TNAG-1795-FCO40-2555-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 178

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

LEKO 243/OP COPY

RECER

3 AUG 1988

DIST

599

131633

MDHIAN 9276

FM HONG KONG

INCE

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2931

السياسي

OF 03103OZ AUGUST 88

INFO IMMEDIATE HANOI, WASHINGTON, UKMIS GENEVA, BANGKOK

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE

TEXT OF THE US NOTE ON CONDITIONS FOR VBP'S IN HONG KONG FOLLOWS:

BEGINS

WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS UNDER GREAT PRESSURE AS A RESULT OF THE SURGE OF ARRIVALS, AND IS LIMITED IN ITS OPTIONS BECAUSE OF THE DENSE POPULATION OF THE AREA, THE PREMIUM ON AVAILABLE LAND, AND LOCAL POLITICAL OPPOSITION TO HOUSING REFUGEES. NEVERTHELESS, WE BELIEVE UNHCR AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SHOULD FOCUS ATTENTION ON IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENT OF EXISTING CONDITIONS FOR THE REFUGEES, UNSCREENED ASYLUM SEEKERS, AND SCREENED OUT.

FOR THOSE IN REFUGEE CAMPS, WE REALIZE THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS REAL CONCERNS ABOUT CRIME AND OTHER PROBLEMS STEMMING FROM THE LOCATION OF THE CAMPS IN DENSELY POPULATED URBAN AREAS, BUT WE WOULD URGE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE IN ALLOWING CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL AND ABLE BODIED PEOPLE TO WORK.

WE ARE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED WITH REPORTS ABOUT THE LIVING CONDITIONS FOR THE REFUGEES TO BE HOUSED IN THE FACTORY IN TUEN MUN (SAN YICK) AND URGE THAT EVERY EFFORT BE MADE TO LOCATE BETTER FACILITIES AND TO IMPROVE PRESENT CAMP CONDITIONS.

AGAIN, RECOGNIZING THE GREAT PRESSURE UPON THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT BROUGHT ON BY THE RECENT UPSURGE IN ARRIVALS AND HONG KONG'S DESIRE TO DETER NON-REFUGEES FROM SEEKING ASYLUM IN HONG KONG, WE URGE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, NEVERTHELESS, TO PROVIDE IN THE HOLDING CENTERS AND CAMPS FOR THOSE AWAITING SCREENING AND THE SCREENED OUT, SUFFICIENT SPACE, ADEQUATE SANITARY CONDITIONS AND APPROPRIATE SOCIAL SERVICES, PARTICULARLY EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN.

THE LATEST PROPOSAL FOR A NEW CAMP WHICH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HOPES WILL BE FUNDED BY UNHCR IN TUEN MUN HAS SOME INTERESTING ASPECTS, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE THE

PAGE

1

CONFIDENTIAL