TNAG-1798-FCO40-2558-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 135

нко 24318

PA 923

UNITED KINGDOM MISSIO

37-30 RUE DE VERMONT

1211 GENEVA 20

TELEPHONE

34 38 00

33 23 85

Mr PH Kooijmans

H

Special Rapporteur on Torture Centre for Human Rights

UN Palais des Nations Geneva

17 November 1988

Sir,

I have the honour to refer to your letter of 19 October concerning reports of ill-treatment of Vietnamese boat people in the Hei Ling Chau detention centre in Hong Kong on 19 July 1988.

The accusations of ill-treatment of Vietnamese boat people at Hei Ling Chau were the subject of an independent enquiry. While acknowledging that the staff of the Correctional Services Department of the Hong Kong Government were operating under considerable pressure at the time of the incident, the enquiry concluded that unnecessary force was used by some Correctional Services Department staff. The Hong Kong Government is currently examining the operational procedures of the Correctional Services Department and is considering whether disciplinary action should be taken against the staff involved.

Please accept, Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Тим

Then Jankey

J A Sankey Ambassador

Permanent Representative

bcc:

M Hanson Esq, Hong Kong

P J Millett Esq, UND, FCO

Miss J Slater, Hong Kong Dept, FCO M C Raven Esq, UKMIS New York

file UN 241/518/2

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