C.
intention to use detention as al in its interest to use as
recurn.
15
a deterrent, camp unrest and violence a measure to encourage voluntary
The only visible responses by management are weapon searches and head counts. These often disrupt activities, leave chaos and destruction in the huts- but are of limited effectiveness. The experienced criminals hide or pass around real weapons and can produce replacements in no time. Meanwhile, we don't know if the great proportion of management-uncovered weapons reported to the press are everyday utensils, such as scissors and makeshift table knives. Asylum seekers are weary of these searches and head counts because of the huge Tactical Unit Police presence.
With past experiences of Police heavy-handedness, among them the dawn raids at Chi Ma Wan Detention Centre in October and December 1989 and at Whitehead in May 1990, detainees fear the worst. They fear a forced repatriation operation, or if not, a repeat of unbearable tear gas, excessive beating, kneeling in the sun and rain for hours, and other humiliations. Even if a weapon search operation occurs smoothly and uneventfully, they fear it forms part of a government scheme to make all operations seem routine until one day the Government catches them by surprise and sends them back forcibly to Vietnam.
Screening has come to Whitehead in many stages and it affects different sections differently. Problems encountered here resemble those elsewhere: Hong Kong Immigration officers' attitude, interviewers and interpreters' incompetency, lack of information and understanding on the parts of the officers, interpreters, and asylum seekers. The agony suffered by one family in Section 10 exemplifies the Immigration Department's carelessness and disrespectful style. Eleven months after it interviewed the and had them anxiously await the result, Immigration told the family that its file had been lost and they needed to be re-interviewed. Eight weeks after their second interview, they were refused refugee status.
family
Section 1 and 2 for a long time boycotted screening to push for a more just process. When they finally went for interviews, they came to feel that their previous protest was held against them, as shown by the interviewers' especially hostile attitude. Section 3, 4 and 5 are only beginning to be screened so everyone there feels tense and anxiously prepares himself. Section 6, 7 and 8 are almost complete with their screening; almost all have been screened out twice. Therefore, they take the most radical forms of protest against forced repatriation and screening. There were times when there seemed to be the most unrest in Sections 6 and 8 of Whitehead due to their desperation. Section 9 has not been screened yet, so there are only rumors. Section 10 seems to have the most number of screened-ins and family reunifications because its population comes from South Vietnam. Therefore, the asylum seekers there are the most hopeful (similar to the South Camp of High Island) and the most unprepared to receive rejection notices. There are a number of ARVN veterans (South Vietnamese Army) from this section who were refused refugee status, raising even more questions and doubts about screening.
28247 CONISI CESE 574 VS2S25ESISTIESTS25ESTLUSES ESTSESES ESISTSYSP42S25PETSIATSINDACOSISISIKU VISITATZEGELVERKITYKINUDONELIGEDO
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