( Snap Judgment )

In the 1970s, thousands of Vietnamese refugees were left on the remote Anambas Islands in Indonesia. They were stranded without food, water, and shelter, forced to survive off the land. Now, almost 40 years later, one woman wants to go back to those distant islands, one last time.

Snap Judgment: Return to Kuku Island

Thank you so much to Carina Hoang. Carina is a Special Representative for Australia for UNHCR. Check out her book, “Boat People: Personal Stories from the Vietnamese Exodus 1976-1996,” available in both English and Vietnamese.

Carina is now filming a new Australian Broadcasting Corporation TV series, “The Heights.” Be sure to check it out.

Our heartfelt thanks to Tony Luu; his mother Truong On, his brother, Daniel, and the rest of the Luu family.

Thanks to the Outside Podcast from Outside Magazine, where you can also hear this show. Also, check Public Radio International’s The World for a shorter version of this audio story.

This story would not have been possible without the generous support of the International Women’s Media Foundation.