TNAG-1906-FCO40-2710-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 62

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FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HANOI

TELNO 288

OF 23143OZ AUGUST 89

INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, HONG KONG, PARIS

PARIS FOR COLVIN

YOUR TELNO 432: NGOS: MONITORING OF REPATRIATED BOAT PEOPLE

1. THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF VOLUNTARY AGENCIES (ICVA) IS THE

UMBRELLA GROUP FOR THE WHOLE FIELD OF AGENCIES INCLUDING THOSE INTERESTED IN REFUGEE ISSUES. THE BRITISH REFUGEE COUNCIL (BRC)

IS THE UK UMBRELLA GROUP FOR SOME 100 VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS ALL OF WHOM ARE CONCERNED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER WITH REFUGEE RELATED MATTERS, INCLUDING KEY NGOS SUCH AS OXFAM AND SAVE THE CHILDREN FUND. THE BRC ACTIVELY LOBBIES ON REFUGEE POLICY ABROAD, AND ALSO PROVIDES INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND ADVOCACY SERVICES IN THE UK. WE UNDERSTAND FROM THE UNHCR OFFICE

IN LONDON THAT THERE IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TENSION BETWEEN ICVA AND BRC. BRC ARE REPORTEDLY UNENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT A JOINT VISIT TO VIETNAM BUT HAVE BEEN PREVAILED UPON BY UNHCR TO GO AHEAD WITH

IT.

2.

THE BRC WORKS MAINLY THROUGH REGIONAL COMMITTEES TO WHICH FCO

OFFICIALS HAVE A STANDING INVITATION AS OBSERVERS. ALF DUBS WAS APPOINTED DIRECTOR AT THE TURN OF THE YEAR AND WE HAVE DEVELOPED

GOOD CONTACTS WITH HIM.

LORD ENNALS CHAIRMAN BRC ASIA COMMITTEE LED A DELEGATION WHICH

CALLED ON LORD GLENARTHUR ON 10 MAY. THEY DISCUSSED SCREENING

PROCEDURES FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE AND THE PROSPECTS FOR AID TO VIETNAM. (COPY OF THE RECORD FOLLOWS BY BAG.) DUBS CONTACTED SEAD RECENTLY TO SAY THAT HE AND LORD ENNALS WERE PROPOSING TO VISIT HONG KONG AND VIETNAM IN SEPTEMBER.

3.

JUST BEFORE THE RECENT GOVERNMENT CHANGES LORD ENNALS

ASKED TO CALL ON MR PATTEN AND LORD GLENARTHUR TO DISCUSS AID FOR VIETNAM. A MEETING HAS BEEN ARRANGED FOR HIM AND MRS CHALKER ON 30 AUGUST. GRANTED THAT OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE AMERICANS AND UNHCR ARE CONTINUING, MRS CHALKER WILL BE BRIEFED TO RAISE THE QUESTION OF NGO MONITORING IN GENERAL TERMS ONLY. IN ANY CASE, ALTHOUGH LORD ENNALS APPEARS TO BE GENERALLY WELL DISPOSED, IT IS DIFFICULT TO BE CERTAIN HOW COOPERATIVE THE COUNCIL, WITH ITS DISPARATE MEMBERSIP, IS LIKELY TO BE AS OPPOSED TO INDIVIDUAL NGOS. THEY COULD PLAY A HELPFUL ROLE OVER MONITORING AND THE WIDER PERCEPTIONS OF ANY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME.

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