Wednesday, June 21, 2000
Vancouver Chinese concerned
over flow of migrants
II hotspot: Vancouver's easy coastal access
makes it a top target for migrants. Topham Picturepoint photo
QUINTON CHAN
The Chinese community in Vancouver has mixed feelings about 600 boat
people from the mainland detained since they arrived last summer.
Although some are worried about how they are being treated in
prisons, many migrants from Hong Kong have called phone-in radio
programmes and said they were worried that the issue would affect
the Canadian public's impression of Chinese.
"I am worried that people will see Chinese in general as
trouble-makers who only burden society," one caller said. Such
worries intensified last week when a mini-riot broke out in a
Vancouver prison holding 82 illegal migrants. Police said 49 of them
smashed windows and toilets and lit small fires in their cells. A
prison spokesman said the riot might have been influenced by the
Canadian Government's return of 90 boat people to China last month.
The problem of Chinese boat people has troubled the city on
Canada's west coast - home to about 400,000 Chinese migrants, about
a third of the population - for nearly a year. All the 600 boat
people who arrived last summer in four decrepit cargo ships applied
for refugee status. Most of the men claimed they were members of the
banned Falun Gong, while most of the women said they had been forced
to undergo abortions under the "one child" policy in China. However,
only 12 claimants have won refugee status and are allowed to stay.
Of 100 released on bail, most have gone missing, while the rest are
still appealing against expulsion.
Canada Immigration spokesman Rob Johnston said the boat people
had to be detained, even though the Government had already spent
C$30 million (about HK$160 million) on prison costs. "We believe it
is absolutely necessary and are convinced that these individuals
would not appear for removal if they were released," he said.
The Government fears that more human cargo will arrive this
summer, but there is little authorities can do, as the west coastal
area is too large to police effectively. Officials said there were
not enough funds to strengthen surveillance.
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