TNAG-1843-FCO40-2618-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 128

JAYAFX

1.

Are we surprised at the low numbers screened in?

Screening was introduced because the majority of the boat people who began to flood in to Hong Kong in 1987 and 1988 did not fulfil

accepted refugee criteria.

Majority were farmers and fishermen from the North, not escaping persecution but in search of a better life. Little hope of any country accepting them for resettlement. Urgent need to tackle the

problem they posed.

We have not tried to prejudice the results of screening, and have

not tried to estimate the actual figure for refugees which will emerge. Results so far do indicate high proportion of econimic

migrants.

5.