On Sept. 6. 1988. the village attempted to celebrate the popes honoring of 117 Vietnamese Catholic martyrs. but public security officials broke up the ceremony and Nhuan went in to hiding. He fled to Hong Kong and does not want to return to Vietnam. where other Catholic leaders have been sentenced to 10year prison terms for celebrating the same event. His claim to refugee status was denied: The boat peoples second concern is that they do not trust the UNHCRs assurances that they will return to Vietnam in safety if they accept voluntary resettlement. Illegal departure remains a crime in Vietnam. those who have dissented in the past. even if by escape. know they can never be fully reintegrated into a political structure that continues to view them with suspicion. As one told me. "If I return to Vietnam I will be subject to special surveillance by the authorities. My record will carry the mention political suspect because of my stay in Hong Kong. In my whole lifetime I. myself. as well as my children and grandchildren will not be allowed to take any important jobs with the government or simply to have an employment as any other citizen has." There are alternatives to forced repatriation. First. the flaws in the refugeestatus determination procedures can be addressed. (It is only fair to note that there have been improvements.) Its also possible to work for substantive changes within Vietnam. of which improvement in human rights should be a top priority. in the meantime. the U.S. and other countries can step up resettlement. The U.S.. Britian and Hong Kong should not be playing with the lives of the Vietnamese boat people.
Keywords matched
refugeestatus refugee