CIS NO: 92-H381-66 TITLE: Refugee Protection and Resettlement Issues Relating to Southeast Asia and Hong Kong. SOURCE: Committee on Foreign Affairs. House DOC TYPE: Hearing COLLATION: iii+226 p. DATE: June 21, 1990 CONGRESS-SESSION: 101-2 SUDOC: Y4.F76/1:R25/10 ITEM NO: 1017-A; 1017-B MC ENTRY NO: 93-3516 Hearing before the Subcom on Asian and Pacific Affairs to examine the status of and efforts to assist Southeast Asian refugees, particularly Vietnamese boat people. Reviews UN Comprehensive Plan of Action (CPA) for regional cooperation in granting refugees first asylum and temporary residence, expanding legal emigration from Vietnam, and arranging the permanent resettlement of refugees granted political asylum. Also examines concerns and CPA implications regarding first-asylum countries forced repatriation of Vietnamese refugees deemed ineligible for resettlement. Includes transcript (p. 19-24) of Subcom markup session on 101st Congress H. Con. Res. 291 (text, p. 22-24), to express the sense of Congress regarding the need to fully account for Americans listed as prisoners of war, missing in action, or otherwise unaccounted for in Southeast Asia. Resolution was favorably reported. Supplementary material (p. 159-226) includes submitted statements, witnesses' written replies to Subcom questions, correspondence, and: -- Eig, Larry M. (CRS), "Asylum Rights and Federal Authority To Detain Aliens in Holding Centers in Various U.S. Territories and Possessions" June 21, 1990 (p. 211-218). CONTENT NOTATION: Indochinese refugees status, assistance efforts, and resettlement and repatriation issues DESCRIPTORS (and special content notations): SUBCOM ON ASIAN AND PACIFIC AFFAIRS. HOUSE (Indochinese refugees status, assistance efforts, and resettlement and repatriation issues; prisoners of war and missing in action in Southeast Asia, Congressional resolution); INDOCHINESE REFUGEES; INTERNATIONAL.RELATIONS; SOUTHEAST ASIA (Indochinese refugees status, asylum, and repatriation issues; prisoners of war and missing in action in Southeast Asia, Congressional resolution); UNITED NATIONS; POLITICAL REFUGEES; VIETNAM; HUMAN RIGHTS; CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE ("Asylum Rights and Federal Authority To Detain Aliens in Holding Centers in Various U.S. Territories and Possessions"); PREVENTIVE DETENTION ("Asylum Rights and Federal Authority To Detain Aliens in Holding Centers in Various U.S. Territories and Possessions"); TERRITORIES OF THE U.S. ("Asylum Rights and Federal Authority To Detain Aliens in Holding Centers in Various U.S. Territories and Possessions"); ALIENS ("Asylum Rights and Federal Authority To Detain Aliens in Holding Centers in Various U.S. Territories and Possessions"); CONGRESSIONAL.COMMITTEE.MARKUP.SESSIONS (Prisoners of war and missing in action in Southeast Asia, Congressional resolution); SENSE OF CONGRESS RESOLUTIONS (Prisoners of war and missing in action in Southeast Asia, Congressional resolution); VIETNAM WAR (Prisoners of war and missing in action in Southeast Asia, Congressional resolution); PRISONERS OF WAR (Prisoners of war and missing in action in Southeast Asia, Congressional resolution); MISSING IN ACTION (Prisoners of war and missing in action in Southeast Asia, Congressional resolution); VIETNAM BILLS: 101 H.Con.Res.291 92-H381-66 TESTIMONY NO: 1 June 21, 1990 p. 4-19 WITNESSES (and witness notations): ATKINS, CHESTER G. (Rep, D-Mass) FISH, HAMILTON, JR. (Rep, R-NY) STATEMENTS AND DISCUSSION: Merits of moderating U.S. policy opposing forced repatriation of Vietnamese refugees. CONTENT NOTATION: Indochinese refugees status, assistance efforts, and resettlement and repatriation issues 92-H381-66 TESTIMONY NO: 2 June 21, 1990 p. 25-60, 192-206 WITNESSES (and witness notations): LYMAN, PRINCETON N. (Director, Bureau for Refugee Programs, Department of State); accompanied by SOLOMON, RICHARD H. (Assistant Secretary, East Asian and Pacific Affairs) STATEMENT AND DISCUSSION: Overview of Southeast Asian refugee issues, including CPA implementation and problems; status of various Southeast Asian refugee populations; clarification of Administration position on the forced repatriation of Vietnamese refugees; aspects of Southeast Asian refugee issues. CONTENT NOTATION: Indochinese refugees status, assistance efforts, and resettlement and repatriation issues DESCRIPTORS: DEPARTMENT.OF.STATE 92-H381-66 TESTIMONY NO: 3 June 21, 1990 p. 61-158 WITNESSES (and witness notations): DEVECCHI, ROBERT P. (Executive Director, International Rescue Committee) ROSENBLATT, LIONEL A. (Executive Director, Refugees International) CALABIA, DAWN T. (Associate Director, Office of Migration and Refugee Services, U.S. Catholic Conference) ROBINSON, COURT (Policy Analyst, U.S. Committee for Refugees) NGUYEN, THANG D. (Director, Boat People SOS; also representing National Congress of Vietnamese in America and Interfaith Committee for Refugee Concerns) STATEMENTS AND DISCUSSION: Importance of improving refugee screening process in first-asylum countries; differing views on forced repatriation issue; recommendations for preserving CPA; review of humanitarian concerns relating to CPA implementation. Need and recommendations for normalization of U.S.-Vietnam relations; description of human rights abuses against Burmese refugees along the Burmese/Thai border; concerns about Malaysia interdiction at sea and forced repatriation of Vietnamese boat people. Need and suggestions for U.S. establishment of a Southeast Asia holding center for Vietnamese refugees (related memo, p. 128-137); perspectives on appropriate screening procedures for Southeast Asian refugees seeking asylum, including conduct of the screening at proposed holding center. CONTENT NOTATION: Indochinese refugees status, assistance efforts, and resettlement and repatriation issues DESCRIPTORS: BURMA; THAILAND; MALAYSIA; INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE; REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL; U.S. CATHOLIC CONFERENCE; U.S. COMMITTEE FOR REFUGEES; BOAT PEOPLE SOS; NATIONAL CONGRESS OF VIETNAMESE IN AMERICA; INTERFAITH COMMITTEE FOR REFUGEE CONCERNS