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The Vietnamese refugee camp, which is now an open air museum, is located in Pulau Galang or Galang island. Although technically not in Batam but this island is now connected to Batam by bridge. I believe 6-7 islands are now connected, creating a fairly large area called collectively as Batam.
There are two covered boats in fairly good shape at the former refugee site left from back then. There are remnants of smaller boats in various stages of decay, some showing only rusted engines left over that resisted decay. I could imagine the suffering that these people had to endure. These boats were packed to the brim and they spent days out in the sea with minimal supply of water and food. The weaks, mostly children and elderly people, didn't make it.... The lucky ones that landed here and they struggled to make it through. I understood that approximately 7,000 refugees called this camp home for 10-12 years. It was like a village, complete with schools, churches, temples, hospitals, etc. Then those people could migrate to various countries that were willing to accept them.
Copyright by Dr. Joshua Ong
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