PTZ AHM
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
LATEST STATISTICS
1. Since we submitted our Memorandum, there has been a renewed influx of Vietnamese boat people. We had expected a seasonal increase in arrivals. The peak season is just beginning. But arrivals for 1989 up to 3 April were 1312, a 64% increase over the same period in 1988. 275 arrived over the Easter weekend. Amount of increase gives us cause for great concern. There are reports of other boats on the South China Coast heading towards Hong Kong.
2.
Number of refugees is actually slowly dropping. They were 15,032 on 20 March and 14,955 on 28 March. Now 14,803. Problem is the increasing number of non-refugees. we are urgently considering what measures should be taken.
Figures of those in Hong Kong on 3 April, compared to the time of the Memorandum, as follows:
3.
3 April
Memorandum (1 March)
Total Boat People
:
26,496
25,982
of whom refugees
:
14,803
15,090
People awaiting screening:
10,576
10,095
People screened out
1,117
797
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