TNAG-1531-FCO40-2095-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-general-1987 — Page 14

reas

for departure are now

in many

cases

economic

have

rather than politi ra! ones. Your correspondent also

suggests that "this year fewer refugees than ever

been resettled": in fact, 3734 were resettled in January

to November this year, compared with 3708 during the

period in 1985. In fact some 32% of the combined

of the refugee population in Hong Kong at

same

total

the start of

the year plus 1986 arrivals have been resettled, compared

with 29% for 1985. This is only a very modest increase,

and we wish it could have been higher: but the rate of

new arrivals in Hong Kong from Vietnam has

also increased

this year.

We and the Hong Kong Government share your

constituent's

concern that refugees who have to spend

for

For

several years in closed camps should not become

"institutionalised". The Hong Kong Government does

forewarn all Vietnamese refugees arriving in Hong Kong

that they are unlikely to be resettled very quickly.

the refugees in the closed camps, the Hong Kong

Government, the United Nations High Commissioner

Refugees and the voluntary agencies together provide

educational and vocational training courses designed both

to improve the refugees' chances of resettlement,

ensure that they are kept generally stimulated and

occupied during their enforced stay in Hong Kong.

and to

As regards resettlement in the UK, as your

constituent may know, some 20,000 Indochinese have

already been accepted for resettlement here (in addition