TNAG-2939-FCO40-4215-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-ethnic-minorities-1993 — Page 42

ETHNIC MINORITIES

Numbers involved

Annex B

1.

Another

Indians form the largest of the ethnic minorities.

significant group is of Pakistani origin, and there are also

Eurasians, Amerasians and others. The Hong Kong Government

estimates that they comprise some 26,000 people, of whom some

19,000 are citizens of India or Pakistan. The focus of LegCo's

concern is the other 7,000 who are British Dependent Territory

citizens (BDTCs) British Nationals (Overseas) or British Overseas

citizens (BOCs) and who have no other nationality.

Most members

of the ethnic minorities have lived in Hong Kong for many years.

Many were born there. The Indian association with Hong Kong

dates back to when it first became a British territory.

Previous representations

2.

Lobbying has been conducted either directly or on behalf of

the ethnic minorities for several years now. There have been

various meetings with Ministers,

petitioning of the Prime

Minister and consideration of the issue by Cabinet. Their recent

lobbying in Hong Kong led to the setting up of the LegCo sub-

committee.

The central problem

3. The ethnic minorities and LegCo see the problem as being the