The conflict over the governance of San Jose's Viet Museum, a haven for Vietnamese war artifacts and stories of Northern California refugees, continues into the new year with tensions still unresolved.
Amidst the ongoing quarrel, the Viet Museum, situated inside History Park, has been closed for more than a year, with the control of the Immigrant Resettlement and Cultural Center, the nonprofit that manages the museum, at stake. Two factions remain deadlocked, each claiming rightful authority; the building that once welcomed tens of thousands remains silenced by discord and legal entanglements.
Quinn Tran, who is recognized as president of the nonprofit overseeing the museum by her supporters, emphasized the museum's role in remembering the past and teaching younger generations, stating in an interview obtained by ABC7 News, "The horrors of war, the horrors that people go through to find freedom and not to forget it, but to have a lesson of humanity in it. So that our children understand."
However, History San Jose, another nonprofit that operates within the park, had set a deadline of Dec. 31 for the dispute to be resolved or else it might seek other proposals for management, this situation is compounded by the death of the museum's previous president, adding layers of complexity and urgency to a situation that is much more than just a business decision for many in the community.
San Jose City Councilmember Bien Doan has attempted to mediate the conflict, advocating for a Vietnamese group to oversee the museum's future. He told ABC7 News, "We wanted to make sure it is a Vietnamese group, who has the capability to manage appropriately for the Vietnamese Museum."
While an extension to the initial deadline has been filed, Tran, who confirmed the stalemate to SFGATE, suggested arbitration was rejected by the opposing faction and called the intervention by History San Jose an "ethical moral insult."
The future of the museum remains uncertain as both sides are being encouraged to make concessions; meanwhile, San Jose's Vietnamese community, the largest in the United States outside of Vietnam, watches on as what should be a reservoir of cultural memory and identity hangs in the balance.
