🇲🇦🇻🇳40 Years of Solitude l Al Jazeera World

Filmmaker: Sana El Younoussi
What will become of families stranded in Vietnam since their Moroccan fathers defected from the French army in 1953?
In the 1940s, young Moroccans joined the French army to earn a living and support their families.
In 1953, many were serving in Indo-China when they learned of the exile of King Mohamed V and deserted to join the forces of Ho Chi Minh.
Some soldiers moved to Huang Houn in northern Vietnam, and continued to live in the region for years, marrying local women and starting families there.
Unusual in that they were half-Vietnamese and half-Moroccan, these families nevertheless made lives for themselves in the region.
After a lengthy absence abroad, most of the soldiers eventually returned to Morocco in 1972. But three families remained stranded in Vietnam.
They are unable to return to Morocco because their fathers have died and their mothers are unable to prove Moroccan parentage.
Now all many of them can do is wait for the Moroccan government to decide their fate, as they remain forgotten victims of a war that ended decades ago.
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[@Osiris2134]

Proof that Morocco did fight for its independence! And they fought with the Vietnamese against their shared colonial master 🇲🇦🇻🇳

[@dykvhkl]

Pride to all the moroccan and vietnamese heroes, who sacrificed their lifes for vietnam.

[@leequan5813]

My mother Nguyen Thi Xuan (Moroccan name is Habbiba) the second woman appearing in the video above, although she has been to Morocco twice, she has not received aid like other families. Who can help my mother when the King and the Moroccan government have shared but my mother is still living in Hanoi renting a house and making a living washing dishes. it's not fair

[@quanle4140]

when I commented on this video it was 11:57pm on November 22. 2023. I learned that King Mohammed VI gave a lot of land and cash to the mixed-race children whose father was a martyr who died in Vietnam. But my mother, the eldest of four mixed-race children, was the only one who was extremely poor. There was no agency to disburse that money to my mother. When she arrived at the Moroccan embassy in Hanoi, she was not accepted. pick up. So where is the justice for my mother?

[@elbagrau]

​​@@quanle4140 Really sorry to hear you mother's story. Does She have everything She needs to prouve She's the daughter of a Moroccan soldier? Did you contact your grand father's family in Morocco?

[@quanle4140]

@@elbagrau My mother was sent by the Moroccan embassy to meet relatives there twice. Because my mother did not know English or Moroccan, communication was difficult. However, some translators said that the King of Morocco would let them enjoy Moroccan social benefits for children of people who Soldiers died in Vietnam. As far as I know, some people received houses and received social benefits, but my mother did not

[@somethingelse7181]

@@quanle4140 hi, i just watched this documentary and i really felt sorry about those families, try to help her to take her right by translating for her, im from Morocco and Moroccan can speak English too so just don’t give up and help her, wish you a good luck

[@quanle4140]

@@somethingelse7181 it seems like there is no hope, the king and the government gave support and some people got it but my mother didn't, I'm tired of running after this

[@yousefbentachefine6474]

Big love from morocco to vietman 💕✌

[@zayerala-eddine9569]

It's incredible to learn about the sacrifices made by Moroccans during the Vietnamese War. Their bravery and selflessness deserve recognition and respect. This video is a powerful reminder of the global impact of historical events and the shared humanity that connects us all

[@ouikekee5133]

The Moroccan government should help these people and help them to return to Morocco. These Moroccan soldiers have suffered a lot and their family should get money and help to return to Morocco!!

[@baathi7358]

Morocco offered them many times but they don’t want to

[@missyana8746]

Actually many get back and had free land near Kenitra and Casablanca you can go visit their villages.

[@naburii-ru4in]

Agreed

[@somethingelse7181]

@@missyana8746can you tell me the exact location so i can visit them?

[@naburii-ru4in]

🇲🇦🇻🇳🇲🇦🇻🇳🇲🇦🇻🇳🇲🇦together forever

[@adilaa545]

Vietnam womens are so brave. Respect

[@adilaa545]

They much batter than you.

[@zouhairuk]

Al Jazeera effort to make such a documentary must be celebrated, a great reporting. As a Moroccan I am ashamed of our government, they should definitely issue these people a moroccan passports and fly them to see their fathers land.

[@bobstone5889]

I think They should come Morocco some times to observe which country live at where being better than for their family.

[@osamintv6135]

Dude shut up. The ones here decided to stay in Vietnam while others came back to Morocco years ago and the king offered them land and jobs. Those who chose to get land have decided to live next to each other and their descendants still live there. It's what we call douwar chinwa. You dumb*ss

[@0xKing_of_hell]

The king Hassan 2 gave them land in Morocco and farms, and it was their choice

[@angmar5524]

It's the first time I hear about the story of those Moroccans, I don't know why Moroccan government doesn't take the action to bring our brothers to their country and to provide them good conditions to be able to live in their nation

[@mtd-km1jt]

i am Moroccan and i wish of the Moroccan government to refer those Moroccans only their country and to integrate them in Moroccan society

[@hammourrabi]

***** where is your problem? you are zionist not vietnamien arabics and berbers are brothers muslims ..............understand? hee shut up .the arabic civilisation is the best that the world have khown Humm you not anser at my question in my first msg...!!!

[@camilosittegassevol2944]

going to morroco will not help them

[@mimim6015]

Their not only Moroccan though, their still Vietnamese to. Culturally and Ethnically.

[@Yanzdorloph]

@@mimim6015 they need help with their situation, and asking the embassy of their other country can help sometimes. hope they are doing better now

[@osamintv6135]

They wanted to stay there. Have you heard of douar chinwa? It's where the the soldiers who decided to come back live.

[@vtecpreludevtec]

No more colonialism.Good luck from New Zealand😎🇳🇿🌺

[@m.zinoune4956]

Now there is a new era colonialism friend, economic, cultural and.. ......etc

[@goodimad6832]

from Morocco love 🇻🇳🇻🇳🇻🇳❤🇲🇦🇲🇦

[@decordelights_]

35:22 what a character she has so cute and yet so powerful I love her darija accent I wish her happiness for what's left of her life

[@zeidlitz45]

It was a wonderfull film about the ppl. who was left, and them who have moved to Maroco. Its high time both Frace and Maroco take care of the one who have been left behind.

[@Hamsterzilla1349]

Defectors leave themselves behind.

[@donpagani1240]

They live in Ba Vi district, not far from Hanoi Center. This is a special case - the Moroccan gov should help.

[@abderrazakdriouky1567]

A very bad and sad story!!!!unbelievable !!!these guys are Moroccans and Moroccan government must give them their Moroccan documents and help them and support them as soon as possible !!!

[@ThanhVu27696]

Wow! This is my first time to know this. Thanks for sharing.

[@beachsandinspector]

The families of the former soldiers who have cultural ties with Morocco aught not be left in limbo like this. Where I am there is little I can do to help these people, I hope that they are able to move back to where they aught to be, in the land of their fathers.

[@mimim6015]

But what about their mothers? Their Vietnamese to though, you make it seem like their only Moroccan.

[@urstruly87]

WOW... this is definitely one of the less well known issues of the wars in indochina... it affected the entire world not just asia-pacific, europe & america. I never thought of Viets in North Africa!!! (also mixed Viet-Arab offspring something not common as the French-Viets, the White & Black American-mixed offspring)

[@faqhue9636]

Holy smokes those Vietnamese women are such hardworking farmers.

[@missyana8746]

Most are married with Vietnamese women from farmer villages not major town.

[@tassisto]

Al hamdulillah for being Moroccan. Hopefully there will be a continue to this documentary, thank you

[@cyprusairways6449]

I think that the Moroccan government to help these people and a Moroccan passport must give these people want so badly and they deserve the greetings from Amsterdam A Proud Moroccan from Tetouan

[@IdeZet]

Identiteitscrisis? Amsterdammer, Tetouaan of Cyprioot?

[@Yanzdorloph]

@@IdeZet Moroccan identify is very strong, it over power the rest, 4th generations in Europe even with intermarriage with non Moroccans and they still call themselves Moroccans, in Egypt and the middel east after hundred of years some families still call themselves Moroccans to this day. Moroccan Chad Energy

[@ColonelFluffles]

@@Yanzdorloph hahah true

[@ColonelFluffles]

@@IdeZet Marokkaanse Nederlander. Dat kan toch gewoon?

[@IdeZet]

@@ColonelFluffles u let niet goed op waarom ik een antwoord als deze gaf. 6 jaar terug trouwens. Heel bijzonder dat u daar nu op reageert. Merry Xmas.

[@BuzzzziBa]

pure moroccan reaction xD at 7:53

[@Antiinjustice2024]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@saaddoft_gumer9173]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@SpanishFluency]

27:15 That part make me cry !!! that's so sad :(

[@decordelights_]

it was beautiful tho you can see the child in him

[@urmineyesur]

there were some errors in the translation and the names of the locations in Vietnam, but after all, the document is quite good. feeling great to see 'nón lá' in Morrocan Land.

[@trivatha]

Are you a son of those women mentioned in this movie?

[@mohamedmed2866]

Unfortunately the moroccans family live in Vietnam suffered by the decision maked by the Moroccan father the others family's moved to Morocco they now a better life they got a large land and sons get an opportunity to make they life's better

[@m1234a1]

The living standard in Vietnam now is higher than in Morocco , stay in Vietnam , do not dream !!!! have better living ! many Vietnamese specially from the country side , want to go aboard !!!!

[@FareezLovesMe]

Moroccans here should write to their government and.or NGOs about this, and encourage their government to help.

[@saaddoft_gumer9173]

Greetings from Morocco

[@carnagie85]

One of my parents are Moroccan and that automatically under Moroccan law makes me a Moroccan national, so I don't understand why the Moroccan government won't let them back to their Mother/Father land, it's their right. But I have to say that I have been to Morocco and think if they do return to Morocco they may not like it as Vietnam is a purer, cleaner life. I Morocco if you don't have the money, quality of life is extremely poor and the amount of rights dwindle. I think the Moroccan government won't let them back as if they do they will have to provide lands for them as it was the law for any soldier or volunteer who fought in the wars or the green march for the liberation of the Moroccan Sahara.

[@mieroth]

They said why in the video - because the father is dead so they have no way of proving they're his children.

[@freewal]

+John Vicks It's just a problem of Paper. I hope the King can do something or those poor people.

[@GW74CVN]

Although their father has die for years, yet his bone marrow still contain his DNA or even his hairs too. They can use these available sample to test and mix-math their DNA with their father's DNA, it is possible. But remember, even if they get accepted to go back to Morroco, their lives might not be as great, since they mostly knew the Vietnamese way of life and also their lack of Arabic language will not help them in the long run.

[@GW74CVN]

+kyle kgi correction * Morocco

[@freewal]

+kyle kgi If they have a land to continue agriculture, that will be fine. They are peasants and Morocco is a country of peasants so they can integrate in the Morocco.

[@redanapalm]

Exactly

[@cyprusairways6449]

i think that the Moroccan government must help these people and give these a Moroccan passport this people want so badly and they deserve it greetings from Amsterdam A Proud Moroccan from TetouanMeer weergevenMinder weergeven Beantwoorden ·

[@saraqostahterra4548]

Weee tetouan strijder

[@elhinm07]

Ghmari?

[@saraqostahterra4548]

Mijn grootmoeder is gedeeltelijk ghmara.

[@baathi7358]

Ze willen niet onze soldaten wouden in Vietnam blijven

[@juneliad1160]

What a sad story.....they better go to morrocan embassy...Our Philippine government helped many vietnamese to stay here and went America .....So embassy to embassy or write to their families about their father s birth certificate.Hopefully after this story they were already in Morroco....

[@antking1117]

very sad

[@justinianreichmann5514]

Moroccan Man in vietname they Forget his Motherlanguage .....So Sad

[@wordsofhistory7881]

Who is the Moroccan embassador of Vetenam ?

[@zosia7778]

They live so poor, they earn 0,5$ per day

[@statimed3808]

الحسن الثاني خطار ’ جاب الفيتناميين و اعطاهم اراضي في الغرب فين كاين الماء موجود و يصلح الروز سكنهم في بيئة قريبة من بيئتهم في فتنام ’ هذا هو العدل و التنمية المستدامة ’ و شكون يعرف للروز احسن من شعوب شرق اسيا

[@Benmansouri]

الحسن الثاني نابغة زمانه

[@urstruly87]

The 2 settings are of the same... in terms of poverty - they traded poverty in Viet Nam for poverty in Morocco & vice versa.

[@freewal]

Yes both countries are really close in terms of povrety, agriculture now industrialization. Two great people IMO, i am moroccan and i visted Vietnam two times.

[@difencrosby]

Poverty in Vietnam is much better than poverty in Morocco. I’ve visited both countries and can tell you Vietnam has far more freedoms than Morocco

[@antifazisbonifaz6964]

I was thinking something of that kind. Yeah. I don't know exactly but it seems to me a risky change/trade

[@inssurectionist]

I don’t think so ... the vietnamse in Morocco the government gave them a huge lands that can make them a lot of money ... don’t judge tha parents from their look as a farmers you must see their kids they studied in the best schools and they are rich

[@simohmed6971]

🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰المغرب🇲🇦🇲🇦🇲🇦🇲🇦🇲🇦🇲🇦🇲🇦🇲🇦❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@Mike-fj2ln]

What's wrong with staying in Vietnam? Morocco can't be much better, as far as I know...unless they plan to try sneaking into Europe (which I doubt).

[@bobstone5889]

Their life in Vietnam are better than in Morocco if they would come Morocco to start make living because I saw this documentary Morocco is a poor country. Avoid melon shells meet coconut shells.

[@rfjdfdtadfhds2093]

Morocco is so much better than Vietnam , the best quality of life in Africa after South Africa so idk what are u talking about

[@lionmoroccolion8513]

Where is there from , maroc or Vietnam

[@trashammerbz]

both

[@editatrinio8580]

Why would they want to go back to Morocco, life is much harder there. In Vietnam almost anything you plant on the ground will grow in Morocco most of the area is dried because of desertification.

[@abdel0127]

pourquoi les associations au Maroc ils font rien pour les amener si le gouvernement marocain n'a pas le courage de ramener ses gens qui sont marocains alors les Marocains il doit faire quelque chose sur Facebook lancer un hashtag il y a que comme ça que peuvent être attendu

[@mlsjca9670]

better stay a happy life in Vietnam.

[@mlsjca9670]

Ari The Bird you’re the frog under the coconut shell

[@mlsjca9670]

Ari The Bird where’s your country? Mauritania, Sudan or Yemen

[@son-of-the-moorish-empire]

Lol

[@abdel0127]

il faut leur donner des papiers pour qui rentrer au Maroc et faut arrêter de faire des enquêtes c'est pas trois vietnamien en plus au Maroc ça va faire du mal le gouvernement marocain devrait aider ces personnes a retourner au Maroc un peu d'humanité les Vietnamiens c'est des gens bien

[@mohamedtahiri7333]

Idezet helemaal niet werk bij Cyprus airways woon in Amsterdam en ben 100% Marokkaan uit tetouan

[@saraqostahterra4548]

mohamed tahiri Ik ben ook van Tetouan Salam xD

[@davidanderson9664]

Wow. Its sad the Moroccans are so unhelpful/slow in this case. Maybe they'll find they were happier in VN? How would Ali's disabled son get by in Morocco? Its funny - in the Middle East they tend to call everything from E. Asia "Chinese". In the 6 Day War the locals called a Japanese built/run farm "Chinese" also.

[@reda01]

Is Morocco in Middle East ? no

[@fattarable]

USA Sattan

[@buukute]

Please, remove the Communist flag, that flag does not represent the whole Vietnamese people. The communist is the reason why the foreigner have to suffered for 60 years. My grandfather father was missing along with his squad of Algerian regiment during the battles of Dien Bien Phu. One of his comrade saw him got captured by the NVA, our family already figure out what happen to him and accepted his fate.

[@PKS02]

That flag represents the Viet people perfectly fine. Your grandfather was part of an imperial occupation force, - unwilling or not is irrelevant - he died fighting against a struggle for independence led by Ho Chi Minh who had supported Algerian independence even when he was traveling the world in his 20s, and later supported FLN. Vietnam has suffered because America sanctioned Vietnam until 1995, we couldn't even get started with industrialization until the mid 1980s because of sanctions and China invading Vietnam in 1979 (pushed many to move south).

[@buukute]

@@PKS02 No, I disagree. Vietnam still in the top 15 countries human rights have deteriorated in 2021. Mainly of the cause by n incompetent single party rule. and allows no challenge to its leadership. Basic rights, including freedom of speech, opinion, press, association, and religion, are restricted. I really doubt the red flag accurately represents anything from what our fore founding had in mind. In fact, it is the flag of traitor. This is the following a modulation in the same flags for the flags of the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China. The flag was adopted by the South after the end of the Vietnam War, and the North and South were unified into the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on July 2, 1976. The flag was adopted by the Viet Minh, a communist-led organization founded in 1941, the colors yellow and red have long been popular on the Vietnamese flag. Yellow/Gold color is the Vietnamese color of royalty system for more than 2,000 years. This control to a mod modeling corresponds to the national flags of the USSR. How did you know my father used to fight for the imperial army? The whole bloodshed could have been avoided through diplomatic negotiations, after ww2 France became increasingly weakened. becomes economy disintegrate and unsuitable for colonization process. The French has no intention to hold on to their colonies forever. According to data for 2022, the French have no colonies abroad. Besides, without contribution largely by the Soviet Union, Japan and China to pulling the trigger, how could the Viet Minh find these supplies and weapons for the revolutionaries? Wrong, Vietnam entered the industrial age in the period 1950-1975 led by ROVN. They excelled in technology and agriculture, almost on par with Japan while constantly defending against Northern Communist aggression. South Vietnam maintains a capitalist free-market economy with ties to the West. It established an airline named Air Vietnam. Finally, Vietnam was not really an independent country after the war. Ask yourself: Why blame the US for imposing sanctions on Vietnam when you can trade with communist countries? Such as the Soviet Union, China, North Korea, etc.? The U.S and NATO refused to trade with those Red countries, why're you even try to bother? I find it funny, they declare anti-imperialist, anti-U.S. The victor still relies heavily on the US to protect against their own "bff", China. Your peoples are still using US products, your women/men risked their lives to migration to the "imperialist ruled countries". Vietnam's industry is still heavily dependent on foreign technology investment, and no matter how hard they try, they still can't stand up on their own. Vietnamese workers are treated like slaves, mistreated and underpaid. In the end, 50 years' worth of bloodshed was in vain. Independence? yes, but still poor, unsatisfactory among the low class and party corruption of every single department. Entire ideologies are contradict to what they represent, I always wondered, what did we really accomplished in the past 40 yrs?

[@PKS02]

@@buukute Human rights criteria is a capitalist creation, judging by capitalist standards where terrible working conditions is fine as long as it's in a nice workspace. There is more than a single party in Vietnam, if you're a citizen, you can vote. Communists were against the royal family of Bao Dai who sold out to France. He even ran to France after he abdicated. It represents our 40 year struggle for independence. He betrayed Vietnam, the red and yellow became the symbol of struggle against first French, then American occupation. You literally said that your great grandfather was at Dien Bien Phu and captured by Viet Minh. The French Vichy government helped Japan kill 2 million in Vietnam, then they came back to recolonize. You say peaceful negotiations? Vietnam helped France in WW1, we got jackshit out of it, ignored at Versailles. Then we were destroyed in WW2, fighting against the Japanese, and De Gaulle tries to recolonize us, while the French communist and socialist parties didn't bat an eye. Americans? They helped France in recolonization after Ho Chi Minh asked the US president to help free his country. Its only because of the US and Western coalition that Vietnam was divided. After we invaded Cambodia to take Pol Pot out, the CIA started backing him. This is some serious imperialist revisionism from someone with supposed Vietnamese roots, though, when your name is Hayden I'd assume you're from the west. South Vietnam was not Vietnam. When the US saw that communists would've won a nationwide election regardless, they divided the country into two. We would've never won if there was no communist support I the peasantry and t South. They industrialized faster because the US pumped money into SVN as they did to West Germany and the Philippines. It a shame that Southern traitors ran away after the war, they should've been put in re-education camps. We did trade with the USSR, Cuba, and several Eastern bloc countries in Africa and Eatern Europe. They were our biggest trading partners, but we were still suffering from destruction of war that lasted until late into the 80s. When the USSR was illegally broken up, Vietnam inacted the Doi Moi reforms. Sanctions were lifted 1995, our economy shot up soon after. The US never protected us against China, we have our regional problems but the government makes clear that we will never allow foreign bases on Vietnamese soil. Edit: have you ever talked to Viet laborers? Most people like the government lmao. Additionally, the communist struggle for independence from the colonial system was international. Ho Chi Minh was inspired by Moroccan revolutionaries, sent weapons to Algeria; Cuba helped Vietnam and vice versa; USSR, North Korea and China sent weapons to Viet Minh, etc. etc. We won because the international proletariat cooperated to liberate ourselves.

[@Ilyesync]

God bless Vietnamese for helping my people