Humanitarian Crisis

Historical Context:

In the face of political and economic instability in Southeast Asia as well as rising discontent with the new communist regimes, citizens were faced with two options: attempt to flee their country—whether by foot or by boat—or stay and accept their government’s retribution. Almost 800,000 people chose the first option.

A large number of the refugees were the ethnic Chinese Vietnamese, whom the Vietnamese government targeted and attempted to expel from the country. Other ethnic tribes that had previously settled in Vietnam—the Hmong, the Cham, the Montagnards, and the Khmer—were also fleeing from persecution. These refugees faced challenges not only on the journey overseas but also while seeking asylum from neighboring questions.

Troubles at Sea:

Desperate to escape, thousands of people piled into whatever boats they could find with whoever was able to come with them. These vehicles were often rickety, unsafe, and overcrowded; 1,500 ton cargo ships began to carry more than 2,000 people from country to country in late 1978, and Hanh Tran, a survivor of the harrowing overseas journey, recalls how he was one of the 87 people who set sail on a mere 11-meter-long boat.

Besides the poor sanitation and unsteady vehicles, there were many other factors that complicated these refugees’ passage. Pirates from Thailand preyed upon the many refugee boats they came across. When coming across these boats, pirates would often board with guns and other weapons to rob the immigrants of any valuables, sexually assault and abduct the women, and throw the men overboard, forcing them to swim back to shore. Thousands were beaten, murdered, or drowned — the men from getting thrown overboard and the women from attempting suicide. A Washington Post article from 1861 estimates that 80-90% of the ships that make it to refugee camps have been attacked by pirates — many of them ambushed twice or more.

Southeast Asia still remains one of the most disaster-prone areas of the world. Typhoons and bad weather hounded the Vietnamese refugees as they travelled along the coastline; the persistent rain soaked not only the refugees but also the boats, flooding engines and blowing the ships off course. These makeshift vessels were often intended for fishing, not for long, drawn-out voyages. 

It is estimated that 10-15% of refugees leaving Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia died while at sea.

Troubles on Land:

Though the initial response to the refugee crisis was one of empathy and understanding, the neighboring countries quickly found themselves unable to accept and support the sheer number of immigrants arriving on their shores.

In 1979, the United Nations Higher Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) established the Orderly Departure Program