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Council of Hongkong Indian Associations
c/o TST P.O. BOX 95106, HONG KONG
Telex: 43500-HARI-HX Cable "INDCOUNCIL” Tel: 3-7218844
Member Associations :
THE INDIAN CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE
THE HINDU ASSOCIATION
THE INDIA ASSOCIATION
THE INDIA CLUB
THE KHALSA DIWAN
THE HONG KONG INDIAN WOMEN'S CLUB
THE NAV bharat clUB
unamended. It is imperative that the rights of all ethnic minorities, whatever their nationality, be more clearly defined in the laws of the SAR.
More importantly, Britain must act on the Nationality issue, and it must act to protect those who are most vulnerable. British Nationality and Immigration Law is replete with special cases: the case of the Falkland Islanders; the case of the inhabitants of Gibraltar; the case of the Asian victims of Africanisation. The minorities must also be considered a special case as they will not enjoy equal status with the ethnic Chinese in the future Hong Kong SAR. They will have conferred upon them a uniquely attenuated form of nationality which will give them no right of abode in the territory of the issuing country, and which arguably does not even satisfy the requirements of international law. For all practical purposes, they will be effectively stateless.
We sincerely hope that the Honourable Members present understand the seriousness of our concerns, and we urge you to impress upon HMG the need for a more flexible attitude on the Nationality issue. There will be no question of 10,000 minorities flooding the gates of Britain if they were granted citizenship. These people all have their lives well-rooted in Hong Kong, and would wish to continue living and working here. Their desire for British citizenship and the right of abode the UK is a desire for the safety net of an effective nationality, and their request must be seen in the light of their unusual circumstances and in the light of a state's responsibility to provide a secure and legitimate citizenship for all its nationals.
Yours sincerely,
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سیستان
H. N. Harilela
President
President: MR. H. N. HARILELA, OBE JP
Vice President : MR. K. SITAL, JP
Hon. Secretary: MR. K. B. RATHI Hon. Treasurer: MR. J. MULCHAND
Council Members: MR. S. A. AMEEN Mrs. Kamla kapahi MR. G. B. MAHBUBANI MR. LACHMAN NARAIN
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