Remember Ke Huy Quan’s Oscar speech? He spent a year in a refugee camp. He likely stayed at the now abandoned Green Island Reception Centre.
Welcome. Today we explore the history of the Correctional Services Department Green Island Reception Centre. It stands on Green Island in Hong Kong. This now uninhabited island holds a past far removed from its serene appearance.
From 1978 to 2000 Hong Kong established detention centers for Vietnamese refugees. The Correctional Services Department managed many of these centers. These were known as Vietnamese Migrants Detention Centres. The Green Island Reception Centre played a significant role.
In 1987, a surge of Vietnamese boat people arrived from Mainland China. The Civil Security Service initially housed them in Qingzhou. Some were sent to the Sun Yick Industrial Building. Others were transferred to the Correctional Services Department Green Island Reception Centre.
Life inside was harsh. In 1992, a refugee testified about terrible conditions. Inmates allegedly had chemicals poured on them. They slept on floors without blankets for a week. Sickness, hunger and lack of ventilation were common. The government later admitted to falsely imprisoning one refugee.
Escapes were not uncommon. Twenty-three Vietnamese boat people escaped in 1995. Six more fled through a roof in 1998.
The Green Island Reception Centre wasn’t just for refugees. By 1998, it processed illegal immigrants. This came a year after officials allegedly forced refugees to sign forms. These forms falsely declared they sought work, not asylum.
The Correctional Services Department Green Island Reception Centre officially closed in 2011. Today, nature reclaims the site. The facility stands exposed to the elements.
Over 200000 Vietnamese refugees passed through Hong Kong. Most were repatriated or resettled abroad. The Green Island Reception Centre is now a silent testament. It reminds us of Hong Kong’s role in a global refugee crisis. It also reminds us of the human stories behind the statistics. A place of hope and despair. The Correctional Services Department Green Island Reception Centre is a piece of Hong Kong’s complex history.