THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE EXPLAINED

Vietnamese boat people refers to refugees who fled Vietnam by boat and ship after the Vietnam War, especially during 1978 and 1979, but continuing until the early 1990s. The term "Vietnamese Boat People" is often used generically to refer to all the Vietnamese (about 2 million) who left their country by any means or method between 1975 and 1995.

The number of boat people leaving Vietnam and arriving safely in another country totaled almost 800,000 between 1975 and 1995. Many of the refugees failed to survive the passage, facing danger and hardship from pirates, over-crowded boats, and storms. The boat people's first destinations were the Southeast Asian countries of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Singapore plus the British colony of Hong Kong. 

The mass flight of hundreds of thousands of boat people from Vietnam in 1978 and 1979 caused an international humanitarian crisis with the Southeast Asian countries increasingly unwilling to accept ever more boat people on their shores. After negotiations and an international conference in 1979, Vietnam agreed to limit the flow of people leaving the country, the Southeast Asian countries agreed to admit the boat people temporarily, and the rest of the world, especially the developed countries, agreed to assume most of the costs of caring for the boat people and to resettle them in their countries.

From refugee camps in Southeast Asia, the great majority of boat people were resettled in developed countries, more than one-half in the United States and most of the remainder in France, Canada, Australia, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Several tens of thousands were repatriated to Vietnam, either voluntarily or involuntarily. Programs and facilities to carry out resettlement included the Orderly Departure Program, the Philippine Refugee Processing Center, and the Comprehensive Plan of Action.

IMAGES OF PFAC Part Three

IMAGES OF PFAC Part Three

Rubi, Sis. Bernadette, Gemma, Bessie, Marivic, Florence, & Mayette



The PFAC Boyscouts in front of the Refugee Boat

 



Teachers: Gemma, Florence, Nenita, and Pilar (Teacher Babes)

 



Teachers: Maritess, Andrew, Nenita, Bessie, and Gemma

 

 

 

 

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My Former Student Huong Thao's Heartfelt Letter (May 31, 1992)

One day Huong Thao and I will meet again.

Tuan, Huong Thao, My Ly and Kiera (San Diego, CA 2008)

PFAC Palawan
May 31, 1992

Dear Sir,

The time has gone so rapidly. Just more than two years studying in your class and you're now leaving your students, leaving behind your back those golden times that you had spent with us in order to reunite with your beloved betterhalf. It's too painful when we're far away from one another but we're just human beings who deserve to enjoy the best in life. I know you are now anxious about everything for the future, how to live for the better tomorrow, and how to manage your new family. You have to start out a new life totally. But I guess, with your competence, you'll be able to overcome all the challenges that come your way.

I wish you all success and happiness in your new life. You are a very good teacher. Everything that you have imparted to us is really meaningful especially to me. Having been with you for two years, I have had lots of wonderful and unforgettable experiences that I'll definitely never forget and that I will carry with me wherever I go. With your gracious support, guidance, and love, you have completely built me up to what I have become today.

I'd like to say thank you from the buttom of my heart. "Our deepest gratitude, our tearful and heartfelt farewell..."

On behalf of the Grade 12 students, THANK YOU! I will pray for your future family. I hope all your dreams become a reality.

Your student,
Huong Thao

P.S. I hope we can meet again someday in the future. So we shouldn't say "Good bye" now, 'coz goodbye is forever- we never meet each other again.

Huong Thao and I are yet to be reunited.  She lives in Houston, Texas and is married.

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Reunited after Nineteen Long Years

Hai and I were reunited after 19 long years.

Hai and Andy reunited after nineteen long years.

Hai was one of my students in P.F.A.C. Palawan. He immigrated to California in 1990. We lost contact.

Andy, Hai, his wife Hanh and daughter Isabel

Then in June 2008, I called Vinh Hao in California and we chatted for over an hour. During our long conversation, I casually I asked him if he knew where Hai was. (I knew they were best friends in the camp). To my amazement he said, "Oh Hai is in Canada. He moved to Canada many years ago." Surprised and exceedingly excited, I asked, "Where in Canada?" Hao identified the city (the same city where I live) but unfortunately, he didn't have Hai's phone number.

Andy, Hai, and Stephen

I then immediately searched Hai on the White Pages. There was no exact match but three people in Ontario had his last name. I phoned the one that was closest to where I live. A senior answered the phone and courteously said, "Hai has moved out. He doesn't live here anymore." I inquired, "Do you have his new phone number?" The senior, who luckily is Hai's father, gave me his new phone number after I spoke with him in Vietnamese and explained that I was Hai's teacher at the refugee camp. I called Hai's number immediately but no one answered the phone. After a couple of hours, I called his number one more time and I finally got hold of him. It was an emotional telephone conversation, to make the story short.

Andy, Hai, Stephen, and Van

After nineteen long years, I was talking to Hai again. Six months had passed after that conversation. And tonight, February 15, Hai and his family visited us.

Andy, Sarah, Hanh, Isabel, Hai, Stephen, and Van

O

Wow! Nineteen years later and here we are. Reunited. Amazing indeed.

OOO

BOAT PEOPLE TRUE SURVIVAL STORY

This photograph has nothing to do with the story below. It was taken from a

UNHCR calendar published in 1987. This photograph is an authentic picture

of a Vietnamese refugee boat after it landed on El Nido, Palawan, Philippines.

**MY GREAT ADVENTURE**.....
Written by Hoa, Group 57 El Nido Palawan.....

Crossing the ocean was challenging but a great journey.

I was barely sixteen years old when I bravely crossed the vast South China Sea in search of freedom. I went on a small fishing boat with a group of my compatriots and we decided to head to a safe haven. After three excruciating days sailing, eating and drinking too little, our engine suddenly broke down. Then there was a rainstorm with strong winds that brought gigantic waves. I was so afraid that the boat would capsize. I was wet, cold, and starving. I couldn’t move my feet because they were numb. The fearful children started crying and screaming, calling their mothers. I looked up in the air and saw that the sky was dark. There was no sunshine at all. It seemed as though that the nights and days had become one. “Will this be the end of my life?” I whispered to myself.

The boat owner had stopped navigating and just let the boat drift to nowhere. We were almost out of food and water. I ate dried salted fish to ease me of my hunger. We shared every drop of the water that we had. Many people on the boat were crying while praying. We saved drinking water for the children so that they wouldn’t suffer from deadly dehydration. We were desperate for food and water. To make matter worse, we discovered that the boat was leaking. Instead of panicking, we remained focused and took turns to scoop the sea water out so that it wouldn’t fill the boat and sink it.

I was asked to run errands up and down the lower and upper decks while the boat mechanic was trying his best to fix the broken engine. Thirty-four hours later the sun came up and it burned our skins. We were extremely hungry and thirsty. I thought I was going to die. As I was about to close my eyes to pray, the boat engine started running again. With renewed hope we looked up the sky and thanked God. The boat started heading to its destination. Finally, we landed on Philippine Islands where we were welcomed by the very friendly and generous Filipino people. These caring and loving Filipinos gave us food and shelter and expected nothing in return from us.  One week later, we were all transported to the PFAC Refugee Center on Palawan Islands.

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