DE FACTO REFUGEES Catholic social teaching applies the expression de facto refugee to "all persons persecuted because of race, religion, membership in social or political groups; to the victims of armed conflicts, erroneous economic policy or natural disasters; and for humanitarian reasons to internally displaced persons, that is, civilians who are forcibly uprooted from their homes by the same type of violence as refugees but who do not cross national frontiers".
Refugees: A Challenge to Solidarity, (Pontifical Council Cor Unum, and Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, 1992)
The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is an international Catholic organisation with a mission
to accompany, serve and defend the rights of refugees and forcibly displaced people. JRS
undertakes services at national and regional levels with the support of an international
office in Rome. Founded in November 1980 as a work of the Society of Jesus, JRS was
officially registered on 19 March 2000 at the Vatican State as a foundation. Read more...
Interview: Accompaniment in JRS.
Fr. Bernard Arputhasamy, S.J., Regional Director of Jesuit Refugee Service – Asia Pacific, discusses the role of accompaniment in JRS. Refugees notice how the mission to accompany is the basis for the work JRS does around the world. Refugees and others know how that aspect of JRS sets JRS apart from other relief organizations: "JRS is here to stay; we know we can count on them," expresses a refugee. "Our close and direct contact with people, our presence with them ... lets us understand their real needs," says Fr. Arputhasamy.
Interview: JRS urges nations to ban landmines.
Fr. Bernard Arputhasamy, S.J., Regional Director of Jesuit Refugee Service – Asia Pacific, notes that the campaign to ban landmines is a priority for Jesuit Refugee Service.
Al Jazeera: Short documentary news on landmines.
Short documentary about mine clearance and victims of landmines in Sri Saket province of Thailand.
New Vacancies
Position: Project Officer--Information & Advocacy
Location: Diocese of Daru-Kiunga, Western Province, Papua New Guinea
Two weeks ago on a visit to JRS projects in the Middle East, I happened to be in the Jordanian capital, Amman, at the same time as the Pope.
Ten young Iraqi refugees who participate in JRS programmes were part of a group of young people who had been invited to meet his Holiness. Everything had been arranged; their names were on the list after being cleared by security controls. Read more...
THAILAND Landmine victims' plight highlighted
BANGKOK (UCAN) -- The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) recently commemorated the 10th anniversary of the Ottawa Mine Ban Treaty and its own more than decade-long campaign to warn Thais of the dangers of mines.
Many Thais have lost legs, arms or their lives through mines left behind by fighting in several border areas of the country. Read more...
Untitled Document
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