S'pore to repatriate boat people

S'pore to repatriate boat people

SINGAPORE (Reuter): Singapore will repatriate the Vietnamese boatpeople from its one refugee camp early next week, the Home (Interior) Ministry said yesterday.

It said in a statement preparations had begun to repatriate the boatpeople following the decision of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to close all camps in Southeast Asia by June 30.

Singapore has about 100 Vietnamese boatpeople.

The statement said the boatpeople were now being processed for departure at a temporary immigration depot near Singapore's Changi prison. It said the Singapore government was working closely with the UNCHR to "effect a smooth repatriation".