Council to Teach Indochinese About Local Government Issues

Political assimilation is in store for the more than 42,000 Indochinese living in San Diego, as City Hall officials announced plans Monday to form an Indochinese Community Council to educate Southeast Asians on city issues.

“The Indochinese population of our city has been growing at the rate of about 100 people a month,” Councilwoman Gloria McColl said. “Communication is a real problem, and we need a more formal forum to reach out and let them know what is happening in San Diego.”

McColl, who is coordinating the effort, said that the Indochinese have remained uninvolved in the political process of the city since their arrival 10 years ago.

Composed of Indochinese, the council will meet monthly with representatives of city departments to learn the function of each department. The members will also be told how the programs offered can meet the needs of their communities.

“They are good businessmen and their children are valedictorians in our schools, but due to certain barriers such as language, many parts of our system are still a puzzlement to them,” McColl said. “This will be a vehicle for unraveling the mystery of the city.”

McColl said leaders of the Hmong, Laotian, Cambodian and Vietnamese communities will meet with city officials within the next two weeks to organize the council.