TNAG-1794-FCO40-2554-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 212

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The Hong Kong government has announced the immediate

introduction of a screening programme for refugees, bringing to an

end its policy of automatically accepting all arrivals from Vietnam.

In future, only those judged to be genuinely fleeing from political

persecution will be allowed to stay. The United Nations High

Commission for Refugees will monitor the process, and there will be a

right of appeal. Those judged to be illegal immigrants will be

detained in separate camps to await repatriation once suitable

guarantees have been received from Vietnam. The announcement follows

the arrival of more than seven-thousand Vietnamese boat people in the

British colony this year. Many are said to have left Vietnam for

economic PossonS, The Chief Secretary, Sir David Ford, told members

of the legislative council that the sudden increase had created an

intolerable burden. He declared: "Ways must be found to stem this

unhappy tide of humanity.

HKD 243/8

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- 5 JUL 1988

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RW 0030 (C3) with RTR on announcement, Ford repatriation from 2030 Y (C131)

change trailed from 1600 Y

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