Galang Island: a story about Vietnamese refugees and their camp
In one hot afternoon, my relative drove her car, took me to the place I've never thought before: Vietnamese refugee camp. This camp is located in Galang Island, about one hour drive from Batam.
"This place will tell us a lot of story about pain and hope," she said to me just before we arrived at the camp.
Couple minute after, I jumped out from the car. A 'ship monument' greeted me.
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| The boat that brought the refugees |
"This is the boat that brought the refugees from Vietnam to here," I heard somebody explaining about the ship to his friends. It's not a big boat, I guess. But, from the blogs I've read before, this boat was used to carry 40-100 people for months. I just can't imagine how the situation is.
After taking some pictures, I decided to visit another spot in this island. The church was becoming my next pit stop. This church...how should I describe about it? This church was really beautiful. Made from wood with simple design. I've never seen such a beautiful but simple church before. This church was called as Nha Tho Duc Me Vo Nhiem.
I don't know the meaning of it. At the left side of this church there was a statue: Mother Mary statue.
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| The Church |
Besides church and the boat, there were some spots that can give us clear image of the situation here back then. There were a hospital, a jail, grave, even barrack. Everything was built from woods. Except the grave, of course.
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| The Jail |
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| The Grave |
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| The Hospital |
That moment, I felt like I wasn't in Indonesia. This place was really like a place in war movie. A bit spooky, and full with sadness. I just can't imagine how was the situation at that moment, how was the people condition, but this place was really perfect to describe the struggle of Vietnamese. And how the war can give negatively impact to the people.
As the sun cames down, I left this island with sadness. May they rest in peace...
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