************************

Following is a question by the Hon Ambrose Cheung and a reply by the Secretary for Security, Mrs Regina Ip, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

On the 13th of this month, a riot occurred at Pillar Point Vietnamese Refugee Centre ("PPVRC") in Tuen Mun and a number of persons were injured in the incident. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:

(a) the number of criminal cases in each Vietnamese refugee centre or detention centre for Vietnamese migrants in each of the past three years and, among these, those that involved the use of weapons and caused casualties;

(b) the responsibilities that the organisation managing the PPVRC must fulfil in security matters; and

(c) the respective numbers of Vietnamese refugees and migrants currently accommodated in the PPVRC, and the plans to completely resolve the problem of these persons being stranded in Hong Kong?

Reply :

Madam President,

(a) The relevant figures are at Annex.

(b) The managing organization of the Pillar Point Vietnamese Refugee Centre is responsible for all routine security matters relating to the Centre. It is responsible for guarding against unauthorised entrance into the Centre by security checks at the entrance, maintenance of the perimeter fence, deploying security guards for regular patrol within the Centre and other duties, liaison with residents to monitor the law and order situation in the Centre, and liaison with the local Police.

(c) The Pillar Point Vietnamese Refugee Centre is an open centre. All residents are permitted to work and are free to seek their own accommodation outside the Centre.

At present, the Centre's population consists of about 600 Vietnamese refugees and 550 Vietnamese migrants (i.e. the non-refugees). A sizeable number of the Vietnamese refugees (about 400) and some 40 Vietnamese migrants in Hong Kong have moved out of the Centre and are living in self-arranged accommodation. About 320 Ex-China Vietnamese previously residing in the Centre have also moved out after the incident on 13 June 1999.

The Government has continued to urge the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the international community to resettle the remaining Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong. Last year 231 Vietnamese refugees were resettled. The number resettled so far this year, however, is only 38. Given the compassion fatigue of the major resettlement countries, and the fact that many of Vietnamese refugees do not have relatives abroad, and that some have drug addiction problem or criminal record, the UNHCR has advised that it is becoming increasingly difficult to resettle them.

As regards the Vietnamese migrants, the Government has continued to discuss their repatriation to Vietnam with the Vietnamese Government. 48 Vietnamese migrants were repatriated to Vietnam last year, and this year 38 were returned so far. Despite the slow progress, our efforts to seek their early return to Vietnam are continuing.

Since it is recognized that the resettlement of the final group of Vietnamese refugees and the return of the remaining Vietnamese migrants would be a long-drawn process, the Government's policy is to encourage them to lead a normal life and be self-reliant during their stay in Hong Kong. Services at the Pillar Point Centre have been gradually withdrawn, and about 300 school children have been allowed to attend local schools since last September.

As regards the Ex-China Vietnamese, they are predominantly ethnic Chinese who fled Vietnam in the early 1980's and settled in Mainland China before moving irregularly to Hong Kong. Our policy has been to repatriate them to the Mainland where they have already found protection. The repatriation of this last group of Ex-China Vietnamese has been held up because of the court proceedings they initiated against the Government.

The Government will continue with its efforts to resolve the problem of the remaining Vietnamese in Hong Kong and will review the effectiveness of the relevant measures. We are studying various possible options for a durable solution to the problem and will discuss with UNHCR before coming to a decision.

End/Wednesday, June 30, 1999

NNNN