Here and Now: 13.02.1983: Vietnamese Boat People

Summary

Paula Ahluwalia report about how some of the former Vietnamese boat people have settled in the Midlands.

Year:

1983

Duration:

0:24:15

Film type:

Colour / Sound

Company:

Central Television

Master format:

16mm

Description

Throughout the film there is extensive colour archive film of refugees escaping from Vietnam, sailing in boats and their subsequent arrival in Britain including shots of resettlement camps (copyright of archive? The shots of refugees at the resentlement camps in the UK is taken from ATV Today and Central News). Interview with Barrie Denton of the Ockenden Venture who explains the background to the mass exodus from Vietnam following the Communist take-over and the different routes the refugees took. He also talks about how many refugees who came to the UK through Hong Kong had ethnic Chinese origin which became unwelcome in Vietnam. Interview with a former refugee who is now running a health food shop in Birmingham. Shots of another refugee who has obtained work in his existing profession of poultry farming near Wolverhampton. Interview with Ockenden volunteer Jenny Grant who is seen visiting the Lee family who have settled in Birmingham. They came to the UK without any assistance and have had to survive in the system on their own. They talk about how they have settled and in particular the children in local schools. We see two of the Lee children who now attend Handsworth New Road School and are seen in an English language class and shots of older children in a science lesson. Interview with the school's head-teacher about the admission of the Lee boys. Finally Paula talks to former refugees who attend the weekly Vietnamese youth club at the Wallace Lawler Centre in Birmingham. These men in their twenties are all struggling to find employment.


Credits

No credits specified


Notes