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Revisiting the refugees on Galang Island
Taking refugee in crafts: A family of tourists from Singapore observes arts and crafts made by refugees in Galang Island
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Taking refugee in crafts: A family of tourists from Singapore observes arts and crafts made by refugees in Galang Island. JP/Fadli
By the roadside on a hill on Galang island stands a strong, tall water tower. The metal pipes that stick out from the tower snake across the road and disappear behind the trees on the other side of the street.
Follow these pipes behind the greenery and you will come across the remains of a refugee camp. About 30 years ago, this camp accommodated some 250,000 boat people from Vietnam and Cambodia. Still well-maintained, the camp is a tourist attraction, visited both by the former refugees and tourists to Batam Island.
Galang reminds us about the history of Indonesia's presence on the international stage. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) presented an award to the government for its part in taking in the boat people from Vietnam and Cambodia and treating them well.
Many Vietnamese were forced out of their country in the 1970s because of the heated political situation that arose from the ideological conflicts between the communist North Vietnam and the socialist South Vietnam.
More than 12 million South Vietnamese residents fled during the civil war, looking for political asylum in countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia.
Many of them, however, were cast ashore on the islands of Indonesia.
Galang Island was later designed to make a space for the refugees. The camp started its operations in 1975 and was closed in 1996.
The Galang refugee camp is a symbol of Indonesia's respect for human rights of people from international communities.
Parts of the camp ruins are still well-maintained. You can see the barracks where the refugees lived, the church, the vihara (Buddhist monastery), the hospital, the cemetery and even the wooden boats used by the Vietnamese when they left their country.
Vegetables such as water spinach, carrots and cabbage as well as ginger are now grown on the land near the former UNHCR office and the prison, and the area where the refugees used to farm.
The 80-hectare refugee camp complex is managed by the Batam Industrial Development Authority (BIDA), now called the Management Board of Batam Free Trade Zone.
Assigned to manage the island in January 1997, the board has renovated the facilities and developed it as a tourist site. The island has several asphalt roads, although more roads need to be built.
After the Quan Am Tu vihara was renovated, many Buddhists from Singapore and Malaysia began coming occasionally to say their prayers. The church also receives some visitors.
Mursidi, 60, who has long worked at the refugee camp, told The Jakarta Post recently that many former refugees, who had successfully built a new life in a new country, often visited Galang Island.
"They come here individually or in groups. When they are here, tears roll down their faces. Maybe they are remembering their past life a long time ago," said Mursidi.
"The emotional bond the former refugees have with this place is powerful enough to make it an international tourist destination. I think people can see it as a memory of the past instead of part of the bad history of Vietnam," he added.
Even though he has reached retirement age, Mursidi is still employed by the Management Board of the Batam Free Trade Zone to take care of the refugee camp. Mursidi and his colleague Tony inform tourists about the camp and its development.
Mursidi said a wooden boat that was used by the refugees now serves as a monument in the island. Tourists like to take pictures in front of the boat, he said.
Every month, the island attracts about 1,200 visitors, including the former refugees who are now citizens of Australia, the US or Canada.
Every weekend, between 100 and 200 visitors sign the guest book. Some come because they are interested in the island's history and wanted to learn about the human tragedy; others come to pray in the church or vihara, or visit the cemetery.
"In the past, those two places of worship were crowded by refugees who prayed solemnly. The atmosphere was totally different from other houses of worship," said Mursidi, who comes from Wonogiri in Central Java.
The former refugees' favorite place to visit in this island is the cemetery, called the Ngha Trang Grave, which holds 503 graves. There visitors pray for their parents, siblings, relatives or friends who were buried there.
Many refugees died in the camp because they suffered from various kinds of diseases contracted during the sea journey and also because the stress and depression had weakened their bodies.
For the former refugees, this place holds unforgettable memories, while for younger Indonesians, this is a place where they can learn about the role Indonesia played in the international arena, a role they otherwise will see only in textbooks.
How to get there
- Galang Island is about 50 kilometers southeast of Batam, and is accessible from Batam Island by car. A series of five bridges connects the two islands, passing across four other islands on the way, Tonton, Nipah, Setoko and Rempang.
- The trip from Batam to Galang takes about 40 minutes. There is no public transportation because not many people live in Galang and only a few people travel the route, but if you don't have your own car, you can hire a taxi for Rp 200,000.
- Since 2006, motorists have had to pay between Rp 5,000 and Rp 50,000 to enter the island, which is surrounded by barbed wire.
