Raising awareness of the Rohingya in Japan
24 Jun 2015

Raising awareness of the Rohingya in Japan

by | posted in: Migration, Social Justice | 0

For World Refugee Day this year, the Tokyo Jesuit Social Center chose to focus on raising awareness of the plight of the Rohingya in Japan. This decision stemmed from a Skype discussion the Migration Network of the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific had about the thousands of Rohingya from Myanmar stranded in the sea by the coasts of Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

On his return to Tokyo, Fr Isamu Ando SJ, who heads the centre’s migrant desk, asked himself what could possibly be done in Japan.

Catholic Alliance for asylum seekers officially launched
15 Jun 2015

Catholic Alliance for asylum seekers officially launched

by | posted in: Migration, Social Justice | 0

The Catholic Alliance for People Seeking Asylum (CAPSA) in Australia was officially launched at the start of World Refugee Week (June 14 to 20) in the country. Backed by leading Catholic peak organisations and convened by Jesuit Social Services, CAPSA aims to change hearts and minds across Australia in support of the abolition of harsh asylum seeker policies.

The initiative wants to build on work being done in Catholic schools, parishes and organisations across Australia.

Hospitality and solidarity needed in addressing Rohingya
27 May 2015

Hospitality and solidarity needed in addressing Rohingya

by | posted in: Migration, Social Justice | 0

On May 19, Jesuit Refugee Service Asia Pacific issued a statement calling for Southeast Asian nations and the global community to respond to the suffering of the Rohingya people who have been fleeing Myanmar in unprecedented numbers in recent weeks. Thousands did so by boat and were stranded at sea after being turned away by Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia.

Building a better migration network
27 May 2015

Building a better migration network

by | posted in: Migration, Social Justice | 0

Visitors to Taiwan are greeted at the Taipei airport by signs welcoming migrant workers to the island country. The authorities provide a lot of information to migrant workers, on their rights as well as precaution measures in place, upon their arrival to the country, even before they meet their agencies or employers. In a country with 23 million people, the presence of more than half a million migrant workers is no small figure.

It was in this setting and context that this year’s Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific Migration Network meeting was held from April 21 to 23.

The need for a compassionate refugee policy
24 May 2015

The need for a compassionate refugee policy

by | posted in: Migration, Social Justice | 0

Two years after Pope Francis went to Lampedusa to demonstrate his solidarity with refugees and immigrants, the compassion he showed is needed. The recent pushback of Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi immigrant workers by Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia has made it a call to the Jesuits of our region. Who can look unmoved into the eyes of the women, children, and men adrift on these boats as they are repelled by nation after nation?

JRS partners with Jesuit law schools to help child migrants in the USA
28 Apr 2015

JRS partners with Jesuit law schools to help child migrants in the USA

by | posted in: Beyond JCAP, Education, Migration, Social Justice | 0

In response to the dramatic increase in the number of unaccompanied children arriving in the United States from Central America over the past few years, Jesuit Refugee Service is collaborating with 13 Jesuit law schools in the US to address the issues faced by these child migrants.

Kidnapped Jesuit released by Taliban
23 Feb 2015

Kidnapped Jesuit released by Taliban

by | posted in: Beyond JCAP, Migration | 0

Indian Jesuit Fr Alexis Prem Kumar SJ has been released by the Taliban after eight months in captivity. Fr Prem had worked for three years as Afghanistan country director for Jesuit Refugee Service in Herat province when he was abducted by gunmen in June last year. 

Providing much needed support for asylum seekers
27 Jan 2015

Providing much needed support for asylum seekers

by | posted in: Migration, Province News, Social Justice | 0

Jesuit Refugee Service Australia has opened a new drop-in centre to address a lack of asylum seeker services in Western Sydney. The project is the result of a needs assessment undertaken by JRS in 2014, which found that the region is home to New South Wales’ second-largest group of asylum seekers arriving by boat and living on bridging visas.