From: monic@ta.esd.sgi.com (Monica Ta)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.vietnamese
Subject: Vietnam: Sorrow of the Era
Date: 14 Oct 92 20:01:58 GMT
Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc.


After listening to a statement by the Hong Kong Legislator Fan Chu Li Tai on 
the12th of February, I felt obliged to inform the public concerning the issue
of the Vietnamese Boat People, hoping to help easing this "burden" at an early
date.

To the government and citizens of Hong Kong, the Vietnamese Boat People are a
heavy "burden". However, this is not a burden without deep heartfelt feelings,
because thousands of existing lives are waiting for us to resolve this dilemma
in a just manner.

Sacrifice  For The Sake Of Freedom

        Some people who called themselves spokesmen for the Hong Kong citizens,
and other people from misinformed bodies of the world, obstinately asserted
that the more than fifty thousand Vietnamese Refugees now being detained in
Hong Kong are "Econonic Refugees". They came to Hong Kong purely for the sake
of "splendid living". A man could never exert his courage and risk his life
just to gain a life of freedom, unless he had personally undergone some 
extreme oppression and terror. Some people had already buried themselves at the
bottom of the sea. Some were lucky enough to survive but are mentally disordered.
Those who failed to escape are being treated more cruelly by the Vietnam
Communist regime.

They went through all kinds of hardships and fortunately managed to arrive in
Hong Kong, dreaming of receiving their deserved hospitality, and hence
procure their freedom of basic human rights. However, Hong Kong is administeringa
so-called "screening system" which detains them all as prisoners. They are
being kept in camp houses resembling "chicken cages". They also have to
bear the hostile reprimands and reckless tramples of the police and correctional
staff. They just jumped out of the "devils palm" and fell into another "sea of
fire".

Each detention camp will house more than eight thousand people on the average.
Occasionally, there are incidents of theft, robbery, fighting, gambling, 
prostitution and even murder. However, this is a very small ratio and not as
serious as reported by the communicative media.

As a matter of fact, most boat people are skilled culturally or technically. 
They are also eager to learn and continue to learn foreign languages and 
cultures. They are not really hostile or warlike. It is just that they are
being kept in a very crowded environment which can crack the nerves of even
very civilized people. The tragedy in Sek Kong Camp was a very good example.
Originally, it was hoped that this tragic incident would stimulate the 
consciousness of the whole of mankind and the sympathy of Hong Kong people
towards the Vietnamese boat people to reconsider and formulate a "way out" for
these suffering boat people. However, the Hong Kong Government officials and
even the United Nations High Commissioners for Refugees, instead of 
self-examining their mistakes, are trying to speed up the repatriation of
all the boat people who are detained in Hong Kong. These absolutely inhuman
and irresponsible attitudes, greatly dishonor the Hong Kong citizens and the 
human rights of the world.

Cry Out The Voice Of Justice

        Mainland China had made promises to the people of Hong Kong, with
slogans like "Highly Autonomous Region", "Continue to maintain the capitalism
in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for fifty years without
alterations", etc. Now that there is only five years left, until the contract
between China and Hong Kong expires - 1997. Crowds of Hong Kong people are
already exerting all their efforts in trying to immigrate. They are so fearful
and striving to escape even without any contact with the officials of China 
or the Communist Party. Now that you know the terror of the Communist Party,
then why are you still sending the "goats" back to the "mouth of the tiger?"
Let them have a way out, please!

Since the Hong Kong Government is always complaining about the heavy burden
brought by the Vietnamese Refugees, then why not set them free? Moreover, a 
large part of them have the guarantee from their relatives abroad. Letting 
them find a way out is far more meaningful than pouring money senselessly 
into the hands of the ever greedy Vietnam Communists. Now please stretch out
your helping hands to the Vietnamese Refugees and cry out the voice of justice.