3rd October 2019

The "Global Conference on Assistance to Victims of Anti-Personnel Mines and Other Explosive Remnants of War, and Disability Rights" was held in Amman, Jordan last 10 - 12 September 2019. This conference was called by the United Nations to try creating new ideas about successful improvement of the quality of life of the people suffering due to weapons of war. Sister Denise Coghlan, member of the Governance Board of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and Cluster Munition Coalition (ICBL-CMC) and Tun Channareth, Ambassador for the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, were panelists and speakers for the event.

Prince Mired bin Ra'ad bin Zeid of Jordan, a staunch advocate, called for urgent action regarding the matter. The Cambodia Campaign against Landmines remembered the history of the victim assistance in the country. It was a hard-won battle. Survivors themselves named the three pillars of the campaign: 1) Universal Ban on Landmines, 2) Clearance of Landmines, and 3) Support for those who were Injured by Landmines or better known as Victim Assistance.

Some younger victims spoke. One was a sports hero. Another was a young woman who made everyone laugh during her speech. She recalled her conversation with her beautician, asking to have her toenails painted. The beautician only saw one leg, but the young woman insisted that she will pay for two.

This conference a review leading up to the Mine ban Conference which will take place in Oslo at the end of November 2019. In an interview with Tun Channareth, he stressed that recent conference is a reminder to every government to understand the people who suffered because of weapons of war. He urges that the government hurry up and sign the treaties that bans these weapons all over the world. "It is a new century already. We do not want any more delay in bringing peace and justice in this world. It's time," he added.

2nd October 2019

JRS Cambodia recently released a publication discussing the Human Trafficking Situation in Cambodia. As a popular source, transit, and destination for human trafficking victims, Cambodia ranks in the top 10 countries in the world where modern slavery is happening. Many of the victims are in the involved in the fishing industry, manufacturing sector, street begging, domestic servitude, commercial sex, and forced marriages.

The advocacy booklet provides a comprehensive discussion of the Cambodian Human Trafficking Situation. It also discusses the legal framework of human trafficking in the country, from victim identification, investigation, criminal prosecution to aftercare, inter-agency coordination, and current cross-border coordination. It analyzes the current challenges faced by the country in three (3) major aspects: prosecution, prevention, and protection.

Lastly, the advocacy booklet urges state and nonstate actors to fight for the advocacy. It argues that ending human trafficking should be a global priority. The booklet will be distributed in the Jesuit Refugee Service Asia Pacific Regional Meeting this 7 - 12 October 2019. Participating countries include Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia, Australia, and the Philippines.

2nd October 2019

JRS Cambodia and the community built a kindergarten with the help of the funds raised by the Assissi School. Led by Chea Sarom, the construction of the school was finished within 3 months.

On the Opening Day, the villagers gathered around and welcomed 11 students from the Assissi School. The students engaged with the children and other community members through playing, reading, and tree planting.

JRS Cambodia also partnered with the Angkor Garden Foundation in providing the school supplies. Both NGOs have coordinated with the government, who committed in deploying a teacher and paying the salary.

This new kindergarten and preparatory school will accommodate around 50 kids from Ou Trach Village starting November 2019.

2nd October 2019

Mindol Metta Karuna welcomed thirty-two (32) children left behind by migrant parents from Banteay Meanchey and Siem Reap last 2 - 13 September 2019. They participated in a catch-up school camp, providing them with supplementary knowledge before the official start of classes this October 2019. The camp focused on Math and Khmer, but also included English, Computer, Music, Environment, Peace and Sports.

Classes start at 8:00 am and ends at 4:30 pm. After an entire day of interactive learning, the children are free to play around the center. There is a children's room filled with different toys - from animal figurines, houses, and dolls to building blocks, puzzle pieces, and coloring books.

The big hall is a huge space with matts on the floor. It is perfect for lying down while reading various story books in the shelves surrounding the matts. The books are available in both English and Khmer languages. The big hall also gives access to different sports equipment: skipping ropes, soccer balls, shuttle cocks and badminton rackets, and even table tennis pads.

For some of the kids, the music room is the best place to be. After classes, the children play various musical instruments and groove to the music in the hall. Some even watch animations and movies in one of the unused classrooms. Mindol Metta Karuna has prepared all these just for them.

The last day was filled with both laughter and tears as the children recall their amazing and fun-filled experience the past 2 weeks. All the staff, teachers, and other members of the team gather around to say goodbye as the children are sent off to their respective rural villages. The following are the dedicated member of the team: Sok Eng, Chan Men, and Hem Sue (Khmer); Yoem Sreynich (Math); Hyacenth Bendana (English); So Not (Music); Sak Sopheak (Computer); Tun Channareth (Peace); Sok Chet (Environment and Sports).

June 20, 2018

Here are the key facts you need to know:

1. In 2017, 68.5 million people were driven from their homes across the world. This is more people than the population of Thailand.
2. There are 25.4 million refugees in the world. This is 2.9 million more than in 2016, also the biggest increase UNHCR has ever seen in a single year.
3. New displacement is also growing, with 16.2 million people displaced during 2017 itself. That is an average of one person displaced every two seconds.
4. The biggest number of displaced come from the crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the war in South Sudan and the flight into Bangladesh from Myanmar of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees.

Read more ...




You can read the full UNHCR report here: http://www.unhcr.org/5b27be547

June 20, 2018

At the same time as we salute the strength, courage and resilience of refugees around the globe. We note also the horrors asylum seekers experience in 2018:

• The war and bombings in Syria and Yemen with children crying under the rubble
• The religious and ethnic persecution of the Rohingyas
• The capture and separation of children by the US on the Mexican border
• The holding of refugees offshore and stopping services in Australia
• Extreme poverty and starvation in parts of Africa.

UNHCR, Refugee Status Determination Backlog Prevention and Reduction, January 2018, PPLA/2018/03, http://www.refworld.org/docid/5b1a38374.html