JRS takes Australia government to task for shutting the door to refugees

posted in: Migration, Social Justice | 0

The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) has expressed “deep sadness” over the Australian government’s decision to curb the number of refugees entering the country from Indonesia.   Following the decision, Australia will stop the resettlement of refugees who had registered with the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in Indonesia on or after July 1.

Creating a JCAP migration network

posted in: JCAP News, Migration | 0

A network on migration has been formed within the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific, comprising Jesuit institutions working on the issue – Tokyo Migrant Desk in Japan, Yiutsari in Korea, Rerum Novarum Centre in Taiwan, UGAT Foundation in the Philippines, Sahabat Insan in Indonesia, JRS Asia Pacific, and Jesuit Social Services Australia.

On our mission and new initiatives

Happy Feast of the Ascension of our Lord!

In today’s Gospel from Matthew, our Lord sends his disciples to the ends of the earth with a mission of love and service. Within their lifetime those disciples, despite their simple backgrounds, had overcome all obstacles to tell their story and to share their dramatic message of conversion with peoples at the very edges of the known world. What courage and initiative they showed, strengthened by his parting words – “know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time”.

Fr Lombardi on refugees: Pope Francis shows us the way

posted in: Migration | 0

Amongst those present for the publication of the 2014 Centro Astalli Annual report in Rome, was the Director of the Vatican Press Office, Fr Federico Lombardi SJ.

The event took place as yet another rescue effort by the Italian Navy in the Mediterranean lent assistance to an overcrowded boat in difficulty carrying some 200 people, many of whom women and children. Amongst them, at least one person has reportedly died.

Caring for Burmese refugees in Mae Sot

posted in: Migration, Social Justice | 0

It was his experience as an ethnic minority in Thailand that prompted JRS Asia Pacific staff member Sanan to devote his life to helping Burmese refugees and migrants who had fled their homeland and come to settle across the border in the town of Mae Sot. As a member of the Thai-Karen group, Sanan knows what it is like to be marginalised: the equal rights he shares with his compatriots have not always been fully respected in practice, he says.

Collaboration is our salvation

In late June, Singapore suffered from the worst ever haze in its history. The haze came from forest fires in Sumatra, across the Malacca Strait. A row broke out between some government officials in Singapore and Indonesia.

On Global Ignatian Advocacy Networks

posted in: Education, Migration, Social Justice | 0

The Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat has released “Promotio Iustitiae no.110”, a document dedicated to the Global Ignatian Advocacy Networks, which are centred on five areas – Ecology, Right to Education, Management of Natural Resources and Minerals, Migration, and Peace and Human Rights.  “Promotio Iustitiae no.110” provides an introduction to the networks, a theological grounding for Ignatian advocacy, a possible model of collaboration, and position documents on each network, including objectives, and plans for future action.