Last Vietnamese Detention Centre Closed in May

With the repatriation of 267 Vietnamese from the High Island Detention Centre, it marks the closure of the last detention centre in Hong Kong todetain Vietnamese boat people.

From a peak of 64,300 Vietnamese asylum seekers in October 1991, thenumber has shrunk and allowed the Government to scale down the detentioncentres, and closed the last centre in May 26.

Until May, 2460 Vietnamese, including 1,150 refugees are still in Hong Kong.

Discussions are continuing with Vietnamese officials to urge them to acceptthe boat people which Hanoi claimed as "non-nationals", Deputy Secretary for Security Sally Wong Pik-yee said. The Government would alsoseek for western countries to resettle those being screened as refugees. Theserefugees cannot get an identity in Hong Kong, she added.

However, the United Nations Higher Commissioner for Refugees believed that it is more and more difficult to look for countries which are willing toaccept Vietnamese refugees because they are not considered to be urgent cases.Last year, 482 Vietnamese boat people were able to resettle in westerncountries successfully. But up till May, only 90 were able to resettle thisyear.

Vietnamese refugees concerned groups suggested the Hong KongGovernment to give these Vietnamese refugees Hong Kong identity if they are willing to accept so that they can integrate into the society better.

Since the Vietnamese refugees issue emerged in 1975, more than 200,000 Vietnamese came to Hong Kong. Wong Pik-yee said that the hardest time is theperiod around October 1991 because in s small place like Hong Kong, more than14 detention centres have to set up to accommodate the more than 643,000Vietnamese.

Until now, about 143,500 Vietnamese have been resettled in western countries and more than 70,000 screened out as non-refugees have been repatriated back toVietnam.

June 1998