TNAG-1905-FCO40-2709-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 63

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TELECON HASWELL/WINNINGTON-INGRAM OF 31 JULY: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG.

1. AS DISCUSSED WITH HONG KONG DEPARTMENT ON 31 JULY, THE PRESIDENT OF QUOTE FRIENDS OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES UNQUOTE IN NORWAY HAS WRITTEN TO ME ABOUT HMG'S PLANS TO REPATRIATE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG. TEXT OF THE LETTER IS AS BELOW. I UNDERSTAND THAT A GUIDANCE TELEGRAM ON THIS SUBJECT IS IN PREPARATION. I SHOULD NEVERTHELESS BE GRATEFUL FOR A RECOMMENDED DRAFT TEXT FOR MY REPLY SO THAT I CAN RESPOND SWIFTLY.

2. LETTER BEGINS.

WE ARE DEEPLY SHOCKED ABOUT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S PLANNED COOPERATION WITH HONG KONG AND VIETNAM ABOUT ENFORCED REPATRIATION OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG. ENFORCED REPATRIATION IS A BLATANT VIOLATION OF THE RECENT GENEVA AGREEMENT OF JUNE 14TH THIS YEAR. SECTION 12 IN THIS AGREEMENT, SIGNED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, MAKES IT CLEAR THAT PERSONS DETERMINED NOT TO BE REFUGEES FIRST INSTANCE'' SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO RETURN VOLUNTARILY. AFTER ''THE PASSAGE OF REASONABLE TIME AND IF VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION ''IS NOT MAKING SUFFICIENT PROGRESS , OTHER ALTERNATIVES SHOULD BE EXAMINED, SUCH AS A ''REGIONAL HOLDING

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IN OUR OPINION, IT IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE TO UNDERTAKE ENFORCED REPATRIATION BEFORE IT IS PROVEN THAT THE SCREENING PROCEDURE IS FAIR AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REFUGEE CONVENTION. ACTUALLY, THERE IS STRONG REASON TO SUSPECT THAT THE PROCEDURES ARE MUCH LESS THAN FAIR, AS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IN ADVANCE HAS DECLARED THAT REFUGEE STATUS WOULD BE GIVEN ONLY TO 10% : 8% OF THESE BEING FAMILY REUNIFICATION.

LET US REMIND YOU THAT VIETNAMESE ESCAPE THEIR COUNTRY UNDER EXTREME RISK. THE RISK IS KNOWN IN ADVANCE, JUST AS THE VIETNAMESE KNOW ABOUT THE APPALLING CONDITIONS THEY MUST LIVE UNDER IN HONG KONG. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THEY HAVE VERY GOOD REASONS TO ESCAPE, WHETHER THEY SATISFY THE CRITERIA IN UN'S REFUGEE CONVENTION OR NOT. IT IS AN UNREASONABLE DEGRADING OF THESE PEOPLE TO LABEL THEM 'ECONOMIC MIGRANTS'', AND INHUMAN TO TREAT THEM, AS SUCH WITHOUT A REAL EFFORT TO FIND OTHER SOLUTIONS.

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