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DSR 11C (Revised 5/87)
to be granted refugee status, new arrivals must be able
to present a case of a well-founded fear of persecution.
Those who are found to be genuine refugees are moved to
refugee camps to await resettlement overseas. Those who
do not qualify as refugees have no access to
resettlement.
It is clear that their future lies in
Vietnam and that it is right to work for acceptable
arrangments for their return including satisfactory
safeguards for their treatment in Vietnam. Such
arrangements are in line with international policy that
all illegal immigrants, whichever country they come from,
should be repatriated as soon as possible. Illegal
immigrants from China are regularly and promptly
repatriated. 21,000 illegal immigrants from China were
repatriated in 1988.
46. Hong Kong has adopted internationally established
procedures for determining refugee status, as set out in
the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol relating to
the status of refugees of the UNHCR. The Hong Kong
Government and the UNHCR have concluded a Statement of
Understanding on the establishment and monitoring of the
screening and appeals procedure. A scheme for the
provision of legal advice has been arranged by UNHCR to
assist boat people to prepare appeals against decisions
to refuse them refugee status. In 1988 the British
Government made a contribution of £1 million towards the
UNHCR's programme for Vietnamese boat people in Hong
Kong. A further contribution of £1 million was announced
in January 1989.
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