“From Singapore, we place our hands on our chests, directing our hearts to Vietnam, to the lands of our country, wishing everyone stays safe and the Government soon receives us back,” said Ly.
Nearly 300 Vietnamese citizens are stranded in Singapore amid the COVID-19 outbreak, unsure when they’ll be able to return home.
The group’s representative, Ngo Thi Thu Ly a 33-year-old mother of two young children from Hanoi, was supposed to board a plane back to Vietnam on 28 March after undergoing cancer treatment in the city-state. But air, sea, and land transport has been suspend as borders across the world close up to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Ly said her group mostly consisted of patients seeking medical treatments, students, and short-term workers in Singapore. The patients are unable to return home after their treatments. The laid-off and unemployed laborers have to be repatriated. Those with expired visas that have applied for extensions are sheltering in place as prescribed. Others whose visa is expiring or has expired may be denied extensions
They risk potential penalties from the host country for overstaying their visas, including fines, a permanent ban on entry to Singapore or even imprisonment.
Ly and other people have sent a petition to Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore for help.
“We are willing to pay for the return flight to Vietnam, or a connecting flight. Upon arriving in Vietnam, we will commit ourselves to quarantine and the epidemic prevention regulations of the State,” she said.
The embassy noted that in Singapore, since March 23, the Singaporean Government has banned short-term visitors from entering or transiting and cancelled a number of flights to countries that issued similar entry bans. As a result, Vietnamese citizens transiting through Singapore during this time are trapped in the quarantine area of Singapore’s airports and many of them have waited in the airport for days without communication from the canceling airline.
The Embassy has liaised with Singaporean agencies and notified the home country of the plight of these Vietnamese nationals. While waiting for support from the host country, the Embassy contacted authorities in Singapore to ask for help with visa extensions and residence procedures for Vietnamese citizens. Meanwhile, the Singaporean side has said that its Immigration and Checkpoints Authority will assist and consider the extension of short-term visas for Vietnamese nationals.
Keeping the faith
While exemptions from the punishments for overstaying would help the Vietnamese citizens, they wouldn’t alleviate concerns about food shortages and homelessness due to financial exhaustion.
Not to mention, many of them do not know the local language so are unable to stay updated on the new regulations of Singapore, which may make them accidentally violate regulations and end up in prison.
From 27 March, the Singapore Infectious Diseases Act states that all violations of “social distancing” rules to prevent the spread of COVID-19 may result in a fine of up to $10,000 (more than 162 million VND) or six month prison sentence, or both. Singapore has also implemented control aggressive measures given the daily increase in positive cases in the country of nearly 700 as of March 27 and the occurrence of deaths.
To stay safe in this country, Ly and the others keep each other updated on new regulations, encourage each other to be patient, and keep seeking help from authorities.
However, on 28 March, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam issued an announcement warning its citizens not to travel or return to Vietnam at this time, and to comply with the regulations of their host country.
Meanwhile, many countries and territories have used strong measures to prevent the Covid-19 spread such as bans on entry, exit and transit. A lot of airlines have cancelled flights. Vietnamese representative agencies have supported Vietnamese nationals stuck at international airports but are unable to solve all problems.
“Honestly, I am feeling lost. Some people in the group have cried. Over the past few days, we have tried to seek help from agencies and never stopped hoping. Not everyone can afford to stay. But we understand the efforts of the Government and our folks. We listen and sympathize with all our heart. And we still continue praying in order to soon return to our homeland and to breathe in the atmosphere of our country, because we believe our country will not leave us behind,” said Ly.
Undying faith in their return
While struggling for survival in a foreign country, Ly and the others can do little to support each other apart from keeping in contact via social networks, motivating each other and sharing news. They didn’t know each other until they got stuck in Singapore. Each of them is staying in a different place to comply with strict quarantine regulations. Many are seeking a temporary shelter while waiting.
Ly has tried her best to connect everyone, make a group list, contact the Embassy and find a shelter somewhere to, while finding the way back and waiting for the day to return home.
“I never thought I would be stranded in a foreign country when I am mentally and physically exhausted. Although I can speak English, it’s hard to manage life in a foreign country. But we are glad that our plea from Singapore has been heard by the media. Exhausted and worried, we still feel warm and confident that the homeland will give us a helping hand.”
After the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam advised citizens abroad not to travel to return home at the time, Ly wrote a “letter from Singapore”, talking about her life while she is waiting to return home and encouraging others in similar situations. At this time, to have a bed to sleep on and food to eat is a blessing. They remind each other to have money ready to buy air tickets, prepare personal belongings in quarantine not to disturb others, and get everything ready in suitcases to be ready to leave as soon as the Government allows Vietnamese citizens to return home.
“From Singapore, we place our hands on our chests, directing our hearts to Vietnam, to the lands of our country, wishing everyone stays safe and the Government soon receives us back,” said Ly.
