TNAG-1908-FCO40-2712-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 56

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Visits in time, but had arranged calls to other repatriates in Hanoi. They also accompanied us around. The result was that we concluded that the programme had been far too manipulated. It is noticeable that all the persons we visited had family and/ or accommodation available to them on return, and in two cases, a distinctly advantaged economic position (1 and 3 below).

However, details of the visits were as follows:

1.

Nguyen Thi Tham and his wife, Nghiem Thi Thu, of 9 Tran Phu, Hanoi Returned by first flight. One of the first to volunteer to return. Had set himself up in a small shop selling glassware especially laboratory glassware. His wife was working as a cook in her sister's restaurant. Had paid golu to the value of $1000 to get to Hong Kong. Arrived just after cut off date. Felt they had been well- treated in Hong Kong (given medicine). Had re-occupied his house on return which had been locked and protected by "the State". He had been asked to pay 200,000 dong for this protection but the fee had been waived. Modest house, 1 room above shop, but equipped with TV stereo radio. Had been visited previously by Lord Ennals.

2. Duong Hai Van of 23 Dien Bien Phu, Hanoi. Returned by second flight. Seventh son (of 9) of unskilled worker. 18 years old, spent 1 year in Hong Kong. Family has uncles in France, US and Australia. Paid $400 in gold for passage. Found food in Hong Kong camps OK, but regretted being unable to visit city. Worked now cleaning motorbikes, earning 6-7,500 dong per day. A young man who had struck out for adventure who now had no hopes of the future. Remarkable that the father even now seemed not to realise that there were no routes effectively for resettlement from Hong Kong

camps.

3. N uyen Thi Tham of 26 Nguyen Hiep, Hanoi. Returned by fir light. Wife of a restaurant owner. Had gone to Hong Kon a ter quarrelling with her husband and on advice of fortu teller, without telling husbanu. A wildly ebullient and impulsive character. She had not dared to contact her husband from Hong Kong for several months. When she did, he had welcomed her back. They were now both working in the restaurant and had made plans to develop and upgrade it to attract foreigners. They were also investing in the education of their daughter, sending her to the Foreign Languages College to equip their business with an interpreter.

4.

Returned by

Pham Thi Thanh Nham, of 25 Bat Dan, Hanoi. second flight. Not at home when we called, later than scheduled. We met the parents of her husband. This was another case of a woman who had quarrelled with her husband and run away. She had been affected or threatened by mental illness after many months in Hong Kong and had therefore returned. Her husband and his parents were trying to persuade her to resume life with him and her child.

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