TNAG-1796-FCO40-2556-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 93

CONFIDENTIAL

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RECE

- 5 SEP 1988

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 02143OZ FCO

IND

TELNO 3235

PA

738

035503

MDHIAN 2039

OF 02125OZ SEPTEMBER 88

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, UKMIS GENEVA INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON

MIPT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG:

HEI LING CHAU DISTURBANCES

PRESS RELEASE

1. THE GOVERNOR HAS APPOINTED TWO JUSTICES OF THE PEACE TO LOOK INTO ALLEGATIONS CONCERNING THE TREATMENT OF A NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE FOLLOWING DISTURBANCES AT THE HEI LING CHAU DETENTION CENTRE ON 18 AND 19 JULY.

2. THE TWO JUSTICES OF THE PEACE ARE MR DENNIS CHANG QC, AND DR EDWARD PATERSON.

3. THEIR TERMS OF REFERENCE ARE: (QUOTE)

TO HEAR COMPLAINTS, AS JUSTICES OF THE PEACE, CONCERNING THE TREATMENT OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE AT HEI LING CHAU ON 18 AND 19 JULY, AND TO ASSESS WHETHER THERE IS SUBSTANCE IN THEM AND TO REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR BY 30 SEPTEMBER 1988. (UNQOTE)

4. A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT THEIR APPOINTMENT FOLLOWED THE COMPLETION OF AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE ALLEGATIONS AS WELL AS THE CAUSES OF THE DISTURBANCES BY THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT. THE INVESTIGATION REPORT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE SECURITY BRANCH LAST WEEK AND HAS BEEN CAREFULLY STUDIED BY SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.

5. BECAUSE OF THE CONSIDERABLE PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE CASE, AND THE ALLEGATIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN MADE, THE GOVERNOR HAS DECIDED TO MAKE USE OF THE EXISTING PROCEDURE WHEREBY JUSTICES OF THE PEACE MAY BE APPOINTED TO HEAR COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE HELD IN INSTITUTIONS OPERATED BY THE CSD.

6. THE TWO JUSTICES OF THE PEACE ARE EXPECTED TO START THEIR ENQUIRIES NEXT WEEK.

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