TNAG-1909-FCO40-2713-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 27

CONFIDENTIAL FROM HANOI

544

152123

MDHIAN 0675

CONFIDENTIAL

FROM HANOI

HKB RECEIVED IN

24319

?Y

09 JAN 1990

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

на

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 726

OF 27095OZ DECEMBER 89

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON

HY

Takeri

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

MY TELNO: 115 :

115 VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: MONITORING

·

1 I UNDERTOOK ON 23 DECEMBER THE FIRST EXERCISE IN MONITORING THE

NON-VOLUNTARY RETURNEES OF 12 DECEMBER. I WENT TO HAI PHONG ACCOMP- ANIED BY MR LYONS (DS9 FOATER), AND, AFTER AN INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION AND LUNCH WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE AND OF THE BOARD WHICH HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED TO DEAL WHITH RETURNEES, I CONDUCTED TWO INTERVIEWS, COVERING ALTOGETHER 21 OF THE 51 RETURNEES.

2. THE FIRST GROUP OF 14 COMPRISED MR LE VAN MINH (THE TROUBLE MAKER) AND FAMILY (11 PEOPLE) AND NGUYEN THI BAN (3 PEOPLE) ALL OF WHOM APPARENTLY LIVE IN ONE MIDDLE-SIZED ROOM IN DICKENSIAN QUARTERS IN CENTRAL HAI PHONG. THERE WERE NO COMPLAINTS AT ALL ABOUT THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES BUT THERE WERE CONTINUED COMPLAINTS ABOUT THEIR TREATMENT IN HONG KONG. ON THIS OCCASION THIS GROUP CONCENTRATED ON THE ALLEGED PROMISE OF US DOLLARS AND 50 AND 30 (WHICH I DISMISSED BY SAYING THAT AFTER INVESTIGATION IT WAS

QUITE CLEAR THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD NOT REPEAT NOT PROMISED THEM 50 AND 30) AND IT WAS ALSO ALLEGED THAT ALL THE ADULTS IN THE GROUP IE 5 PEOPLE WERE OWED WAGES' FROM THE DETENTION CENTRE AUTHORITIES. MINH HIMSELF CLAIMED THAT HE WAS OWED 3 MONTHS' SALARY AS BARBER (EQUALS HONG KONG DOLLARS 300), THE 3 WOMEN WERE OWED ONE MONTH'S SALARY AS CLEANERS (EQUALS HONG KONG DOLLARS 82 EACH) AND KHAI WAS OWED DOLLARS 82 AS 'GARDENER'. WHEN I QUERIED THIS LAST GLAIM ON THE GROUNDS OF IMPROBABILITY, 'GARDENER' WAS AMENDED TO CLEANER'. THEY SAID THAT THEY WISHED TO BE PAID IN US DOLLARS AT

1

HONG KONG DOLLARS 7.78 TO ONE US DOLLAR. I EXPRESSED SOME SURPRISE THAT THIS CLAIM SHOULD EMERGE AT THIS STAGE BUT PROMISED TO REPROT IT.

3. I THEN VISITED A GROUP OF 7 PEOPLE HEADED BY LE VAN TUOI WHO ARE NOW LIVING ON HIS PARENTS' FISHING VESSEL MOORED IN THE CENTRE OF HAI PHONG. THERE WERE NO COMPLAINTS BUT OF A RENEWAL OF THE CLAIM FOR DOLLARS 50 AND 30.