Council of Hongkong Indian Associations
Member Associations:
THE INDIAN CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE
THE HINDU ASSOCIATION
c/o TST P. O. BOX 95106, HONG KONG Telex: 43500-HARI-HX Cable "INDCOUNCIL"
27th February, 1986
Tel: 3-7218844
THE INDIA ASSOCIATION
THE INDIA CLUB
THE KHALSA DIWAN
The Rt. Hon. Margaret Thatcher, MP
House of Commons
London SW1A OAA
Dear Mrs. Thatcher,
THE HONG KONG INDIAN
WOMEN'S CLUB THE NAV BHARAT CLUB
24/3
pps.
We last wrote to you in January, on behalf of the Hong Kong Indian ethnic community ("Hong Kong Indians") and other members of the non-Chinese ethnic minority population of Hong Kong, who are British Dependent Territory Citizens
("BDTCS").
You will recall that it is our objective to persuade Her Majesty's Government ("HMG") to grant to the Hong Kong Indians and the other non-Chinese BDTCs British citizenship and the right of abode in Britain in anticipation of the transfer of sovereignty and jurisdiction from HMG to the Government of the People's Republic of China ("PRC").
HMG have announced their intention to lay before Parliament before Easter of this year the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986. The Order in its published draft form does not in any way provide what we are seeking. accordingly respectfully ask for your support for our claims.
We
We enclose a letter we have written to Mr. Douglas Hurd, Secretary of State at the Home Department. From that letter and its own enclosures, you will see, we hope, the force of our case.
Could we merely summarise by way of introduction the main points:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
HMG proposes to confer upon us a uniquely attenuated form of nationality, which arguably does not satisfy the requirements of international law, and - as is conceded - gives us no right of abode in Hong Kong.
Such nationality will last for three generations only. After that we will have, if we can, to become Chinese citizens or otherwise be stateless.
HMG have so far failed to obtain from the PRC any guarantee that we will, if we apply, be granted Chinese citizenship. All the indications are that
President: MR. H. N. HARILELA, OBE JP
Vice President: MR. K. SITAL, JP
Contd./
Hon. Secretary: MR. K. B. RATHI Hon. Treasurer: MR. J. MULCHAND
Council Members : MR. S. A. AMEEN MRS. KAMLA KAPAHI MR. G. B. MAHBUBANI MR. LACHMAN NARAIN
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