CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 12120OZ FCO
TELNO 4088
OF 121045Z DECEMBER 89
CONFIDENTIAL
HKE
24319
INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, UKMIS GENEVA
TOP CO Q DIST
TOP
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
491.
110533 MDHIAN 8752
490
YOUR TELNO 414 TO HANOI : (NOT REPEATED ELSEWHERE) VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION
SUMMARY: THE OPERATION WENT SMOOTHLY AND ON SCHEDULE. AT NO STAGE WAS FORCE USED. THE VIETNAMESE MADE NO DIFFICULTIES, AND ARRIVAL AND RECEPTION ARRANGEMENTS WERE WITHOUT INCIDENT.
2. STAFF ENTERING PHOENIX HOUSE TO COMMENCE THE OPERATION AT 11190OZ WERE GREETED BY CRYING AND WEEPING. THIS WAS APPARENTLY REHEARSED, AND HAD STARTED SOME TIME EARLIER WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE PRESS. (SOME OF THE CRYING WAS RECORDED BY JOURNALISTS OUTSIDE PHOENIX HOUSE AND THEN BROADCAST, BY EG RTHK, AS PART OF THEIR NEWS COVERAGE.) THE BOAT PEOPLE PACKED THEIR BELONGINGS QUICKLY, AND NO MORE THAN VERBAL PERSUASION WAS NECESSARY TO GET THEM TO CARRY THEIR BAGS DOWN AND BOARD THE POLICE VEHICLES. THOUGH SOME PERSISTED UNTIL THEY REACHED THE AIRPORT.
3. AT THE AIRPORT ALL WENT SMOOTHLY. THE BOAT PEOPLE CALMED DOWN, AND SAT CHATTING NORMALLY BEFORE BOARDING THE AIRCRAFT ACCOMPANIED BY THEIR ESCORTS. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ON SCHEDULE AT 112100.
4. THE FLIGHT PASSED WITHOUT INCIDENT. A MEAL WAS SERVED, AND THE VIETNAMESE DOZED OR SAT QUIETLY. AFTER ARRIVAL, THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR DISEMBARKING AND COLLECTING BAGGAGE WERE CAREFULLY EXPLAINED, AND POCKET MONEY WAS DISTRIBUTED (US DOLLARS 30 PER ADULT, US DOLLARS 15 PER MINOR). THIS FILLED MOST OF THE TIME UNTIL THE 30AT PEOPLE WERE READY TO DISEMBARK.
UNTIL
5. VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS AT THE AIRPORT WERE COOPERATIVE, AND ACCEPTED WITHOUT QUESTION THE NEED FOR DELAY IN DISEMBARKING THE STEPS WERE IN PLACE AND BAGGAGE OFFLOADED. THEY WERE INSISTENT ON ONLY TWO THINGS:
(A) A FULL LIST OF EVER ONE ON THE AIRCRAFT - A COPY OF THE AIRLINE'S MANIFEST WAS HANDED OVER: AND
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CONFIDENTIAL
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