Closure of the world's last Vietnamese refugee centre marks end of era

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The closure of the world's last Vietnamese refugee centre - the Pillar Point Vietnamese Refugees Centre (PPVRC) - not only marks the end of one of the 20th Century's greatest migration challenges, but also the beginning of a new era for the Vietnamese who are staying here in Hong Kong to build a new life, the Secretary for Security, Mrs Regina Ip, said today (July 17).

Addressing a ceremony at the PPVRC today to commemorate its closure, Mrs Ip noted that a 25-year effort to help the more than 200 000 Vietnamese people who have landed on our shores since 1975 had now been brought to an end.

Flying in specially from Geneva to witness this historic milestone was the Regional Director for Asia and Pacific of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Mr Francois Fouinat. The ceremony also brought together consuls-general, community leaders and representatives from voluntary agencies and Government departments which had in one way or another contributed in resolving the Vietnamese boat people issue in the last quarter of a century.

Mrs Ip thanked the UNHCR, the governments of all donor and resettlement countries, and various international agencies and non-governmental organisations. With their support, the Vietnamese boat people issue was resolved in a sensible and, most importantly, in a humanitarian way for all concerned, she said.

The Vietnamese boat people era in Hong Kong commenced in May 1975 when the first group of 3 743 Vietnamese arrived aboard the Clara Maersk.

"In the ensuing decades, Hong Kong did not once flinch from its international responsibilities to shelter and feed asylum seekers from Vietnam.

"Not one boat was ever turned away from Hong Kong, even during the most difficult times of 1991 when more than 64 000 boat people were housed in 14 camps.

"This was really a remarkable humanitarian effort. And, in my view, it is even more remarkable given the physical constraints of space that we face in Hong Kong. We are a tiny, crowded place with the highest population densities on earth in our older, urban areas. At times the pressure was immense. But that just made us try harder and find new solutions to the problems we faced," Mrs Ip said.

She paid a special tribute on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to the people of Hong Kong who worked tirelessly, sometimes under enormous pressure, to house and feed, to care for and to counsel the Vietnamese.

"Our legislature, community leaders, local charities and agencies, lawyers and human rights advocates, teachers, doctors and nurses all deserve our thanks. So, too, do our disciplined services worked above and beyond the call of duty in the camps that housed Vietnamese refugees and migrants. And of course it was Hong Kong people who also bore the financial costs - moe than HK$8.71 billion (US$1.1 billion) since 1979," she went on.

Nevertheless, Mrs Ip pointed out that Hong Kong was not alone in shouldering the burden. Over the years, some 143 000 Vietnamese refugees were resettled overseas from Hong Kong.

"This enormous exercise was made possible only with the help of the UNHCR and the generosity of all donor and resettlement countries including, among many others, the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Japan," she said.

In addition, homes have been re-established for more than 72 000 non-refugees who returned to Vietnam, either under the Voluntary Repatriation Programme arranged by the UNHCR or the Orderly Repatriation Programme with full co-operation from the Vietnamese Government.

"Immense help was also given us by the Central People's Government, which took back from Hong Kong over 20 000 ex-China Vietnamese, who have since been re-accommodated in self-reliance communes operating in Southern China," she said.

Following the successful integration of about 1400 Vietnamese refugees and migrants under the Widened Local Resettlement Scheme (WLRS), the PPVRC was closed last month.

"Issuing them with ID cards means giving them a chance to establish themselves as self-reliant and self-respecting members of our community," Mrs Ip said, adding that local integration of this last remaining 1 400 Vietnamese was the most humane solution and should reduce the costs of supporting them to our community in the long run.

"Thanks to the excellent work of Caritas - Hong Kong, the camp management, and the support of the Civil Aid Service and other government departments, the world's last Vietnamese refugee centre was closed in an orderly, peacefully and dignified manner.

"The closure of the Centre signifies a new chapter, a new beginning, in the lives of those who have chosen to settle in Hong Kong."

"Like all new arrivals, they will face many challenges as they come to girps with the hustle and bustle of life in Hong Kong," Mrs Ip said.

Noting that Hong Kong people still had a role to play, she called on the community to continue to reach out to our new Vietnamese neighbours, to help them settle well in Hong Kong and to give them a sense of belonging.

At the ceremony today, a photo-exhibition was held to capture the 25 years of Vietnamese boat people history in Hong Kong. A block in the PPVRC site was pulled down to signify the formal conclusion of the Vietnamese boat people era, while a Vietnamese baby born after the announcement of the WLRS in February was presented with a gift by the Secretary for Security to signify the Vietnamese' new chapter of life in Hong Kong.

End/Monday, July 17, 2000

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