Many of our same families still cannot leave Vietnam because they cannot afford the bribes. Vietnam has not honored its commitment for free emigration for all its citizens. That is good business. We want Vietnam to develop fully with trade. Yet, we also want the country of our birth to honor its word and live up to agreements set forth between the U.S and Vietnam.
Families have a right to be together.
I have with me today which I will give to the Committee, the statements of several Montagnard families who were forced to pay large amounts of money to get their exit permission. In some cases they were forced to substitute Vietnamese children or spouses illegally. Our people are so poor. Please understand that they are desperate when they split apart their families and leave a loved one behind. They only do this because they do not have enough money or land to sell to the person who offers to help them with their exit papers.