TNAG-1541-FCO40-2105-Further-resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-i-1986 — Page 46

3. AS A RESULT OF HMG'S DECISION TO RELAX ITS FAMILY REUNION CRITERIA, 423 REFUGEES HAVE LEFT HONG KONG FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM SO FAR THIS YEAR (OUT OF A TOTAL OF 457 WHO HAVE LEFT SINCE THE DECISION WAS TAKEN IN SEPTEMBER 1985). IN ADDITION, BELGIUM, DENMARK, FINLAND, GREECE, JAPAN, LUXEMBOURG, THE METHERLANDS, NEW ZEALAND, NORWAY AND SWEDEN HAVE TAKEN, OR AGREED TO TAKE, REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG. THE MAJOR RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES HAVE EITHER MAINTAINED OR INCREASED THEIR REGULAR MONTHLY OFFTAKE FROM HONG KONG. AS AT THE END OF OCTOBER 1986 A TOTAL OF 3,328 REFUGEES HAD BEEN RESETTLED FROM HONG KONG COMPARED TO 3,224 DURING THE

SAME PERIOD IN 1985. EVEN THOUGH THIS REPRESENTS ONLY A 3 PERCENT INCREASE, IT MUST BE VIEWED IN THE CONTEXT OF SHRINKING WORLDWIDE AND REGIONAL RESETTLEMENT. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT WITHOUT THE BRITISH INITIATIVE, RESETTLEMENT FROM HONG KONG THIS YEAR COULD HAVE

BEEN LESS THAT 2,000.

4.

AS A RESULT, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO CLOSE DOWN CAPE COLLINSON CLOSED CENTRE AND TO REDEPLOY THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT (CSD) STAFF. PLANS ARE ALSO WELL UNDER WAY TO COMBINE THE TWO OPEN CENTRES AT JUBILEE AND KAI TAK INTO ONE IMPROVED OPEN CENTRE AT KAI TAK. WORK WILL BE COMPLETED IN JANUARY NEXT YEAR, WHEN JUBILEE WILL CLOSE. THE RESULT WILL BE A CONSID- ERABLE FINANCIAL SAVING (OF THE ORDER OF 6.5 MILLION DOLLARS PER ANNUM) FOR THE UNHCR WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF

THE OPEN CENTRES.

5. BUT THIS SUCCESS HAS BEEN ERODED BY INCREASED ARRIVALS THIS YEAR. AT THE END OF OCTOBER, 1,943 REFUGEES HAD ARRIVED COMPARED TO 968 DURING THE SAME PERIOD IN 1985. THE MAJORITY OF THOSE

ARRIVING (53 PERCENT) ARE FROM NORTH VIETNAM, WHEREAS PREVIOUSLY THEY REPRESENTED ONLY 27 PERCENT OF ARRIVALS. NEVERTHELESS, AT

PRESENT THE REFUGEE POPULATION IN HONG KONG AT ABOUT 8,200 IS

THE LOWEST RECORDED THIS DECADE.

6. NORTH VIETNAMESE ARE PARTICULARLY HARD TO RESETTLE BECAUSE NEITHER THE AMERICANS NOR AUSTRALIANS (WHO BETWEEN THEM ACCOUNT

FOR TWO-THIRDS OF THE OFFTAKE FROM HONG KONG) ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT THEM. ALSO THESE TWO COUNTRIES DO NOT CONSIDER MANY OF THOSE ARRIVING IN HONG KONG TO BE REFUGEES FLEEING FROM PERSE- CUTION. MANY OF THOSE ARRIVING ADMIT THAT THEY ARE LEAVING VIETNAM IN SEARCH OF A BETTER STANDARD OF LIVING FOR THEMSELVES OR

THEIR CHILDREN.

7.. WE HAVE BEEN CONCERNED THAT THE SLIGHT INCREASE IN DEPARTURES THIS YEAR MIGHT HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INCREASED ARRIVALS. IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT STAFF HAVE INTERVIEWED THOSE ARRIVING HERE AND ARE SATISFIED THAT THE REASONS FOR THEIR DEPARTURE ARE CONDITIONS IN VIETNAM RATHER THAN ANY SPECIFIC ATTRACTION OR 'PULL' FROM HONG KONG. HONG KONG APPEARS TO HAVE ATTRACTED A GREATER NUMBER MAINLY BECAUSE MANY REFUGEES FEEL THAT CONDITIONS IN THE CLOSED CENTRES IN HONG KONG ARE MORE ATTRACTIVE THAN IN ANY OTHER REFUGEE CAMPS IN THE REGION AND MUCH MORE ATTRACTIVE THAN CONDITIONS

IN VIETNAM

2

CONFIDENTIAL

HONG KONG'S