TNAG-1542-FCO40-2106-United-Nations-High-Commissioner-for-Refugees-(UNHCR)-Execut-1986 — Page 43

1

CONFIDENTIAL

5.

(If asked whether closed camps are not really prisons/run by prison staff.) Hong Kong's refugee camps are

are not run as prisons, nor by prison officers. They are run by staff of the Correctional

Services Dept specially trained to look after refugees.

refugees (through elected representatives) are also directly

involved in the daily running of the camps.

UNHCR have every

access.

The

6.

(If asked under what circumstances we should discontinue the

closed camp policy.) We have always made it clear that the policy is

not intended to be permanent and that if the flow of illegal

departures from Vietnam were to be reduced to a trickle, such

deterrent measures would no longer be necessary. The policy has

been effective in reducing level of new arrivals, but the flow

nevertheless continues. We should be ready to discontinue the

policy whenever circumstances permitted.

THIS IS A COPY THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN

CLOSED UNDER

FOI EXEMPTION NO. 27/1),

CONFIDENTIAL