Time for Change
Anyone who visits Hong Kong's refugee camps will surely come away with a sad feeling that much human life, energy and talent is being wasted. Men, women and children are struggling to find identities for themselves, existing in limbo, waiting for an immigration official in another country to tell them that their new lives can begin.
This is not Hong Kong's fault. The refugees have been an unexpected and unwanted problem for Hong Kong, and the government has mounted a large and expensive operation to care for them.
However, the government's initial response was designed for the short-term, and the problem is now clearly long-term. No fewer than 62% of the refugees have been here for more than three years, 17% have been here for more than six
For hundreds of children, a refugee camp is the only home they have known.
years.
In the light of experience, we think that the present policy has three serious faults:
It denies a role for the family.
It includes lack of education as part of the 'humane deterrent', which cannot be right.
The lack of a time limit on how long a refugee can stay in a closed camp leads to frustration and despair.
So we have suggested changes.
We have mentioned the Some changes are already being made. UNHCR's important work on education, the more relaxed view taken by CSD staff, and the government's own efforts to
Agencies with whom we spoke agreed speed up resettlement. that the atmosphere in the closed camps today is more relaxed and constructive than it was two years ago. would stress again that, away from public attention, many dedicated and skilled people, officials and volunteers, working very hard to help the refugees in many ways.
And we
are
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