ARCHIVE OF ACN 119 696 687 A non-profit organization PO Box 497 Flemington VIC 3031 AUSTRALIA

4 Aug, 2009 ARCHIVE of VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ACN 119 696 687 To: The Secretary of A not-for-profit organization The Department of Foreign Affairs www.vnbp.org email: [email protected] Email : [email protected] PO Box 497, Flemington, VIC 3031, Jalan Pejambon No. 6 AUSTRALIA Jakarta Pusat 10110 Phone: International +61 403 578 467 Indonesia Australia: 0403 578 467

Mr DONG TRAN General Director ℡ International +61 403 578 467 Dear Sir, Australia: 0403 578 467 [email protected] Re: The reported consideration of the

Indonesian Government to close the former Mr SON NGUYEN Galang Director in NSW ℡ (02) 9780 5618 Our Vietnamese Community in Australia was profoundly [email protected] shocked to learn that the Government of the Republic of Indonesia is reportedly considering a plan to close Mr HUNG CHAU Director in VIC the last remaining of the former Indochinese refugee ℡ 0411 806 848 camps on . Disappointingly, we have also [email protected] learned that this planned closure of the Galang Refugee Camp was initiated at the request of the Government of Mr HUONG MAI Director in ACT the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. ℡ 0412 175 626 [email protected] We, the overseas Vietnamese and the Vietnamese-

Australian communities, are indebted to the Indonesian Ms ANH TRUONG Government for its noble humanitarian efforts in Director in WA providing invaluable shelter to the Vietnamese refugees ℡ 0414 703 338 [email protected] from the late 1970’s till the time the Galang Camp was closed in the mid 1990’s. The Camp indeed has a Mrs HANH NGO significant humanitarian value, and more importantly, a Director in SA high historical value not only for Indonesia and its ℡ 0401 133 377 [email protected] people but also for the ASEAN region. The Galang Camp epitomizes the generosity of the Indonesian people and therefore should be retained as part of Indonesia’s Mr CHINH DANG Director of Treasury proud tradition for its future generation. ℡ 0410 466 798 [email protected] We noted the media comments made by the Chairman

of the Association of Indonesia Tour and Travel Mr QUANG PHUNG Agencies in , “…it is a popular tourist attraction Secretary for both domestic and foreign visitors…closing the ℡ 0412 618 962 [email protected] former camp is equal to lowering the wages of Batam tour operators” (The Jakarta Post, Batam 30 July, 2009; “Closure of Former Refugee Camp Stirs Protest”)

We strongly believe that, for economic, humanitarian and historical reasons, the Indonesian Government together with the Batam Industrial Development Authority should work together to promote the Galang Camp as a “must to visit” place in Indonesia.

Last but not least, we note that it was the Vietnamese Government which has requested the closure of the camp. For whatever reasons, such a request by a foreign government may constitute a violation of the Indonesian sovereignty and interference into its internal affairs.

We strongly and respectfully appeal to the Indonesian Government to preserve this former refugee camp on Galang Island for its unique cultural, historical and humanitarian values and for the economic benefits that the camp has generated and continue to do so for the local Indonesians.

We are anxiously awaiting your government’s reply and thanking you in advance for your time and careful consideration on our community’s heartfelt request.

Yours respectfully,

DONG TRAN Federal President ARCHIVE OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE

Co-signatories: Mr SON NGUYEN, President of AVBP in NSW Mr HUNG CHAU, President of AVBP in Victoria Mr HUONG MAI, President of AVBP in ACT Mrs HANH NGO, President of AVBP in SA Mrs ANH TRUONG, President of AVBP in WA Mr BUU NGUYEN, President of AVBP in NT