TNAG-1542-FCO40-2106-United-Nations-High-Commissioner-for-Refugees-(UNHCR)-Execut-1986 — Page 371

DOGAGR

CONFIDENTIAL

UNHRC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (EXCOM): GENEVA 6-13 OCTOBER

BRIEF NO 6(h)

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG

Points to Make with Members of "Honolulu Group" (ie

delegations of Australia, Canada, Japan and US

1.

Remain very concerned about the continuing outflow of

"boat people" from Vietnam.

Despite continuing

resettlement, new arrivals continue to swell numbers in the

Hong Kong camps. Hong Kong's arrival rate this year is nearly double the rate of last year (1812 January-August 1986 compared with 875 same period 1985). Of Hong Kong's

present camp

camp population of 8515 (1 September), 64% have been there for over 3 years.

2. Problem not one affecting Hong Kong only: HMG are also concerned at accelerating "compassion fatigue" and general

destabilising effect of unresettlable

unresettlable Indochinese in camps

in places of first asylum throughout Southeast Asia.

3.

Further problem is that some resettlement countries

are now refusing to regard many of those in Hong Kong as

"true refugees" but consider them rather as "economic

migrants", and thus will not include them in their

resettlement programmes. This creates severe difficulties for Hong Kong, which is faced with prospect of a large (and

possibly increasing) group of unresettlable refugees in its

camps.

4. Against this background we would welcome opportunity to consider jointly and informally with main resettlement

countries and UNHCR what might be done to resolve problem

of continuing outflow from Vietnam, in order to relieve

pressure on Hong Kong.

CONFIDENTIAL