Refugees ‘suffer from boredom’

Press, 26 December 1979, Page 3

Refugees ‘suffer from boredom’

Many refugees in IndoChinese camps are suffering more from boredom than anything else, according to a New Zealand man who has been helping some of them. Mr Robert Frost, a Christchurch builder, has spent the last four months with “Operation Seasweep,” a World Vision venture which uses jet boats to ferry boat people through the Anambas Islands, off the coast of Indonesia, to help. He has returned to Christchurch saying that while the refugees in this particular area were in a very poor physical state a few months ago. many of them are now stable physically and nientlally and are “rearing to go.” Mr Frost says that many suffer from boredom, and to keep themselves busy do exercises, chop firewood for cooking, write “thousands upon thousands of letters,” and go fishing. ■ Money from relatives is just starting to reach some I of the refugees and they are ' using it to start up little (cottage industries on the 'Anambas Islands. Small bak(eries, craft shops, and even (discos are popping up here land there. , Mr Frost says that the (dream for most of the

people is to go to a warm and civilised country. California tops the list of chosen places to go to. New Zealand and Canada come second. Singapore is the base for the World Vision work, and trips are made to the Anambas Islands for about three weeks before the boats ; return to Singapore for a week to dispatch their human cargo and renew their medical supplies. Refugees are keen to get to Galang, in southern Indonesia, because it is the best point of dispatch for getting into other countries. Mr Frost emphasis that the three camps in which he has been working are particularly well organised and that the refugees in them are in much better circumstances than some others. Mr Frost says that some of the beaches look like giant holiday resorts from offshore but he has also seen grown men weeping at the sight of some of the tiny, screwed-up babies with sores all over them. Mr Frost himself will go back to where he is most needed. He will depart in mid-January for another three months to carry out his volunteer work — 80 hours a week in average temperatures of 32deg.