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The Hong Kong government says it has spent US $64 million of its own funds on
the refugees.
In 1984,
UNHCR provides relief assistance for all refugees in Hong Kong. It also
contributes to medical and employment projects in the open camps.
UNHCR obligated $3.9 million for the refugees, most of which ($2.6 million)
was spent for food in the closed centers. It supplies the refugees with basic
personal items, including clothing and footwear for the cold months, and bears
the cost of utilities at all the camps. UNHCR has spent a total of $40
million on refugees in Hong Kong since assistance began in 1979.
Voluntary agencies administer social welfare and educational programs for
refugees in the closed centers. These programs are subsidized by the Hong
Kong government, except the one in Bowring, which is financed by the UNHCR.
Voluntary agencies operate the open centers as noted above, using their own
funds, as well as support from such organizations as the UNHCR.
Some observers have criticized certain of the church-supported agencies as
having ulterior motives in assisting the refugees. For instance, the
Britain-based Refugee Action News recently alleged that two of the agencies
"claim the main focus of their work is social service, but documentary
7 evidence reveals that their primary motive is to convert people. Sources
in Hong Kong, however, dismissed these charges, saying they were misleading
and had originated with an unreliable source whose services had been
terminated by at least two different agencies in Hong Kong.
·
The Possibility of Resettlement:
Diminishing Prospects
Since 1975, the leading resettlement countries have been the United
States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Other countries that have
taken at least 1,000 refugees each include West Germany, France, and Denmark.
(See table) In 1985, 4,022 refugees were resettled from Hong Kong and Macao
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