TNAG-1534-FCO40-2098-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation-1986 — Page 31

DSR 11C

CONFIDENTIAL

in the case of China that Vietnamese refugess of

Vietnamese ethnic origin have been encouraged to

continue their journey onward to Hong Kong.

Kong has absorbed some 14,500.

Hong

(ii) Voluntary repatriation. There having been

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virtually no change in the conditions which

provoked the refugee outflows, it is not surprising

that there have only been a few thousand cases.

The UNHCR has provided assistance to some

Cambodians and Lao to return from Thailand.

The

authorities in Cambodia profess to welcome

returning refugees, those in Laos have tolerated

them and have also indicated that international

assistance would be required to help with the

reintegration of those returning.

The Vietnamese,

however, have effectively rejected voluntary

repatriation, apart from a few individual cases,

and have sentenced returnees to terms of

"reeducation".

*

(iii) Resettlement.

The United States has accepted by

far the largest total, over 630,000, comprised of

those fleeing the initial débacles of 1975,

refugees resettled from countries of first asylum,

and those emigrating under the Orderly Departure

Programme. France and Canada have taken nearly

100,000 each, Australia 94,000.

19,000.

The UK has taken

CONFIDENTIAL