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Council of Hongkong Indian Associations
c/o TST P. O. BOX 95106, HONG KONG
Telex: 43500-HARI-HX Cable "INDCOUNCIL❞ Tel: 3-7218844
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12/5.
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Member Associations:
THE INDIAN CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE
THE HINDU ASSOCIATION
7th May 1986
THE INDIA ASSOCIATION THE INDIA CLUB
THE KHALSA DIWAN
The Rt. Hon. Baroness Young
House of Lords
London SW1A OPW England
My Lady Young,
THE HONG KONG INDIAN
WOMEN'S CLUB
THE NAV BHARAT CLUB
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We have written to you in the past regarding the disadvantageous position which non-Chinese British Dependent Territories Citizens (BDTCs) will find themselves in if the proposed Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order is passed without amendment. The House of Lords will debate the Nationality Order on 16th May, and you may be aware that the Leader of the the Opposition in the House, Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos, has tabled a motion asking HMG to grant full British citizenship to the non-Chinese BDTCS.
We hope that after reading our cogent arguments, you will feel able to lend your support to this motion.
In January 1985, HMG took the unprecedented step of changing the British nationality of people in Hong Kong by Order in Council instead of primary legislation. Criticism of this procedure, which allows no space for detailed debate and amendment, led the Government to promise that, exceptionally, the Order would be debated in draft in Britain and in Hong Kong, and that "if necessary, the Government would then withdraw the Order and revise it to take account of views expressed". (Baroness Young, 19th February 1985)
Those debates on the draft Order have now happened. Hong Kong's Legislative Council and members of all parties in both Houses of Parliament have overwhelmingly asked for the proposals to be changed so that the 10,000 ethnic minority British people of Hong Kong, who are not eligible for Chinese citizenship, will not be left effectively stateless, without a nationality which guarantees right of abode. Indeed, at the end of the House of Lords debate on 20th January 1986, Lord Glenarthur, the Government spokesman, accepted that (in the words of Lord Mishcon) "every single speaker in this House made [the]
recommendation [that those BDTCs in Hong Kong who are not ethnic Chinese should be offered British Citizenship]".
HhM 34011
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
19 MAY 1986
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DESK OFFICER
President: MR. H. N. HARILEUADDRE
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
P
Vice President: MR. K. SITAL, JP
Hon. Secretary: MR. K. B. RATHI Hon. Treasurer: MR. J. MULCHAND
Council Members: MR. S. A. AMEEN MRS. KAMLA KAPAHL MR. G. B. MAHBUBANI MR. LACHMAN NARAIN
Page 165Page 166
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