more than six

years. According to latest information, only 7 percent of the total caseload

have firm acceptances for resettlement. Another 35 percent are pending a

decision by a resettlement country. The remainder--58 percent--are cases

which are not currently being processed, but may be described as dormant.

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There are two open camps in Hong Kong--the Kai Tak and Jubilee Transit

Centers. (See map) These camps house most of those refugees who arrived

before July 1982. As of April 1, 1986, Kai Tak held 2,055 and Jubilee,

2,146--a total of 4,201.

Jubilee Camp is a former housing block built before World War II for

British army personnel and their families.

Designed initially for a maximum

of 500 people, the structure today holds more than two thousand refugees. The

building has been condemned at least once by Hong Kong housing authorities as

lacking minimum health and safety standards, yet its use as a facility contin-

ues. Conditions are clearly overcrowded and intolerable by Western standards

--large families occupy small rooms with tiers of bunk-like arrangements.

somehow the refugees cope. Recently, a New York-based voluntary agency, the

International Rescue Committee (IRC), replaced Caritas-Hong Kong in admin-

istering the camp after some criticism regarding the latter's camp manage-

ment.

Yet,

Already some improvements are evident; a team of refugees and contract

labor has taken responsibility for trash removal, about which there had been

frequent complaints earlier.