TNAG-1733-FCO40-2446-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 246

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with men, women and children back out to sea would not be acceptable to the majority of people in our humane and caring community. We shall continue therefore to observe our international and humanitarian obligations.

At the same time, it is neither fair nor indeed humane to continue a practice which is based on a promise of resettlement for all, when that promise is no longer valid. There are already over 16,000 Vietnamese refugees stet in Hong Kong, more than 3.700 of whom have been here in our camps for more than three years. These people have been accepted by Hong Kong as refugees and must continue to be treated as such. Durable solutions for these refugees must be found, and that means primarily. resettlement in third countries. But to continue to even accept all arrivals

arrivals as refugees would prejudice further the prospects for resettlement of those already here and increase the frustration which is already widespread amongst them.

We have therefore concluded that as from midnight tonight, all boat people from Vietnam will be treated as illegal immigrants and detained, like illegal immigrants anywhere in the world, pending their return to their country of origin. However, we shall screen all

Will arrivals. This will be a procedure determine whether any of them qualify as genuine refugees according to the internationally accepted criteria.

The screening will be carried out by Immigration Department staff on the basis of individual interviews. It is based on guidelines laid down by the UNHCR, who will be able to monitor it. And there will be a right of appeal.

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