THE Government-sponsored report of the inquiry into the April 7 raid on the Whitehead detention centre is dissatisfying because it chooses not to pass judgment on several key aspects of the operation which involved assault, excessive use of tear-gas and resulted in many injuries.
The report recounts the events relating to the raid. The level of detail is useful because it allows the public to draw its own conclusion, particularly on those aspects which the two justices of the peace who conducted the inquiry chose to be silent.
The criticisms made are in general not linked to specific officers who were responsible for the operation, even in the cases where the justices found substantiated allegations of assault. Instead of accepting responsibility, the police said subsequent to the report that it was the fault of the Vietnamese.
The report highlights the need for improved communication with the Vietnamese. It points to the inadequacy of only having four counsellors and interpreters on hand to persuade 1,500 Vietnamese on April 7 that the military-like raid was only a camp transfer exercise. The fact that insufficient counsellors were on hand to communicate with the obviously anxious detainees indicates that communication was not a priority.
The Government's operation was based on the ''worst scenario . . . that is the outbreak of mass disorder'' in the whole of Whitehead. None of what was expected as acts of resistance, like the throwing of stones and metal objects, taking hostages or pouring of boiling water or molten plastic, actually happened.
What took place was not anticipated. For example, that the detainees would climb on to the roofs of their huts in order to escape from tear-gas and that this would present high risks of physical injuries. When the detainees were finally willing to come down from the roofs, there were insufficient ladders of proper height and strength to help them down.