TNAG-1748-FCO40-2467-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1988 — Page 185

INCREASE OF NEW ARRIVALS

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012601 MDHIAN 9337

7. MEANWHILE THE INFLUX OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN THE PAST FOUR MONTHS HAS LED TO A DRASTIC INCREASE IN THE REFUGEE POPULATION, AND THERE IS OVERCROWDING IN THE CLOSED CENTRES. MEMBERS HAVE BEEN KEPT

ABREAST OF THE SITUATION BY BRIEFINGS ON 3 AND 10 MAY.

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8. SO FAR THIS YEAR A TOTAL OF NEARLY 3,500 VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE AVE ARRIVED IN HONG KONG. DURING THE EQUIVALENT PERIOD LAST YEAR ARRIVALS TOTALLED JUST UNDER 500. THIS IS A SEVEN-FOLD INCREASE IN WHAT IS NORMALLY THE QUIET SEASON, ALBEIT FULED BY RUMOURS OF A POSSIBLE CHANGE IN HONG KONG'S POLICY TOWARDS BOAT ARRIVALS FROM VIETNAM. THERE ARE NOW OVER 12,300 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG AS COMPARED WITH ONLY 7,600 AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR AN INCREASE OF 62 PERCENT. OF THESE NEARLY 10,000 ARE IN THE THREE EXISTING CLOSED CAMPS, WHICH ARE AT BURSTING POINT, AND IN VARIOUS EMERGENCY HOLDING CENTRES. A FOURTH AND PROBABLY A FIFTH CLOSED CAMP WILL BE NECESSARY VERY SOON TO ACCOMMODATE THESE INCREASING NUMBERS. EMERGENCY FACILITIES HAVE BEEN SET UP IN GREEN ISLAND, ARGYLE STREET, CAPE COLLINSON AND SHAMSHUIPON ARMY CAMP TO ACCOMMODATE THE RECENT ARRIVALS. AT THE PRESENT RATES OF ARRIVAL, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT EVEN THESE ADDITIONAL FACILITES MAY BE FILLED UP IN 3 MONTHS' TIME. A PROJECTION OF ARRIVALS AND TOTAL POPULATION NET OF RESETTLEMENT UP ΤΟ THE END OF 1988 IS AT ANNEX 8.

WILSON

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DISTRIBUTION

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MAIN

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LIMITED

HKD

SEAD

UND

LEGAL ADVISERS

PS

PS/MRS CHALKER

PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

PS/PUS

MR GILLMORE

MR MCLAREN

MR FIFOOT

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