TNAG-2401-FCO40-3488-Vietnamese-migrants-Orderly-Repatriation-Programme-(ORP)-1992 — Page 160

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FM HANOI

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 166

OF 130144Z MARCH 92

AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

HKA 020/14

167517

MDHIAN 6662

La LOOR

INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, UKREP BRUSSELS

1313

NT

MY TELNO 151: VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS:

THE ORDERLY RETURN PROGRAMME AND THE SITUATION IN THE PROVINCES

1. TO TRY TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE REAL NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES IN VIETNAM TO WHICH VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS WILL RETURN TO I HAVE LAST WEEK SEEN THE CHAIRMAN/VICE CHAIRMAN OF QUANG NING, HUE CITY, OF THUA THIEN HUE PROVINCE AND OF QUANG NINH DA NANG PROVINCE. THESE CONTACTS GIVE A GOOD CROSS SECTION OF THE SITUATION IN BOAT PEOPLE PROVINCES WHICH HAVE A HONG KONG CAMP POPULATION OF OVER 20,000. (WE WILL BE VISITING HAI PHONG LATER THIS WEEK). I HAVE ALSO DISCUSSED IN DEPTH WITH UNHCR AND THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS HERE.

2. THE PICUTRE WHICH EMEGRES IS THAT ALL THE PROVINCIAL AUTHRORITIES TO A VARYING DEGREE ARE GENUINELY WORRIED ABOUT THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THEM FOR REINTEGRATION. HOWEVER TWO FACTORS ARE STRIKING (SEMI-COLON) THE RELAITVELY SMALL NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES IN EACH PROVINCE TO WHICH RETURNEES WOULD BE DIRECTED AND THE COMPARATIVE MODESTY OF THE REQUESTS MADE BY THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES FOR HELP. THIS UNDERLINES, AS WE HAVE REPEATEDLY SAID, THE NEED TO GET MICRO PROJECTS (HMG, EC, UNHCR AND NGO'S) GOING IN CAREFULLY TARGETTED RETURNEE COMMUNITIES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I HAVE THEREFORE BROACHED WITH MOUCHET (UNHCR HANOI), WARNON (EC PROGRAMME DIRECTOR, HANOI), AND TENTATIVELY WITH THE PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES THE IDEA THAT THE THREE OF US SHOULD GO DOWN TOGETHER TO THE CENTRAL PROVINCES IN EARLY APRIL. THE PURPOSE OF THIS VISIT WOULD BE AN IMMEDIATE AND EFFECTIVE DEMONSTRATION TO THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES THERE OF THE POSSIBLITIES OFFERED BY UK, EC, UNHCR AND NGO ASSISTANCE OVER REINTEGRATION. IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO ENLIST THE SUPPORT OF THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AS THE RESPONSIBLE MINISTRY AND I HOPE TO TALK TO MADAME HANG, VICE MINISTER SHORTLY. SHE HAS MEANWHILE BEEN APPROACHED POSITIVELY ABOUT THE IDEA BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE DA NANG POEPLE'S COMMITTEE (ANOTHER FULL CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEMBER).

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