TNAG-1798-FCO40-2558-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 63

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FM WASHINGTON

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2973

OF 142214Z DECEMBER 88

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPORTS BY INDOCHINA RESOURCE ACTION CENTRE (IRAC) AND REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL

SUMMARY

1.

REPORTS BY IRAC AND REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL TO BE PUBLISHED HERE SHORTLY. IRAC REPORT STRONGLY CRITICAL OF HONG KONG'S SCREENING PROCEDURES, OF LEGAL BASIS FOR INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION AND OF CONDITIONS IN THE CAMPS. REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL A MORE BALANCED AND FORWARD LOOKING ACCOUNT.

DETAIL

2. IRAC AND REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL HAVE BOTH SENT US COPIES OF

THEIR REPORTS ON THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ISSUE FOLLOWING VISITS BY THEIR REPRESENTATIVES TO HONG KONG IN SEPTEMBER. COPIES OF EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES FOLLOW BY FAX TO HKD AND HONG KONG. 3. THE REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL REPORT, WRITTEN BY THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LOWMAN, DEALS WITH THE PROBLEMS POSED BY THE BOAT PEOPLE ISSUE FOR THEREGION AS A WHOLE. HONG KONG IS

NOT DEALT WITH SEPARATELY. BUT THE REPORT IS CRITICAL OF THE SCREENING APPROACH, BOTH ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DIFFERENTIATE PROPERLY BETWEEN POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC REASONS FOR BOAT PEOPLE LEAVING VIETNAM, AND BECAUSE VIETNAM'S REFUSAL TO ACCEPT INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION IS LIKELY TO MAKE

FORCIBLE RETURN IMPOSSIBLE TO CARRY OUT IN PRACTICE. 4. AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO SCREENING REPATRIATION, THE REPORT PROPOSES A COMBINATION OF (1) A MAJOR EXPANSION OF THE ORDERLY DEPARTURE PROGRAMME(IN THE CASE OF THE AMERICANS TO SOME 25,000 A YEAR) TO PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE TO VIETNAMESE NOT TO FLEE THE COUNTRY AND, (II) CONTINUED SETTLEMENT OF CURRENT REFUGEE POPULATIONS. AS A MEASURE OF DETERRENCE IT SUGGESTS A DELAY PERHAPS OF THREE YEARS IN RESETTLEMENT OF ALL BOAT PEOPLE, WITH EXCEPTIONS FOR CERTAIN HIGH PRIORITY CATEGORIES. THE AUSTRALIANS (BUT NOT THE UK) ARE URGED TO STEP UP THEIR

RESETTLEMENT EFFORTS.

5.

THE IRAC REPORT IS CONSIDERABLY LONGER AND MORE DETAILED

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