Archive

Denial of Hong Kong’s refugee past adds to our blinkered policy

Apr 15th, 2015 | Immigration, Media, Rejection | Comment

Hong Kong crime rings target naive maids in parks and on social media

Jan 4th, 2015 | Crime, Media | Comment

Barriers to health care access painfully high for asylum seekers

Nov 17th, 2014 | Media | Comment

Refugee screening system still slow and opaque

Nov 8th, 2014 | Media | Comment

Number of immigrants smuggled from Shenzhen to Hong Kong soars

Aug 18th, 2014 | Media | Comment

Quote: “This summer has seen a spike. It has been particularly busy,” said a police source, adding that the authorities were “very confident” they were catching all migrants after they landed on the west and south coasts of Lantau during the night.

Question: Why are migrants apprehended after landing? Wouldn’t it be easier for authorities to coordinate with their Chinese counterparts to stop the inflow in the first place?

Quote: “After the end of the civil war on the mainland in 1949, an estimated million people poured across the border, often using boats or even swimming. Although illegal, many were allowed to stay to help ease labour shortages.”

Question: Shouldn’t a parallel be made with the current situation, whereby demand for unskilled, low-paid, uninsured and disposable labour affects our economy? Could peak arrivals be correlated with labour shortages troubling Hong Kong?

SCMP - Number of immigrants smuggled from Shenzhen soars

Click above to read article on the South China Morning Post website

Refugee groups reach out-of-court deal to settle defamation case

Aug 4th, 2014 | Media | Comment

Christy Choi writes for the South China Morning Post on 31 July 2014

Christian Action and Vision First agree to work together for asylum seekers after settlement

Two refugee organisations locked in a bitter dispute have reached an out-of-court settlement in a defamation case.

Long-established NGO Christian Action had reached a deal to end its action against relative newcomer Vision First so both could focus on “ongoing work to assist refugees,” Christian Action counsel Earl Deng said.

The settlement was reported to the High Court yesterday morning. Madam Justice Bebe Chu Pui-ying told the groups that there’s was “indeed a very sensible approach”, and urged them to focus on helping refugees.

The two groups had been embroiled in a war of words that had caused strife among asylum seekers and within the small community of NGOs that took up the refugees’ cause.

At issue were posts on Vision First’s website containing allegations of serious misconduct against Christian Action staff. Vision First and ally the Refugee Union painted the case as a David versus Goliath clash. Christian Action wanted an out-of-court deal, but there was little progress until 2am yesterday.

Both sides stressed that the terms of the agreement were confidential. But some posts critical of Christian Action could no longer be found on the Vision First website yesterday.

Cosmo Beatson, executive director of Vision First, said the two groups were “allies on the same side of the battle line against a failed and unconstitutional welfare system that oppresses and humiliates refugee clients we both seek to assist”.

“It’s been a big distraction for everyone involved and it’s great to put all this behind us,” he said.

Beatson said he would next week visit Christian Action’s centre for refugees in Chungking Mansions, Tsim Sha Tsui, and meet the centre’s new manger, Justin Murgai.

An estimated 6,000 asylum seekers live in Hong Kong, mostly from Africa and South Asia. Asylum seekers are not allowed to settle in Hong Kong as it has not signed the relevant UN convention. But it does have a legal obligation not to send back refugees who face torture or degrading treatment, under the Convention Against Torture.

Refugees whose claims are approved are referred to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees for resettlement elsewhere.

Vision First is facing a separate defamation action from government contractor International Social Service Hong Kong.