The group suicide the Vietnamese Refugees in Hong Kong on Apr. 30, 1994 |
To call for the world's attention, and in protesting the brutal raid of the Whitehead detention camp on April 7 by Hong Kong government and the forced repatriation, the Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong had planned for a group-suicide to take place on April 30. When informed, Master immediately flew from the U.S. to Hong Kong, and instructed all disciples and other concerned public welfare organizations in the society to come to Hong Kong to hold a "Peaceful Sit-in" on April 28 and 29. She gave counsel to the Vietnamese refugees not to give up their lives, and called for humane treatment of the refugees by the Hong Kong government, and for the democratic nations to support and accept the refugees. She then instructed the disciples to launch a signature campaign worldwide to accept the Vietnamese refugees. The details will be reported completely in the next issue.
The refugees feel that since they are treated inhumanly in the camp, and forced into desperation by the Hong Kong Government's compulsory repatriation policy, they have no option now. To demonstrate their extreme abhorrence against the repatriation, they have resolved to sacrifice their precious lives in exchange for the world's concern. They planned group suicidal operations in the ways of burning themselves, or cutting their abdomen, etc., to accuse this desperate situation they are put into. Concrete intelligence indicates this radical operation has commenced. Compatriots participating in the sacrifice have signed their pledge. They vowed to kill themselves to the last one in Hong Kong to earn freedom for the remaining refugees, and to evoke the response of the impassive Governments on Earth. The first operation is schedule on April 30.
April 30 Refugees Brewing Group-Suicide |
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[Special Report by our press] The boat people in both Whitehead and Man Yee detention centers are brewing on a group-suicide by fire to take place on the 30th of this month. This is to protest the forced repatriation by the Hong Kong Government, and also in remembrance of the fall of South Au Lac to the Communist nineteen years ago. The Hong Kong government is very concerned, and has been in meeting for days consulting with the UNHCR preparing for emergency measures. According to the sources, the boat people in both Whitehead and Man Yee detention centers have launched a signature campaign with blood vows. They claim to commit group-suicide by fire on the 30th of this month to emphasize their determination against repatriation. As understood, the boat people selected this day of April 30th carrying grave historical meanings. Because the government of South Au Lac surrendered to the Au Lac Communist on April 30, 1975, ending the longest war in the century as the Communist took over the entire Au Lac. |
Due to the change of the government, tens of thousands of refugees began to escape from South Au Lac. Since then, the arrival of the waves of refugee have become a problem yet to be resolved. For the boat people to take such drastic measure this time was mainly provoked by the violent actions taken by the government to relocate some of the boat people in Whitehead detention center to Man Yee detention center on April 7. This has caused them to lose their faith in the government along with their hope for the future. Therefore, they have planned to take drastic actions such as committing group-suicide by fire. |
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[By our press] Both the UNHCR and boat people concerning groups verified hearing a campaign calling for the twenty thousand boat people in Hong Kong to commit group suicide at the end of this month. This is to express their resentment towards the repatriation to Au Lac. The Correctional Department denied hearing the news, but they would intensify their monitor. According to members of the Hong Kong Meditation Association, they have visited the Man Yee Camp and Whitehead Camp last Sunday. They received many complaint letters accusing the Correctional Department staff for beating up the boat people. The boat people said that the message of group suicide is widely spread in all the camps, and they would terminate their lives on April 30 by means of abdomen incision, or self-burning. They have went through great hardships escaping to Hong Kong, and spent five years in the detention centers, yet they couldn't escape the fate of repatriation. Therefore, they resort to express their resentment by death. Commissioner Assadi of the UNHCR said yesterday that he has heard about the group self-burning plan of the boat people. They would further investigate the authenticity of the news. |
Leader of a volunteer group "Concern for the Refugees" Jia Peng Bai also said that she has heard about the refugees' suicide plan to voice out their resentment. She will verify the information, and advise the boat people against taking such actions. Furthermore, she said she had received hundreds of letters from boat people in Chi Ma Wan, Man Yee and Whitehead camps after the Whitehead relocation incident. They mainly described the real happenings on the day of the relocation. Some people accused the government of using excessive force. She insists that the public must know the true story. What is happening to the refugees could happen to the Hong Kong residents in the future. She will provide her finding about the relocation operation to the independent investigation committee set up by the government. Concerning reports that some staffs of the UNHCR Hong Kong branch office resigned because of their dissatisfaction towards Commissioner Assadi's attitude in the relocation incident. |