Desperate moves by illegal immigrants

Press, 19 August 1981, Page 12

Desperate moves by illegal immigrants

NZPA -'z .Hong. Kong Desperation is becoming apparent in the methods of Hong .xKong syndicates, involved in the- illegal transport <jf mainland Chinese into , this heavily populated: British colony. Steps taken late last year and supported by . the authorities \in neighbouring Guangdong province and Macau have stopped a huge influx of illegal immigrants and reduced the opportunities for the syndicates to make easy money.

Under its former “touch base" policy, the Hong Kong Government allowed illegal immigrants who reunited with Hong Kong relatives and reached an immigration office on Hong, Kong Island to remain. But the policy was scrapped last October and since then local people have been required to carry identification at all times. Without an identity card, an illegal immigrant is unlikely to obtain employment, and the threat of a spot identification check is constant.

In> the last five years, an estimated 500,000 legal and illegal immigrants, mainly from Guangdong, were absorbed by Hong Kong, pushing, the population past five million and putting a heavy strain on housing and social services.

The Guangdong authorities, at one stage perturbed at the effect which illegal immigration into Hong Kong was having on their own labour force, are co-operat-

.ing in efforts to stop their people fleeing — making it particularly difficult for il- ; legal immigrants to enter Hong Kong across the well '. guarded and fenced land ■ frontier.

In spite of its small size — 1060 square kilometres, less than two-thirds the size of Stewart Island — Hong Kong’s 236 islands give it a difficult coastline to police — and syndicates using highpowered speedboats under cover of darkness are at work transporting illegal immigrants for fees of up to $6300. The traffic' also creates a market for forged identity cards.

During a recent Court of Appeal hearing in Hong Kong, it was said that in spite of a sharp reduction in the number of illegal immigrants, the problem was still regarded as “a very serious and ongoing threat.” The Crown prosecutor, Mr Gary Alderdice, seeking a review of prison sentences of four and three years respectively passed on two men found guilty of smuggling 30 illegal immigrants into Hong Kong, said more than 5000 illegals had. been detained already this year. The people involved in the smuggling, he said, were not amateurs. A total of 89 speedboats had been seized this year, and the increase in their use reflected a change in the method of operation being used.

His efforts to have severer

.sentences imposed on tlje two men. .who had used a junk and charged $1370 a head, failed. It was regarded as a “medium serious category” case, the Appeal Court ruled. In other instances, however, prison sentences of six years have been imposed. One of the problems being faced by the operators of the speedboats, referred to locally as “snakeheads,” is the growing realisation within China of the difficulties faced by illegal immigrants into Hong Kong. In some cases, such immigrants have voluntarily sought repatriation.

The “snakeheads," who take considerable risks by racing their boats at speeds of 45 knots and more through the night waters in efforts to elude police patrols, are reported to be finding it increasingly difficult to find customers.

Police spokesmen say that as a result they are now prepared to accept customers without any guarantees for payment — usually provided by Hong Kongbased relatives. In some cases, money arguments have led the police to both the illegal immigrant and the organisers of his or her entry into Hong Kong.

The “snakeheads” are also being accused of spreading false rumours in an effort to boost their flagging business. On the eve of the Royal wedding, the Hong Kong Government had to take the

unusual step of issuing a j statement denying a rumour ; that an amnesty would be ; proclaimed for illegal immi- j grants in recognition of the • event. ' ’

Another rumour attributed ; tq the “snakeheads” says I Hong Kong will issue an ■ amnesty because it needs a ■; big-labour force to build a ! new airport. ; j “There is, of course, abso- j lutely no truth in these ru- I mours, and it is just not L worth spending a fortune and I risking one’s life for a speed- i boat trip to wait for an ■ amnesty which will never : come,” a police spokesman ■ said.

In the meantime, Hong Kong is not relaxing its . vigilance. Every night a small task force of speedboats manned by policemen is deployed in the waters I surrounding Hong Kong. For ! five hours at a time, the ; boats lie in wait, their crews ’ alert for the tell-tale signs i that indicate another “snake- ; head” is running the gaunt- ■ let. j These police boats seldom i attempt to chase the speed- ; boats.

“On the open sea. once a 1 speedboat has spotted you ; there is really nothing you ; can do,” a senior inspector, , Mr Larry Knox, of the Hong ( Kong police's small boat ' unit, told a recent inter- : viewer. “They will just beach their boats and run into the hills. At the prices they are charging, they don’t 'even care about the boat."