TNAG-2035-FCO40-2899-Visits-from-countries-other-than-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 48

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FM MANILA

TO DESKBY 21040OZ HONG KONG

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INFO DESKBY 21083OZ FCO, UKMIS GENEVA

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22 MAY 1990

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REFUGEES: VISIT OF IMMIGRATION COMMISSIONER DOMINGO TO HONG KONG

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1. ACCORDING TO THE PRESS MRS ANDREA DOMINGO, ACTING COMMISSIONER OF THE BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION, IS VISITING HONG KONG FROM 19 TO 22 MAY

''TO GATHER SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILES OF ABOUT 10,000 INDO CHINESE REFUGEES WHO WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO MANILA STARTING JULY'' SHE SAID HER TRIP WAS IN PREPARATION FOR THE TRANSFER BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN RIOTS INVOLVING THESE REFUGEES AND SOME OF THEIR LEADERS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. SHE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SECURITY OF THE CAMPS IN THE PHILIPPINES SINCE SOME OF THE REFUGEES MIGHT TRY TO ESCAPE. ON HER RETURN SHE WILL SUBMIT A POLICY PAPER TO

JUSTICE SECRETARY DRILON.

2. ON THE EVE OF HER DEPARTURE, MRS DOMINGO MENTIONED HER VISIT TO OUR CONSUL. SHE SEEMED MORE CONCERNED ABOUT ALLEGED MISTREATMENT OF FILIPINAS BY HONG KONG IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES. BUT SHE SAID IN PASSING THAT SHE WAS WORRIED ABOUT REFUGEES IN GENERAL AND FEARED

MANY WOULD STAY ON IN THE PHILIPPINES. BY CONTRAST WITH THE VISIT TO HONG KONG EARLY 1989 BY HER PREDECESSOR MRS SANTIAGO, SHE DID NOT ASK FOR ANY HELP OVER ARRANGING IT. WE PRESUME SHE USED HER DIRECT CHANNELS OF CONTACT WITH YOUR IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT.

3. AS I SUGGESTED TO ASPREY DURING HIS VISIT FOR LAST WEEKS UNHCR MEETING, I HOPE ALL CAN BE DONE TO DISPEL MRS DOMINGO'S IGNORANCE AND WIN HER TO OUR SIDE. HE WILL RECALL THAT AT MY LUNCH FOR DFA AMBASSADOR ONG ON 18 MAY THE LATTER AGREED TO TRY TO PERSUADE THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL TASK FORCE ON REFUGEES TO GRANT ENTRY VISAS FOR THE

FIRST BATCHES OF 510 REFUGEES AWAITING TRANSFER FROM HONG KONG. BUT HE STRESSED THE TASK FORCE'S NEED FOR GUARANTEES THAT TTHE REFUGEES WOULD LEAVE THE PHILIPPINES BY JUNE 1992. AFTER THE LUNCH HE APPARENTLY TOLD WIJERATNE OF UNHCR THAT MRS DOMINGO WAS THE MAIN FLY

IN THE OINTMENT. SHE HAS SUBMITTED A PAPER TO CABINET EXPRESSING CONCERN THAT TTHE VARIOUS REFUGEES ARRIVING IN THE PHILIPPINES

INCLUDE UNDESIRABLES AND MAY END UP AS A BURDEN ON SOCIETY.

4. WE AND THE US EMBASSY HAVE TRIED TO PERSUADE MRS DOMINGO THAT

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