Nepali ‘refugees’ in Hong Kong face trouble under new refugee law

Sunday, 15 November 2009 08:30

Panic has gripped Nepali community in Hong Kong following the endorsement of a new refugee law that empowers the administration to nab, fine and jail migrants, who entered Hong Kong without a visa, if they are found working for an employer or doing business, Nagarik daily reported.

Hong Kong Immigration has already nabbed 18 illegal workers and six employers with assistance of other government agencies since the law came into effect Saturday. Although none of the arrested are Nepalis, some 400 Nepalis registered as ‘refugees’ in Hong Kong are fearing arrests soon as the immigration is stepping up raids in various places.

The new regulation passed recently by Hong Kong’s legislature council is aimed at 6000 migrants who entered Hong Kong without a visa and registered themselves at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Although Hong Kong is not a signatory of UN Convention for Refugees, the migrants seeked safe haven under UN Convention Against Torture, to which Hong Kong is a signatory.

The new regulation empowers the administration to slap a fine of HK dollars 50,000 and a jail-term of three years to those who entered Hong Kong without a visa and registered themselves as a refugee with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), if found involved in paid work or business.

According to the Hong Kong immigration there are 400 such Nepalis in Hong Kong. The number of Nepalis seeking refugee status in Hong Kong in 2009 was 153, almost 10 times more than the figure for 2005. nepalnews.com

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