CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 150100Z HONG KONG
TELNO 1529
OF 14170OZ JUNE 88
CONFIDENTIAL
33
134501
MDHOAN 8177
HUD 243/8.
TOP COPY O DIST ?
FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM HUM, HKD
MIPT:
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG: ANNOUNCEMENT TO
PARLIAMENT
1. FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF ORAL STATEMENT.
BEGINS
THE RECENT SHARP INCREASE IN THE RATE OF ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG OF
BOAT PEOPLE FROM VIETNAM HAS BEEN A MATTER OF VERY GREAT CONCERN
TO THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS. THE NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN CAMPS IN HONG KONG NOW STANDS AT OVER 16,000, THE HIGHEST LEVEL SINCE 1980 AND DOUBLE THE NUMBER LAST YEAR.
THE FLOW OF ARRIVALS SHOWS NO SIGN OF ABATING.
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAVE ACTED WITH COMMENDABLE EFFICIENCY
TO ESTABLISH EMERGENCY FACILITIES TO ACCOMMODATE THE RECENT INFLUX. BUT THEIR RESOURCES ARE STRETCHED TO THE LIMIT. I
VISITED THESE FACILITIES AT THE END OF LAST MONTH. I CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE BURDEN WAS BECOMING INTOLERABLE AND THAT
THINGS COULD NOT GO ON AS THEY WERE.
THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE NEW ARRIVALS ARE ETHNIC VIETNAMESE. MOST COME FROM NORTH VIETNAM AND HAVE NO FAMILY
LINKS OUTSIDE VIETNAM. THEY CANNOT BE DESCRIBED AS POLITICAL REFUGEES AS DEFINED BY UNHCR. THEIR PROSPECTS FOR RESETTLEMENT
IN THE WEST ARE VIRTUALLY NON-EXISTENT. IT WAS CLEAR TO ME THAT
HONG KONG COULD NO LONGER OFFER ITSELF TO THIS ENDLESS STREAM OF
PEOPLE AS A TRANSIT POINT TO A FUTURE THAT DOES NOT AND CANNOT
EXIST.
IN VIEW OF THE RAPIDLY DETERIORATING SITUATION HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING URGENTLY WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WHAT SHOULD BE DONE. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED EARLIER TODAY, WITH THE ENDORSEMENT OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT, THAT WITH EFFECT FROM 16 JUNE A NEW POLICY WILL BE INTRODUCED. FROM THEN ON, THE GREAT MAJORITY OF BOAT PEOPLE ARRIVING IN HONG KONG WILL BE DETAINED AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, PENDING THEIR EVENTUAL RETURN TO VIETNAM. ONLY THOSE WHO CAN
•SHOW THAT THEY ARE GENUINE REFUGEES WILL BE TREATED AS SUCH
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