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Salient. Official Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 42 No. 22. September 10 1979

Dear Editor,

Drawing of a woman writing with a feather quill

After the Geneva Conference on the Vietnamese refugees problem, it looks like the situation has temporarily improved. The boat people no longer appear on TV news everyday, as they have over the past months, when the Malaysian regime threatened to shoot them. The phenomenon demonstrated 2 significant points:
1.International pressure and sanction on a defaulting country does have effect.
2.Vietnam is efficiently capable of stopping the outflow of its citizens. Hence, the allegation of a semi-official high profit racket in the refugee business is not too far from the truth.

However, jublication at this stage will be premature. There should be no illusion that the problem is solved. The dam in only temporary shut, and the flood gates will be opened again only too soon. A leapord never changes its spots. It will only be more subtle next time round. Also the recent furore of interest of the superpowers over South East Asia is a cause for worry. It will not be altogether surprising that in the next few years South East Asia might become another 'Middle East.'

Back on the local campus, a forum on the Vietnamese refugees was organised by MSSA-NOSAC before the second term holiday. Hugo Manson, a TV reporter and Mary-Ann Thompson, political Science lecturer spoke at the forum. It is applaudable what Mr Manson has been doing, ie pressuring the New Zealand government to take in more refugees. New Zealand could well afford to lake many thousands more, considering the huge emmigrant rate for the past few years. However, I believe an equally important aspect of the work (which has been neglected) will be explaining the real issue to the people, to go beyond appealing to their sentiments and humanity. This is especially important in view of the cultural differences and the subsequent rejection of integration into the community. A number of people at the forum related their experiences of being victims of racial prejudice, and pointed out the overt racist policies of the present government in prosecuting minority groups.

Ms Thompson's analysis of the political background to the refugee problem was disappointing. Typical of academics, she gave various vague political possibilities for a permutation of root causes, not wanting to commit a clear political stand. Many who came for an answer were at a loss. However, a few were adamant it is part of a plot for Russian hegemony in South East Asia.

The Malaysian regime's role in the whole affair was apparently of more interest to the participants in the forum. Unfortunately, the issue was diverted before any in depth analysis was possible. However, those who spoke were unanimous in condemning the inhumane treatment of the refugees by the Malaysian authorities. Also an intellectual debate ensued as to whether the Malaysian authorities will actually carry out the threat to shoot the refugees. With all respect, the Malaysian High Commission might have been able to provide an answer to that. I heard that a formal invitation was sent to them, and by curious coincidence, everyone at the High Commission has some other appointments on that same night!!!

Asean Watcher