TNAG-1907-FCO40-2711-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 167

HK B

RESTRICTED

TOP COPY

243 19 Q DIST ?

033543 MDHIAN 8874

259)

RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 3331

OF 0704OOZ OCTOBER 89

INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, CANBERRA, OTTAWA, PARIS INFO PRIORITY OSLO

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION

OFFICIALS FROM THE US, CANADIAN, AUSTRALIAN, FRENCH AND NORWEGIAN CONSULATES OR COMMISSIONS VISITED THE CHI MA WAN DETENTION CENTRE

ON 6 OCTOBER. THE VISIT HAD BEEN ARRANGED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF

UNHCR AND THE PURPOSE WAS TO EXPLAIN TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN DETERMINED TO BE NON-REFUGEES THAT THEY HAD NO PROSPECT OF

RESETTLEMENT AND THAT THEY SHOULD THEREFORE RETURN TO VIETNAM.

2. THE CONSULAR OFFICIALS SPOKE IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXTS WHICH HAD

BEEN CLEARED BY CAPITALS. ALL OF THE STATEMENTS WERE UNAMBIGUOUS AND DIRECT. IN REPLY, A NUMBER OF VBP MADE STATEMENTS TO THE EFFECT

THAT THEY WOULD RATHER DIE THAN RETURN TO VIETNAM. THE OFFICIALS

SEEM TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY SURPRISE BY THE STRENGTH OF THE REACTION

TO THEIR STATEMENTS. THEY WENT ON TO ENCOURAGE THE VBP TO

VOLUNTEER FOR REPATRIATION UNDER THE UNHCR PROGRAMME ON THE GROUNDS

THAT THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE WAS CONTINUED DETENTION. THE MESSAGE THAT RESETTLEMENT WAS NOT AVAILABLE COME ACROSS LOUD AND CLEAR. IT

WAS NOT OF COURSE A MESSAGE THE VBP WISHED TO HEAR AND THE VERY

NEAGATIVE REACTION IS NOT SURPRISING.

3. THE TEXT OF THE STATEMENTS FOLLOW BY FAX.

WILSON

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

118

ΜΑΙΝ

111

.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK

LIMITED

RMD

PS

HKD

PS/MR MAUDE

PAGE

1

RESTRICTED