TNAG-1786-FCO40-2546-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-closed-camp-policy-1988 — Page 199

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OXFAM

INTRODUCTION

樂施會

OXFAM Hong Kong is a relief and development agency, based in Hong Kong but working with poor and oppressed people in many Asian countries. Our concern for the Vietnamese refugees is a humanitarian concern for people who are the victims of war, poverty and politics.

This is a report about people who braved great danger to flee their homeland in search of freedom and prosperity but who instead find themselves living in prisons in Hong Kong and almost ignored by the rest of the world.

There is no easy answer to this problem. We realise that for Hong Kong and for many other countries, the refugees are an unwelcome and costly burden. All we have tried to do is to assess the situation sensibly and calmly, and then to consider the best way forward.

This is the third Oxfam report on the refugees. In April 1986, a report called 'How Hong Kong cares for Vietnamese Refugees' examined conditions in the refugee centres and suggested improvements. Then last December a paper to Legislative Councillors considered the issues of resettlement and repatriation. Apart from these reports, we have made grants for educational and training programmes to help the refugees.

In preparing this report we have visited all the refugee centres and many people, including many refugees, have been extremely helpful in answering our questions and giving us their views. We thank them all for their assistance.

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