“In a free society, you can do something which are against the expressive will of the government… we had the support of the German society. It was not a ship by me, or by some company or by a committee, it was a ship by the German society. ”
In the late 70s, as the refugee crisis in the South China Sea became more dire and publicized, a group led by Rupert Neudeck formed the committee “A ship for Vietnam” to rescue the Boat People fleeing oppressive regimes. And so the Cap Anamur was born against the “express will of the German government”, but funded and supported by the German people themselves. The organization would go on to save 11,300 Vietnamese refugees in the South China Sea, and exists to this day helping those in need all around the world.
Check them out at their website: http://www.cap-anamur.org/