TNAG-1914-FCO40-2718-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-camp-conditions-1989 — Page 11

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CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 895

OF 150445Z MARCH 89

INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA

TOR a vier?

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE : LIBERALISATION PROGRAMME

THE LIBERALISATION PROGRAMME FOR THE CLOSED REFUGEE CAMPS STARTED IN SSEPTEMBER 1988 AND HAS IN MANY RESPECTS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL. THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO MOVE CAUTIOUSLY TOWARDS OPEN CAMP STATUS UNDER UNHCR MANAGEMENT AND IT WAS ENVISAGED THAT IT WOULD TAKE AT LEAST SIX MONTHS BEFORE THE FIRST OF THE THREE CAMPS COULD BE TAKEN OVER BY UNHCR OR ITS OPERATIONAL AGENCY. IT NOW SEEMS LIKELY THAT UNHCR WILL BE IN A POSITION TO TAKE OVER THE FIRST CAMP, I.E. PILLAR POINT, DURING APRIL. WE HAVE, HOWEVER, RUN INTO DIFFICULTIES WITH THE OTHER TWO CAMPS I.E. TUEN MUN AND SHAM SHUI PO.

2.

UNHCR AND THE MANAGEMENT AGENCY ARE INSISTING ON AN EXTENSIVE PROGRAMME OF REFURBISHMENT WORKS WHICH WOULD COST ABOUT HKDOLLAR 7 MILLION FOR TUEN MUN AND BETWEEN HKDOLLAR 12-15 MILLION AT SHAM SHUI PO. WE ARE PREPARED IN PRINCIPLE TO CONSIDER EXPENDITURE AT TUEN MUN BUT NOT ON THE SCALE PROPOSED. AT SHAMSHUI PO THERE SIMPLY NO POIN IN EMBARKING ON THIS WORKS PROGRAMME BECAUSE THE SITE WILL BE SURRENDERED FOR REDEVELOPMENT IN THE SPRING OF 1990. WE HOPE THAT THE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMME WILL LEAVE US IN A POSITION TO SURRENDER SHAM SHUI PO WITHOUT HAVING TO ESTABLISH NEW REFUGEE ACCOMMODATION.

3.

THE MAIN DIFFICULTY ON THIS EXPENDITURE IS THAT THE HKG/UNHCR STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING MAKES NO MENTION OF A WORKS PROGRAMME FOR THE CLOSED CAMPS (SEE MIFT). SEEN FROM HERE, UNHCR'S INSISTENCE ON LARGE SCALE EXPENDITURE AT THIS STAGE RUNS COUNTER TO THE SPIRIT OF THE STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING, IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WE ARE NOT PREPARED TO MAKE A REQUEST TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR FUNDS TO CARRY OUT THESE WORKS. WE WOULD RISK SERIOUS POLITICAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL DIFFICULTIES IF WE WERE TO DO SO. WE WOULD BE ABLE TO COMMIT UP TO HKDOLLARS 1 MILLION FOR THE PROGRAMME OF WORKS AT TUEN MUN BUT THE BALANCE OF THE PROGRAMME WOULD HAVE TO BE FUNDED BY UNHCR. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT UNHCR SHOULD CONTINUE TO HONOUR ALL ELEMENTS OF THE STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING.

4.

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WE HAVE BEEN ALARMED TO HEAR (INFORMALLY FROM THE UNHCR OFFICE

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