?”, AND NOTHING IS AS PAINFUL THAN TO REALIZE THATHEY DO NOT HAVE A HOME, THE COMMUNISTS HAVE TAKEN THEIRS. AFTER WEEKS, THE TRIP HAS UNDERMINED EVERYONE’S HEALTH, EVEN THEIR CLOTHES ARE WET, AND THEY HAVE HAD TO SLEEP THROUGH THE COLDEST NOGHTS. THEIR SPIRITS AND STRENGTH ARE GREATLY DIMINISHED. WHY IS FREEDOM SO HARD TO FIND? IF IT IS NOT IN THE VAST OCEAN, THEN WHERE IS IT? AT LAST AFTER EXHAUSTING DAYS AND NIGHTS HOPELESSLY WAITING FOR A MIRACLE, THE BOAT FINALLY ARRIVES AT KOKRA ISLAND IN THE THAILAND GULF, AND THREE SAILBOATS APPROACH WELCOMING THE IMMIGRANTS. PEOLPLE SCREAM IN OVERWHELMING HAPPINESS, AND CHILDREN RUSH TOWARDS THE DECK HOPING TO FILL THEIR STOMACHS AFTER DAYS WITHOUT FOOD. SUDDENLY, THEIR FUTURE EVAPORATES THE MOMENT THEY SEE THE GLEAM OF SHARP KNIVES ADVANCING TOWARDS THEM. IN A MATTER OF SECONDS THE TRAGIC LITTLE BOAT, WHICH HAS BEEN HALF-EATEN UP BYTHE STORMS, DEFORMED BY HUNGER, IS NOW SURROUNDED BY SEA PIRATES. THEY RANSACK THE SHIP, AND ROB THE ESCAPES. MEN ARE CLUBBED, KNIVED, AND THROWN INTO THE SEA, WOMEN RAPED AND TORTURED WITH SAVAGENESS BEYOND IMAGINATION. AFTER THAT, THEY TIE THE ESCAPE BOAT TO THEIR OWN AND PULL AWAY, RUNNING TO MAXIMUM SPEED AND MAKING ABRUPT TURNS TO DROWN THE PEOPLE INSIDE. ONLY ONE WOMAN SURVIVES THE ATTACK, WHOSE SISTER WAS ABLE TO GIVE ME A SECOND HAND STORY. FIFTEEN PEOPLE IN THE REFUGEES’ BOAT ARE HER CLOSE RELATIVES, INCLUDING HER TWO SISTERS, AND ONE BROTHER, AND THE MAJORITY OF OTHERS ARE MY NEIGHBORS. NEVERTHELESS, THE QUEST FOR FREEDOM IS NOT YET OVER. DESPITE THE ADVERSITY OF THE JOURNEY, HAVING TO FLEE THE HOMELAND IS THE ONLY WAY TO AVOID PROSECUTION IN VIETNAM AFTER THE VIETNAM WAR. THE GOVERNMENT PUT PEOPLE IN JAIL IF THEY WERE LUCKY, OTHERS WERE KILLED OR SENT TO “DEATH” CAMPS WHEN THEIR BELIEFS CONTRADICTED COMMUNISM. CONSEQUENTLY, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ESCAPE AND FACE IMMENSE CHALLENGES IN THEIR EF...
