GALANG ISLAND INDONESIA

GALANG ISLAND

INDONESIA

Galang Island belongs to the Riau Group of Islands of Indonesia and is connected by a bridge to Batam Island. Getting from Batam island to Galang requires crossing of six bridges, starting with Barelang Bridge. It is its history what makes Galang Island famous. 

For a number of years, from 1976 to late 1980s Galang Island was home to Vietnamese refuges. They arrived in boats, just like today refugees arrive in Australia or Europe.

Now Galang Island is full on memories and it has a Museum preserving the history of life in Galang while the refugees waited to be taken to a new country. Many migrated to the Philippines, Australia and other parts of Indonesia.

They tried to live a normal life during the years of waiting while Galang was their home. They built temples and churches that now still stand as monuments to humanity.

Although this is history for the refugees from Vietnam going back to 1970's, the refugee problem still exists. 

If anything, it is more pronounced now everywhere in the world and involves more countries which refugees come from and where they are heading. One can only hope that their lives in waiting are as memorable as Galang Island history.