CONFIDENTIAL
105
032021 MDLIAN 4755
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 873
OF 14050OZ MARCH 89
HKD 243/9
, AMA! 109
INFO PRIORITY HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA
i
1
TOP COPY C 57 ?
OUR TELNO 868 : VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE : REPATRIATION
WE HAVE COMMENTED IN PARAGRAPH 1(C) OF TUR ON THE POSSIBILITY OF A UNHCR ROLE IN THE MANDATORY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME. WE RECOGNISE THAT UNHCR HAVE CONSISTENTLY REJECTED SUGGESTIONS THAT THEIR VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME MIGHT BE EXPANDED TO COVER MANDATORY REPATRIATION. UNHCR'S POSITION SEEMS TO BE THAT NON-REFUGEES ARE NOT COVERED BY HIS MANDATE AND THAT MANDATORY REPATRIATION IS ESSENTIALLY A BILATERAL MATTER. WE UNDERSTAND UNHCR'S SENSITIVITY
ON THIS ISSUE BUT WE THINK THERE MIGHT BE MORE ROOM FOR MANOEUVRE THAN IS APPARENT AT FIRST SIGHT.
2.
UNHCR HAVE ACCEPTED A ROLE IN DEALING WITH NON-REFUGEES UNDER
THE STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING AGREED WITH HONG KONG IN SEPTEMBER 1988. THIS AMOUNTS TO EXTENDING THE UNHCR PROTECTION FUNCTION TO NON-REFUGEES AND TO THE PROVISION OF RELIEF ITEMS. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PUSH UNHCR TOO FAR TOO FAST ON THIS ISSUE BUT, SEEN FROM HERE, IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO PERSUADE UNHCR TO ACCEPT A ROLE IN MONITORING THE WELFARE OF ALL RETURNEES. WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THE VIEWS OF OTHERS BUT OUR INITIAL THOUGHTS ARE THAT ICM MIGHT CONTINUE TO MAKE THE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS WHILE
THE MONITORING COULD BE UNDERTAKEN BY A CONSORTIUM OF NGOS AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, PERHAPS WITH A UNHCR CO-ORDINATING ROLE. REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE MIGHT BE PROVIDED THROUGH NGOS AND VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS. THIS WOULD MEAN THAT UNHCR WOULD NOT BE SPONSORING THE MANDATORY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME BUT THEY WOULD BE PERFORMING A HUMANITARIAN PROTECTION FUNCTION FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NORMALLY DESCRIBED BY UNHCR OFFICIALS AS BEING QUOTE OF CONCERN TO UNHCR UNQUOTE.
3. WE UNDERSTAND FROM CONTACTS HERE THAT THE US BASED WORLD RELIEF ORGANISATION HAS APPROACHED UNHCR AND THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES WITH A PROPOSAL WHICH WOULD ENABLE THEM TO PROVIDE A FULL REIN-
TEGRATION ASSISTANCE AND MONITORING SERVICE TO ALL RETURNEES.
THEY SEEM TO ENVISAGE PROVIDING THIS SERVICE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE UNHCR. WE WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW WHETHER UNHCR GENEVA
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