POTENTIAL FOR REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT ON PHU QUOC ISLAND

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86T00608R000600140004-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 3, 1999
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: April 1, 1975
• Content Type: REPORT

 Approved For Release 1999/09/26 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000600140004-8
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Potential For Refugee Resettlement
On Phu Quoc Island
Approved For Release 1999/09/26 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000600140004-8
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PO'J'J NTIAL FOR R FUC;I:I Rl.'Si. rfLE-N11.',NT ON PHU QUOC ISLAND
Phu Quoc, a dagger-shaped island in the Gulf of Thailand,
lies about 30 miles west of IJa Tien, the nearest point on the
South Vietnamese mainland, and less than 10 miles from the
Cambodian coast. Isolated from the South Vietnamese mainland
(there is no regular ferry service), Phu Quoc has suffered
from neglect by the Saigon Government and is lightly populated
and little developed. Administratively, the island is one
of seven districts of Kien Giang Province. By far the largest
of South Vietnam's islands, it covers an area of about 266
square miles and measures 25 miles from north to south, 18
miles from east to west. The southern "blade", however, narrows
from a 12-mile width in the north to only 2 miles in the south.*
Although Phu Quoc's major settlements and principal agricultural
areas are under Saigon's control, much of the interior and
the entire northern part of the island are controlled by the
Viet Cong.
The northern part of the island is extremely rugged (elevations
to 1,850 feet) and blanketed throughout with dense rain forest.
It is roadless*and virtually unpopulated. The rugged terrain
and dense forest cover will probably preclude refugee resettlement,
at leas,; for the time being. The southern part of the island
is lower -- a maximum elevation of 1,000 feet -- with more
open forest and brushland, and it is here that nearly all of
the island's 13,000 to 15,000 people live. Many of the southern
lowlands are poorly drained, and much of the coast is mangrove- -
lined. These areas would require extensive drainage improvement
for resettlement. Other lowland areas, however, are well drained
and, after clearing of the forest, could probably support sizable
refugee populations. Parts of the southwest coast are sandy
and have rich offshore fishing grounds. Although already lined
with fishing villages, it could probably support a much larger
population than it now does.
The southwesz coast receives an average of about 125 inches
of rainfall yearly with 85 percent falling during the southwest
monsoon, May through October. Southwestern-facing slopes in
* See Map Series L7014, 1:50,000, Sheets 52791 and 527911.
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the interior probably receive considerably more rainfall. The
rainfall regime throughout the island is suitable for one-crop
rice production without irrigation, and two crops if irrigation
faci.li.ties are developed.
Phu Quoc's population includes several thousand refugees
from North Vietnam who, after stops on the mainland, settled
on the island after partition of Vietnam in 1954. A group
of several hundred Nunn refugees from Long Khanh Province settled
on the island in the mid-1960's.. The population also includes
a large numbor o' Chinese. Most are long-time settlers but
soma, according to a 1968 report, are wealthy Chinese businessmen
from Cholon who settled in the main town of Duong Dong to avoid
the military upheavals of the mainland. A sprinkling of Cambodians
also live on the island. The population is mostly Buddhist
although there is a fairly large North Vietnamese Catholic
contingent in An?Thoi,? the second largest town, several hundred
Cao Dai, and perhaps a few Hoa I-Iao.
About half of the people live in the two principal towns --
Duong Dong on the southwest coast and An Thoi at the southern
tip of the island. Duong Dong has an estimated population
of more than 4,000; An Thoi's population is 2,500 or so. Most
of the rest live in small fishing villages along the southwest
coast or along the 24' miles of roads that link Duong Dong with
An Thoi.
Both Duong Bong and An Thoi are essentially fishing towns;
their harbors are jammed with fishing junks and their streets
lined with pungent processing factories. An Thoi, occupied
primarily by a close-knit group of Catholic refugees from North
Vietnam, has been described by visitors as having neat houses
and clean streets. An ARVN POW camp. which in 1968 housed
some 11,500 NVA/VC prisoners, is located just to the north
of the town. Duong Dong has been described as having a mixed
and morose population; most'of the people occupy rows of shabby
houses on stilts along the banks of the Trach Duong Dong (river).
A small naval Ease is located in the town and a 2,300-foot
air strip and ARVN radar installation are nearby.
The island has little economic significance to the GVN;
its major contribution to the economy to date has been fish
and fish products. Its potential for expanded production of
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fish products, lumber, and cash crops, however, appears significant.
Perhaps one--third of the people are fishermen with many of
the rest employed in the fish processing industries. The most
famous product of the island is "nuoc mam," a fermented and
pungent sauce made from a small coastal fish. There are more
than 30 nuoc mam plants in An 'I7ioi. and Duong Dong. Production
of pepper from a few small plantations in the interior valleys
and lumber from the rich forests have been the island's only
other economic activities worthy of note. A tax on the pepper
producers has been the major source of VC revenues. Phu Quoc
produces only a small amount of rice and must import from Rach
Gia, the province capital and main port. Soils and climate,
however, favor expanded rice production. Production of all
commodities has suffered from the war. Pepper and lumbei output
is limited because they are produced in thLe VC-controlled
interior and fish and nuoc mam because poor coastal security
has forced the GVN to limit the fishermen to small zones outside
the harbors of the fishing villages.
CONFIDENTIAL
Approved For Release 1999/09/26 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000600140004-8