CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2740
OF 16050OZ JULY 88
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA
CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 243/8
RECEIVERDAGETRY
18 JUL 1988
533
061303
MDLIAN 3143
IN
N
TOP COPY O DIST ?
FINAL PART OF TWO
10. CONDITIONS IN DETENTION CENTRES:
BAYANDOR AND BARI CONSIDERED THE PRACTICE OF LOCKING UP 'A SYLUM
SEEKERS' FROM 7 PM TO 7 AM IN THEIR DORMITORIES AT HEI LING CHAU
DETENTION CENTRE UNACCEPTABLE. WE EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS DONE ON
SECURITY GROUNDS, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO POTENTIAL RISKS OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT STAFF. WE MAINTAINED THAT WE HAD MET OUR OBLIGATIONS IN PROVIDING FOOD, SHELTER AND MEDICAL SERVICES WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS WE WERE FACING ON ACCOMMODATION
AND SHEER NUMBERS OF ARRIVALS. BUT BAYANDOR AND BARI FELT THAT WE
WERE DEPRIVING THESE NEW ARRIVALS OF THEIR BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS. WE
REITERATED THAT THE INTENTION WAS THAT CSD WOULD PROVIDE
EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND RUN WORKSHOPS FOR
ADULTS OF ALL THE ISSUES RAISED THIS PARTICULAR ONE CONSTITUTED A MAJOR BONE OF CONTENTION, PARTICULARLY FOR BARI.
B
·
11. UNHCR'S CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS FUNDING:
THIS ISSUE WAS RAISED IN BAYANDOR AND BARI'S MEETINGS WITH ME, S FOR S AND THE LEGCO AD HOC GROUP. BAYANDOR RECOGNISED THE STRENGTH OF FEELING IN HONG KONG ON THIS ISSUE, BUT EXPLAINED THE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS ON UNHCR IN THE CONTEXT OF THEIR GLOBAL
COMMITMENTS FOR REFUGEES. HE SAID THAT FULL UNHCR FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, EVEN FOR REFUGEES, WOULD NOT BE FORTHCOMING: BUT
HE DID INDICATED THAT HE WOULD PERSONALLY SUPPORT SOME SORT OF
CONTRIBUTION TO INDICATE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S COMMITMENT
TO THE REFUGEE SITUATION IN HONG KONG. IN THIS CONTEXT WE GAVE A
ROUGH INDICATION OF THE COST OF DEVELOPING TUEN MUN AREA 46A AS
AN OPEN CENTRE ON THA LINES, QUOTING A FIGURE OF HKD150M. IT WAS
NOTED THAT SEPARATE DISCUSSIONS WERE ALSO ALREADY UNDER WAY WITH
UNHCR LOCALLY ON THE DETAILED APPORTIONMENT OF COSTS FOR THE
A CCOMMODATION, CARE, MAINTENANCE AND SOCIAL SERVICES FOR BOAT PEOPLE.
12. AT THE CLOSING SESSION WITH BAYANDOR AND BARI, WE ALSO DISCUSSED THE QUESTION OF REPATRIATION. BARI AT ONE POINT MENTIONED
THAT THOSE SCREENED OUT AS VIIS REMAINED PEOPLE OF CONCERN TO
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