http://www.jrsap.org/ Latest News and Information Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:17:09 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20120205091851 Mangayao Langgoyo, Philippines, 5 February, 2012 – Just a few weeks ago, the Kamanga riveushed down so hard and swept away the soil where the community mosque, solar drier, and 50 houses stood and changed the landscape. Meanwhile, families continue to collect stones and carefully sort the rocks from pebbles to make a living and begin rebuilding. Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20120205091851 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20120205094125 Bangkok, 3 February 2012 – Four white walls became the canvas Saturday for seven asylum seekers to tell their stories. And once those walls were filled with nearly 50 photos, viewers began to get an understanding of their daily lives in Bangkok. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20120205094125 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20120112042039 Mindanao, 12 January 2012 – Just days before Christmas, more than 100,000 families' holiday season and hopes for the new year were washed away with the flash flood that struck the northern coast of Mindanao, Philippines. Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20120112042039 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111228120407 Mindanao, 28 December 2011 – The flashflood came like a thief in the night engulfing houses and villages along the river and sweeping all into the sea. More than a thousand have died with another thousand more missing. Some bodies were found floating along the islands further up the northern coast of Mindanao. In Cagayan de Oro, unclaimed bodies were buried as the stench became unbearable and contamination a risk. A week after the disaster, there is still no running water in the city. Wed, 28 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111228120407 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111207075952 Phnom Penh, 10 December 2011 – Leading up to International Human Rights Day 2011, asylum-seekers and refugees living in Cambodia met to discuss what they would like to do to raise their voices on this global day of action. A brain-storming session was held at the JRS office and many community members representing the Rohingya, Somalia, Vietnam, Pakistan, Burma and others joined together to prepare a statement expressing solidarity with refugees around the world, and to remind the international community that refugee rights, are human rights. Fri, 09 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111207075952 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111208083806 Asia Pacific, 9 December, 2011 – Christians will remember and re-live this day when God chose humanity-divinity in one act to take His place in the realities of human history. We will hear from Luke’s Gospel (2:6-7), “…While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Thu, 08 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111208083806 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111208085201 Philippines, 9 December, 2011 – Imee Manginsay is the executive director of MuCARRD (Muslim-Christian Agency for Advocacy Relief, and Development), in the Philippines. She, along with others, took some time to answer questions about what is happening in the Philippines and what MuCARRD and JRS are doing to help. Thu, 08 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111208085201 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111208092639 Asia Pacific, 9 December, 2011 – For one man living in Iran, being forced to choose a Persian name for his daughter was just one reason to reform Iran, before he had to flee. Thu, 08 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111208092639 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111208093235 Aceh, 9 December, 2011 – JRS’ work in Aceh, Indonesia comes to a close. Don Doll, SJ, shares his photos of our work there. Thu, 08 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111208093235 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111208100727 Bangkok, 9 December, 2011 – Alone in detention, Theresa survived for her unborn daughter. Now she lives for the future she forgot she had. Thu, 08 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111208100727 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111208102430 Bankok, 9 December 2011 – So often the lives and stories of refugees and asylum seekers are told through the people who know them. We at JRS focus on telling those stories but understand the power of people telling their own stories. Seven urban asylum seekers who JRS works with in Bangkok photographed their lives for two months. These are the photos and the words they chose. They are from different countries and left for different reasons. They range from 16–45 years old. But they all now live in Bangkok, waiting for resettlement. Thu, 08 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111208102430 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111208105504 Siem Reap, 9 December 2011 – The letters, words and photos of people who were there when JRS first started working in Cambodia prior to the peace accords in 1991 and some of what they have done since. Thu, 08 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111208105504 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111209121856 Asia Pacific, 9 December 2011 – As 2011 comes to a close, instead of offering specific project updates, below is an update on our work regionally. New projects beginning, others closing down and some are changing direction. JRS will look different in 2012. Thu, 08 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111209121856 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111207070248 Rome, 7 December 2011 – In its latest report, Safe and Secure: How do Refugees Experience Europe's Borders?, JRS finds ample evidence that European governments actively hinder refugee arrivals. JRS field offices confirm these deplorable practices are not limited to Europe; they are rapidly becoming the norm throughout Asia and Africa. Wed, 07 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111207070248 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111204013950 Phnom Penh, 2 December 2011 -- A global conference on the worldwide landmine ban has concluded, with states announcing both promising progress and worrying setbacks in their efforts to eradicate landmines. Sat, 03 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111204013950 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111201093558 Bangkok, 2 December 2011 – JRS Thailand is looking for a teacher trainer to work in Mae Hong Son's two refugee camps. The position involves working closely with our partner, the Karenni Education Department (KnED) to implement educational services and provide training for primary, secondary, vocational, special education, curriculum development and management. The primary goal of JRS support is to ensure the continuity of education while simultaneously developing the capacity and self-sufficiency of refugee educators. Thu, 01 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111201093558 http://www.jrsap.org/Prayers_Detail?TN=DTN-20111114014723 Geneva, December 1, 2011 — The mission of Jesuit Refugee Service is to accompany, serve and plead the cause of refugees and forcibly displaced persons. Accompaniment, I have learned, is by its very nature reciprocal. It cannot be done alone and it cannot be done in a unilateral fashion. Thu, 01 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Prayers_Detail?TN=DTN-20111114014723 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111129090739 Sydney, 29 November 2011 – It was something that had never been done in Australia before: the relocation of young, unaccompanied asylum seekers from immigration detention centres to community-based detention. But when the Australian government decided to trial the relatively radical policy towards the end of last year, JRS put up its hand, and became the first agency to receive young refugees into its care. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111129090739 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111201072600 Phnom Penh, 28 November 2011– Leading members of the international community are gathered in Cambodia - the cradle of the anti-landmine movement - to push for progress in reducing the harm still caused by anti-personnel landmines. Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111201072600 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111128082731 Phnom Penh, 28 November, 2011 – In front of delegates from more than 100 countries Sr Denise Coghlan, RSM, director of JRS Cambodia, delivered opening remarks to the Eleventh Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty. In her remarks, she observed the work she and her team have done to ban landmines around the world over the past 20 years and reminded nations of their international obligation to protect their people. Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111128082731 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111128043010 Kuala Lumpur, 26 November 2011 – States in Asia Pacific are increasingly using to detention as a first resort to manage irregular migration, even where there are no valid security concerns, according to a statement of 50 NGOs from 18 countries in a meeting held in Malaysia on Thursday and Friday. Sat, 26 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111128043010 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111120083026 Sydney, 20 November 2011 – Thomas has been one of our clients since the Sydney World Youth day 2008. In Sydney, JRS houses asylum seekers who are at risk of destitution while they undergo their refugee status determination. Sun, 20 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111120083026 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111106093318 Bangkok, 19 November 2011 – Refugees and asylum seekers in Asia Pacific will have the opportunity to start a third-level education course certified by European universities in 2012, with support from the Academic Relations between Asia and Europe (AREaS) scholarship. Sat, 19 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111106093318 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111116090924 Bangkok, 16 November 2011 – It is said that the way you deal with crisis reveals your character. For many, the flood is an opportunity to help others. JRS have met these unsung heroes during its relief response activities in the past month. Here are some of their stories. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111116090924 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20111109045430 Boston, 7 October 2011 – Many of those responding to refugees are 'faith-based' groups. This raises the question of why faith – particularly faith in the gospel of Christ – inspires many who seek to assist those driven from home. Does faith-based action and perhaps faith itself provide something especially needed by forced migrants? Mon, 14 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20111109045430 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20111109052215 Boston, 7 November 2011 – Fr Keenan, Professor of Theological Ethics, Boston College, discusses the nature of Jesuit* hospitality, and explores ways to better serve displaced and stateless persons and refugees by expanding our concept of hospitality beyond the dwelling place and out into the world. Mon, 14 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20111109052215 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111110073135 Battambang (Cambodia), 9 November 2011 – More than 100 unexploded devices have been found near a small school in northwestern Cambodia. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111110073135 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111109081524 Rome, 9 November 2011 – The Jesuit Refugee Service expresses concern about the forthcoming review of the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW). If the current protocol on cluster munitions is approved, it would sanction continued use of cluster munitions proven to cause unacceptable harm to civilians. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111109081524 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111108083409 Bangkok, 08 November – Thailand has been experiencing its worst flood in decades. Two weeks ago the water hit Bangkok. While much of the city remains dry, plenty of the suburbs are underwater. Many of the people we serve are unable to leave Bangkok and JRS with other NGOs are trying to locate and assist those who remain in the city. Below is a reflection from Rufino Seva, JRS Urban Refugee Programme director about his work with flood relief. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111108083409 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20111109052359 Sydney, 9 October 2011 – Thomas has been one of our clients since the Sydney World Youth day 2008. In Sydney, JRS houses asylum seekers who are at risk of destitution while they undergo their refugee status determination. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20111109052359 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111103082634 Bangkok, 03 November 2011 – As the worst floods in a generation wreak havoc across Thailand, thousands of migrant workers fear losing their jobs and better prospects for the future. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111103082634 http://www.jrsap.org/Prayers_Detail?TN=DTN-20111007011339 Bangkok, Thailand, November 1, 2011 — Ahmadiyya Muslim refugees were forced to flee Pakistan due to religious persecution. August was a particularly challenging and happy month as this year it marked Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting. During Ramadan, they are not allowed to eat or drink during sunlight hours, a challenge in the Cambodian heat. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Prayers_Detail?TN=DTN-20111007011339 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111027050304 Bangkok, 27 October 2011 – The Bishop of the Daru Kiunga Catholic diocese, Gilles Cote SMM, urged civil society groups to step up pressure on the Papua New Guinean government to improve the lives of West Papuan refugees and the local population living in the sparely populated southern western region bordering Indonesia. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111027050304 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111009115231 Cambodia, 5 October, 2011 – Song Kosal is the youth ambassador for the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. She was the first person to sign the People’s Treaty in Ottawa, Canada, and was present in Oslo, Norway, when the ICBL and Jody Williams were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. As ICBL Youth Ambassador, Kosal, now aged 24, represents youth campaigners and survivors at events worldwide. Kosal has succeeded in putting a face to the many lesser-known young landmine survivors around the world. Mon, 10 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111009115231 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111010023350 Thailand, 10 October, 2011 – The landlord in the field next door started burning sugar cane for the next planting season, and an ember caught fire on this land,” said U Maung Shwe who can no longer find work in construction since his tools were lost in a fire that destroyed four homes in the small Mae Ku community. “The homes are facing away from the fire, so by the time they noticed it, they had to run away.” Mon, 10 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111010023350 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111010033112 Hera, Timor Leste, 29 Septmeber, 2011 – The JRS projects in Timor Leste might have a flowery future. With different communities coming up with livelihoods projects, some are opting to grow and sell flowers. Others are sewing, vegetable gardening, farming and fish raising. Mon, 10 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111010033112 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111010054623 Port Morsesby, 2 October, 2011 – In 1976 the hopes of the people of Papua New Guinea were looking upward: jobs, shares of profits and a nation moving forward with its own development. Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited, a corporation based in Australia, began building the Ok Tedi Mine in the highlands of PNG with promises to improve the country it was working in. More than 30 years later, the reality has surfaced, although many believe that day of stability will soon come. Others have given up hope. Mon, 10 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111010054623 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111009105804 Asia Pacific, 10 September, 2011– Flooding in Mae Hong Son, Thailand; celebrations in Australia and stateless people around the region have been in the news in the past months. Sun, 09 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111009105804 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111009113551 Asia Pacific, 10 September, 2011 – When I left her I was wondering how someone who has suffered and lost so much can still provide such warm hospitality to a stranger. She was petit woman living in a refugee settlement going about her daily chores, when I dropped by to visit her. After our chat, I thought to myself, “She lives with dignity despite having fled her country and seek refuge. There were no visible signs of bitterness and anger, only a warm hospitality and cheerful ownership of her life in all its joys and sorrows. I see many women every day at our office in Bangkok as they wait to speak to our Urban Refugee Project staff. Some wait with young children, others alone. Some live in the city by themselves because their husbands are in Bangkok's Immigration Detention Centre. Sun, 09 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111009113551 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111009114233 Phnom Penh, 25 September 2011 – Whenever someone asks me what I do in Cambodia, my response is usually followed by quizzical looks, “There are refugees who come to Cambodia?” It is not surprising given Cambodia’s history of political strife that has resulted in its own nationals seeking asylum abroad, that there would be some dismay that Cambodia also acts as a receiving country to those that make their way here. Sun, 09 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111009114233 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111005040649 The purpose of JRS’ program in the Immigration Detention Center is to provide practical assistance to detainees in the main detention center in Bangkok and a satellite center in a nearby province. It is unique in the type of services we provide and the access JRS has to assist the detainees. The Project Director is responsible for the medical clinic and the release program which assists detainees to return voluntarily to their home country. Wed, 05 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20111005040649 http://www.jrsap.org/Prayers_Detail?TN=DTN-20110915035813 Nairobi, Kenya, October 1, 2011 – Since the beginning of the drought and hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa in July, tens of thousands of refugees have fled Somalia, most of them into Kenya and Ethiopia. They march for days or even weeks. Some do not survive the journey; others lose family members on the way or have to leave them behind. Sat, 01 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Prayers_Detail?TN=DTN-20110915035813 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110917010022 Beirut, Lebanon, 12 September 2011 – Afghanistan, which has witnessed the devastation cluster munitions cause, has become the 62nd state party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions on the eve of an international conference on the ban. Sat, 17 Sep 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110917010022 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110916012950 Bangkok, 16 September 2011 – Just before Christmas, Theresa seemed like a different person. She was nearly nine months pregnant, hoping to be resettled to a new country and living with the possibility of having her first child born in Bangkok’s Immigration Detention Center (IDC), away from her husband. Although JRS provides supplementary meals in the IDC, she was unable to eat and weighed less than 45 kilos. Her underweight, unborn baby was nothing more than a bump under her floral-printed dress. Fri, 16 Sep 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110916012950 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110901110620 Sydney, 1 September, 2011 – 2010 marked the 30th anniversary of JRS. If annual reports are meant to showcase the success of an organisation, and to make a case for its continued existence, then 2010 must be marked down as yet another year of disappointment for JRS: we continue to exist when we would rather not. As Fr Peter Balleis SJ, the Director of JRS International, put it during his visit to Australia to commemorate the anniversary,‘It would be better if JRS didn’t exist’. Thu, 01 Sep 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110901110620 http://www.jrsap.org/Prayers_Detail?TN=DTN-20110818092110 (Aleppo, Syria) September 1, 2011 — Since the beginning of this year, the situation in a number of Arab countries has changed considerably — caused in great part by popular political movements. This has not only led to changes in the political regimes or bloody confrontations, but has also created much forced displacement of peoples. Thu, 01 Sep 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Prayers_Detail?TN=DTN-20110818092110 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110901081955 Bangkok, 28 August 2011 – The key consequence of the Tampa crisis was a "fundamental shift" in the way refugees were regarded in Australian society, said Jesuit Refugee Service Australia Director, Aloysious Mowe SJ. Sun, 28 Aug 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110901081955 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110803102157 Jesuit Mission and JRS Australia have pledged their support for a famine appeal launched by the Jesuit Province of East Africa and JRS East Africa. The Eastern Africa Province’s Famine Relief Project hopes to raise desperately needed funds to assist the victims of a famine that has been triggered by the worst drought in half a century in the Horn of Africa. Wed, 03 Aug 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110803102157 http://www.jrsap.org/Prayers_Detail?TN=DTN-20110712013941 (Washington, D.C.) August 1, 2011 — Refugees don’t leave their countries simply because things are difficult, they leave because their lives are in danger and the situation is hopeless. They are driven by hope to seek new opportunities, not just for themselves, but, for their children. Mon, 01 Aug 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Prayers_Detail?TN=DTN-20110712013941 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110725120521 Rome, 15 July 2011 – The Jesuit Refugee Service has issued its latest publication demonstrating how the organisation is involved in the empowerment of forcibly displaced persons, assisting them to gain access to the rights to which they are entitled. Mon, 25 Jul 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110725120521 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110719010058 Medan, 18 July, 2011 – After just one year, the aerobics sessions, just one of many activities of the JRS Indonesia Immigration Detention Centre Project, has grown to include nearly all detainees, IDC staff and JRS field workers. Mon, 18 Jul 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110719010058 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110714015635 Sydney, 13 July, 2011 – It’s a long way from inner-city Sydney to the vast countryside of sub-Saharan Africa, but Australian Jesuit David Holdcroft - whose work Jesuit Mission is privileged to support - has made the journey with apparent ease. Wed, 13 Jul 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110714015635 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110706113518 Mae Sot, 6 July, 2011 – Rotting pumpkins, sugar molasses and maggots float in red sludge creating a mixture that’s both pungent and prosperous. Surprisingly, this rotting liquid is the secret to growing a strong garden. Well, that and good weather, of course. Thu, 07 Jul 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110706113518 http://www.jrsap.org/Prayers_Detail?TN=DTN-20110629125112 Washington DC, July 1, 2011 — The earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010 caused much heartache, pain, and death. But, also present among the rubble was hope. For every story of hope there seemed to be one of heartbreak; every act of courage and progress teetered on the edge of frustration and hopelessness. Fri, 01 Jul 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Prayers_Detail?TN=DTN-20110629125112 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110622030555 Sydney, 21 June 2011 – This week is refugee week. At a moment in our national life when politicians appear to compete with one another to show how unwelcome they find asylum seekers, the week offers us an opportunity to reflect quietly on what matters. It invites us to reflect on the human face of refugees, and on how justice and compassion urge us to respond to them. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110622030555 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110620123459 Bangkok, 13 June, 2011 – Every day around the region and world, people are going to bed at night with their family, in their home only to wake up the next day to find their home destroyed by a natural disaster, unsafe due to violent conflict, or threatened because of their race, or gender or political opinions. Instantly, they change from people raising a family to people fleeing their homes for safety, sometimes a few kilometres away and sometimes a few thousand kilometres in another country. Mon, 20 Jun 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110620123459 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110620015112 Bangkok, 20 June 2011 – In May last year the office of the Jesuit Refugee Service, in the heart of Victory Monument, became a safe shelter for people running away from the violence and conflict in the area. Shop keepers and innocent passers by who were caught in the fighting ran away from the violent situation and found a safe haven on our campus. Mon, 20 Jun 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110620015112 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110619110903 Rome, 20 June 2011 – On World Refugee Day, JRS recognises the need for the UN Refugee convention. In response to the horrors of World War II, nearly 60 years ago the UN family of nations took the first concrete steps towards the construction of a global system of refugee protection. Sun, 19 Jun 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110619110903 http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110616115105 Sydney, 15 June 2011 – I was watching the May 9th edition of ABC’s Q&A television program when, during a discussion about the Australian government’s proposal to send irregular maritime arrivals – “boat people” to most Australians – to Malaysia for processing, a Tweet at the bottom of the screen caught my eye: “My aboriginal mate still defines ‘irony’ as one wave of boat people complaining about another.” Fri, 17 Jun 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110616115105 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110615111233 Yogyakarta, 15 June 2011 – Even though I am grown up, I often cry after waking up from a dream of having two legs, running and playing happily in the field with my friends. I know for me it is just a dream but I want this dream to be a true one for others, especially for children living in mine- affected countries like Cambodia. Wed, 15 Jun 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110615111233 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110608070659 Phnom Penh, 7 June 2011 – A landmine activist of the Jesuit Refugee Service Cambodia in the northern province of Siem Reap is to be awarded an honorary doctorate from the Seattle University at its graduation ceremony next week. Mon, 06 Jun 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110608070659 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110602043559 Sydney, 02 June 2011 – The design of the Labor Government policy on asylum seekers is now clear. Its overriding aim is to stop asylum seekers coming to Australia by boat. The regional solution is not a solution for the problems faced by refugees but for an Australian political problem. The despatch to Malaysia and Manus Island of people who arrive by boat is about deterrence. Thu, 02 Jun 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110602043559 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110509031940 Bangkok, 09 May 2011 – JRS Thailand met this May for their annual meeting, where the 54-strong team reflected on the year’s work. Staff members spoke about changes made to projects over the course of the year and what new ideas were going to be implemented in 2011. Mon, 09 May 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110509031940 http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110506073631 Rome, 05 May 2011 – This year, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) marks the 60th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention. Amaya Valcarcel, JRS International Advocacy Coordinator, considers the aptness of the law to deal with forced displacement today. Fri, 06 May 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110506073631 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110502094758 Rome, 29 April 2011 – Following intense negotiations between the Cambodian and Thai authorities, a ceasefire agreement has finally been reached, putting an end to week-long fighting on the disputed border. Fri, 29 Apr 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110502094758 http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110410103157 Bangkok, 11 Aril, 2011 – In January 2009, the Rohingya hit international media headlines when the world saw images of hundreds of emaciated boat people being rescued off the Andaman Islands of India and in Aceh, Indonesia. They had been intercepted in Thai waters, transferred to deserted islands, tortured and eventually cast adrift by the Thai military on the high seas, in boats without engines and with little food and water. At least 1000 people were dumped at sea in three separate incidents. Hundreds were reported missing. Mon, 11 Apr 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110410103157 http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110411082358 Sydney, 11 April, 2011 – Over the past decade a new term has entered the lexicon of policymakers and the media: ‘climate change refugees’. Human movement caused by environmental factors – drought, land degradation or significant climate events (like cyclones) – is not new; what is new is the number of people thought to be susceptible to such pressures and the attention these movements are now getting. Mon, 11 Apr 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110411082358 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110407084740 Geneva, 6 April 2011 – Based on two separate on-site investigations, the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) has concluded that Thailand used cluster munitions on Cambodian territory during the February 2011 border conflict. Thai officials confirmed the use of cluster munitions in a meeting with the CMC on 5 April. Thu, 07 Apr 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110407084740 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110407094828 Mindanao, 6 April, 2011 – One JRS livelihoods project in the Philippines inspires hope to those who have been displaced for more than a decade. With funds for farming, some are able to start their lives over. Thu, 07 Apr 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110407094828 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110407102512 Yogyakarta, 6 April, 2011 – Six months after the initial eruption, Indonesia’s most active volcano still prevents people from returning to rebuild their homes and lives on its dangerous slopes. After the initial shock of more than 100,000 people losing their homes, JRS responded to the aftershock: cold lava. Thu, 07 Apr 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110407102512 http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110407103813 Ranong, 6 April, 2011 – Ranong is a small coastal town. Population 25,000, most people earn their income from the sea — working in hotels for tourists stopping off before heading to an island or into Burma; working on fishing boats for weeks at a time to haul in squid, prawns and fish; working in fish processing factories to prepare the meat for distribution all over Thailand; or working in local shops and stands selling the fresh fish. Tue, 05 Apr 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110407103813 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110404032229 Phnom Penh, 4 April 2011 – While there has been progress to ban the use of landmines around the world, there is still much to be done. On this International Mine Action Day, JRS Asia Pacific calls on all nations to cease using these weapons and to assist survivors. Mon, 04 Apr 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110404032229 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110404093626 Geneva, 28 March 2011 – New figures compiled by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) have shown a dramatic fall in the number of asylum seekers in industrialised countries over the last decade. Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110404093626 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110321105620 Japan, 22 March, 2011 -- Almost 2 weeks have passed since the terrible earthquakes and Tsunami that have brought so much destruction and anxieties to various provinces of the North East of Japan, mainly Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima. Mon, 21 Mar 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110321105620 http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110321035742 Sydney, 21 March, 2011 -- Taken together the recent events in remote detention centres are both deplorable and predictable. Mon, 21 Mar 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110321035742 http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110317025421 Kiunga, 16 March 2011 – After 25 years of exile, these 12,000 West Papuans must decide their future: life in the camp, integrating into their host society, or attempt to free West Papua from Indonesian control and move home. Wed, 16 Mar 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110317025421 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110315022224 Bangkok, 10 March 2011 – Growing up in the Shan area of Northern Thailand is not easy. Without legal papers, work is hard to find, so from birth many are resigned to a life of – at best – manual field labour, or – at worst – drug trafficking, prostitution or prison. Sat, 12 Mar 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110315022224 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110310091443 Sydney, March 11, 2011 -- "If you found yourself in the footsteps of an asylum seeker, how would you like to be treated yourselves? What kind of welcome would you like to receive?" This is the question asked of school students around Australia as they prepare to enter the annual Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Youth Award, an event held with the aim of raising awareness of the plight of refugees and stimulating debate around asylum seeker policy. Thu, 10 Mar 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110310091443 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110308121459 Johannesburg, Nairobi, Rome, Washington DC, 8 March 2011 – On International Women's Day, JRS urges donor governments to take concrete steps to strengthen the role of displaced women in their aid programmes affecting their refugee communities. Tue, 08 Mar 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110308121459 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110303124214 Phnom Penh, 28 February 2011– Following the closure of the centre managed by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) on 15 February, human rights organisations have called on the Cambodian government to ensure it offers protection to asylum seekers. Thu, 03 Mar 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110303124214 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110214083618 Bangkok, 10 February 2011 – Despite being forced to flee their homeland, more than 130 Burmese refugee families live in a temporary shelter in the hills on the northern Thai border. Mon, 14 Feb 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110214083618 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110201082323 Sydney, 24 January 2010 – After finding the authorities had no advance warning of the arrival of boats of migrants and refugees in distress, an internal customs investigation has recommended the installation of land-based radar at Australia's remote Christmas Island. Tue, 01 Feb 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110201082323 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110124034838 Bangkok, 18 January 2011 - Ahmadi asylum seekers from Pakistan have lost a great deal. Religious persecution in their country has driven them from their homes, family, and careers to a place that offers little in the way of protection. Despite facing arrest and detention they never lose their dignity and resilience. Mon, 24 Jan 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110124034838 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110118085338 Mae Hong Son, 18 December, 2010 -- With thousands of people resettled a year and new people arriving in the Mae Hong Son camps regularly, retaining and constantly training new staff are almost impossible tasks. Wed, 19 Jan 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110118085338 http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110119011237 Bangkok, 19 January, 2011 -- Kyaw never expected to be a father. “The mother was raped by a Burmese broker who promised her a job in a factory,” he explained. “He locked her up, raped her and she became pregnant. When her belly became visible she lost her job as a housemaid.” Wed, 19 Jan 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110119011237 http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110113022723 Bangkok, 12 January, 2011 – A family of six sits in their Bangkok apartment, talking about field trips, exams and homework. The oldest daughter smiles as she talks about college brochures. Thu, 13 Jan 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110113022723 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110117034605 Manila,13 January 2011 – If you are a person displaced by the Moro conflict in southern Philippines, chances are you not only struggle to survive but also to be heard. Thu, 13 Jan 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110117034605 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110112090250 Sydney, 12 January, 2011 - The Director of Jesuit Refugee Service International, Fr Peter Balleis SJ, has called on Australia to live up to its reputation as a tolerant and multi-cultural nation by showing compassion to boat people, who are "the most desperate and poor of all refugees." Wed, 12 Jan 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110112090250 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110117035004 How do we reconceptualise the definition of a refugee, and ascertain what services are needed in a world reconfigured by conflict and environmental degradation? Tue, 11 Jan 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110117035004 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110117035425 For the first time ever, Jesuit Refugee Service Australia will be able to accommodate entire refugee families after opening its latest shelter, a former boarding house in the Sydney beachside suburb of Manly. Fri, 07 Jan 2011 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110117035425 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307075855 Rome, 22 December 2010 – Former long-term JRS member and survivor of the Cambodian genocide, Sr Marie Jeanne Ath, a Sister of Providence, passed away peacefully in Nancy, close to her congregation's mother house at Portieux, northeastern France. Wed, 22 Dec 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307075855 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307075324 Sydney, 16 December 2010 – JRS Australia Director, Sacha Bermudez-Goldman SJ, says the Christmas Island tragedy in which at least 28 asylum seekers were killed yesterday should drive home the fact that refugees are human beings rather than inconvenient statistics, and that they risk their lives constantly in search of a safe future. Tue, 21 Dec 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307075324 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307080234 Bangkok, 16 December 2010 – The Thai-Burma border has become a site of international concern as fighting continues along the border in Karen state between the Burmese military and insurgent group, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA). Thu, 16 Dec 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307080234 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307080659 Bangkok, 16 December 2010 – As the one-year anniversary approaches, JRS remembers the Uighur asylum seekers that we came to know well, and again we ask the question: what happened to them? What happened to the pregnant mother and her two children? What happened to the man who had already escaped years of torture at the hands of the Chinese authorities? What happened to each individual who was trying to start a new life in a safe country? Thu, 16 Dec 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307080659 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307082609 Geneva, 3 December 2010 – Dozens of countries reported impressive progress in banning antipersonnel mines, clearing mined areas, and assisting victims of the weapon during a week-long meeting of the 1997 landmine ban treaty in Geneva, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), of which JRS is a founding member, said today. Tue, 07 Dec 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307082609 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014120059 Shanghai, 27 November 2010 – Jesus Christ is sought, found and loved in others, and above all in the poor and those who suffer. And so, one increasingly becomes “a man for others. Sat, 27 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014120059 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014115503 London, 26 November 2010 – Thankfully, there are many places where refugees have found new homes, new beginnings, and some of them are technically called the ‘durable solutions’ that UNHCR seek for all refugees: finding a place of resettlement, returning home or being able to integrate in the local country of residence. JRS staff who are not refugees working in isolated parts of the world can also identify with the joy and peace of getting home again after hard work done. Fri, 26 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014115503 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307083047 Yogyakarta, 22 November 2010 – Eruptions of the volcano Mount Merapi led to the death of approximately 260 people and caused the displacement of nearly 400,000 others. Fri, 26 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307083047 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014114902 Rome, 25 November 2010 – Educational programs — whether primary school or college, vocational or teacher training, literacy or peace building and community development — touched and changed lives of children and youth; women, teachers, and local leaders; and soldiers and ex-combatants. Thu, 25 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014114902 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014114330 Mae Hong Son, 24 November 2010 – I work in northern Thailand with Burmese camp-based refugees. Our Jesuit Refugee Service team is composed of Buddhist, Catholic, Baptist and Methodist fellow workers, a mixture of faiths reflected in the nearby camp population, but quite different from the overwhelmingly Buddhist context of Thailand. Wed, 24 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014114330 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014113625 23 November 2010 – The children in the primary school at the Osire Refugee Camp in Namibia sat for their classes wherever they could find space – under the trees (if the teacher could find a tree), in the food distribution center, as well as in the classrooms with a roof and walls. There were too many refugees for the limited number of classrooms. Tue, 23 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014113625 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014113136 Lobone, 22 November 2010 – During the Eucharist, we baptised 40 children and adults. The longing in the people for the sacraments of baptism and the Body of Christ, long denied to them, was palpable. I could not help but contrast the enthusiastic attitude of the Acholi people in this remote corner of South Sudan with the often jaded attitude to sacraments I had encountered during my years as a pastor back in Dublin. Mon, 22 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014113136 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014111729 Toronto, 21 November 2010 – My eyes were suddenly opened. Why did I not see? After so many years of meeting refugees I still did not understand the hope, the strength, the determination, the sense of community that is often present among them. Sun, 21 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014111729 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014111259 Caracas, 20 November 2010 – The sorrow of the mothers devastated by the unjust death of their sons, has inspired them with inner strength and motivated them to unite in solidarity and to struggle for the dignity and memory of their sons. Sat, 20 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014111259 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014110852 Rome, 19 November 2010 – “Imagine that people who work with refugees are listening to you. What would you tell them about your experience?” Her answer to my question continues to inspire me: “The life of a refugee is not easy. What I would say to people who work with refugees is that they should be patient enough to listen with care to what we have to say. Many refugees feel their needs and views are not considered. Women, especially, are full of worries and frustrations. The world should consider women’s rights in all aspects and help them solve their problems.” Fri, 19 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014110852 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014105917 Lilongwe, 18 November 2010 – How could I preach to these suffering people that God was close to them and that there was hope when their world appeared so dark? Somehow, however, in the midst of that experience of darkness the light of faith illumined my heart. Thu, 18 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014105917 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307085326 Washington DC, 18 November 2010 – A homemade truck ran over a landmine in Cambodia Tuesday killing 14 people – including a 6-month-old infant, police said. The incident occurred in Battambang province in northwestern Cambodia. The local chief of police said in addition to the infant the dead included eight women and five men. Thu, 18 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307085326 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014105424 Colombo, 17 November 2010 – One Sunday morning in early 2009, I stepped out of my residence in the Tamil north of Sri Lanka with a toothbrush in my hand. I was planning on celebrating the 6:30 a.m. Sunday Mass at a nearby church. But all of a sudden government artillery began to spit fire and I rushed into a bunker with many other Tamil people. Wed, 17 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014105424 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014105002 Brussels, 16 November 2010 – Sometimes tears can make us afraid. We think, “I mustn’t cry. You don’t do things like that.” But tears leave us naked, standing alone in the truth. Tears witness to the heart where God works. Jesus cried over his friend Lazarus, over Jerusalem. What more eloquent sign could there be of his love? Tue, 16 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014105002 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014104256 Caracas, 15 November 2010 – Aridez arrived in Venezuela with her soul and spirit shrivelled by the traumatic death of her husband and the disappearances of her eldest son and twin sister. She also brought with her the cross of her own sorrows and those of her two younger children. She was part of a very large family of almost forty members who also came with her. But she felt alone and empty. The only meaning she could find in her life was from the presence of her two children. Mon, 15 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014104256 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014103653 Santo Domingo, 14 November 2010 – When the earthquake destroyed the city of Port-au-Prince in January 2010, our teams from Jesuit Refugee Service – Dominican Republic were hard at work preparing our annual plan. The reality of more than 300,000 dead, some 500,000 injured and almost two million people homeless burst unexpectedly into our lives and created new paths of solidarity, humanity and life for us. Sun, 14 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014103653 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014102944 13 November 2010 – Abebe hopes to have a future beyond the refugee camp, but he believes that his education and the experiences to which this learning has led him have enriched his life for the present and for the future. He also derives great satisfaction in fanning to full flame the embers of hope which he finds in refugees who come to study on the JRS compound. Sat, 13 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014102944 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014101804 Valladolid, 12 November 2010 – Mary’s faith and love have helped me to understand the experience of Jesus in his baptism. It was the first act of his adult life recounted in the gospels. Jesus says nothing, he simply listens. Everything begins with listening – “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Fri, 12 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014101804 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307091123 Bangkok, 11 November 2010 – An estimated 20,000 people have fled to Thailand since conflict broke out between government forces and the fifth brigade of the ethnic Karen rebel group, the DKBA. Fighting began on Monday morning 8 November in the southeastern border town of Myawaddy, less than a day after election polls opened in the military controlled region. Fri, 12 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307091123 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014101400 Makhado, 11 November 2010 – You want to follow Christ? Then begin here. The Christ child is the gleaming lynchpin that unites our longing to respond to the Call of the Kingdom and how it is done. After we have pondered the high-octane theology of the Incarnation, the Nativity points us to the way that the heart of God comes into the world and therefore the way we are to follow: In humility. In mercy. In desire. Thu, 11 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014101400 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014092946 Kigali, 10 November 2010 – . . . this is exactly where God chose to send His Son! Not where plenty of space, education and healthcare would guarantee his future, but where crime, lack of hygiene and opportunities could risk it. “Yes, yes. This is where God wants to be. This is where He sends His Son." Wed, 10 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101014092946 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20100830100509 Manila, 9 November 2010 – Is it possible that someone who has experienced irremediable loss can one day be joyful, and learn to give joyfully? Can deep sadness and despair ever be overcome by the desire to serve others? Can I ask for and realistically expect the grace of compassion towards those who do me harm? Tue, 09 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20100830100509 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101007090407 Barcelona, 8 November 2010 – Mary’s faith and love have helped me to understand the experience of Jesus in his baptism. It was the first act of his adult life recounted in the gospels. Jesus says nothing, he simply listens. Everything begins with listening – “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Mon, 08 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20101007090407 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20100823034736 Madrid, 7 November 2010 – In one fleeting moment, we were spared from confusion, misunderstanding and the difficulty of falling into inflexible positions. Waiting for all the teachers to arrive, seated in those tiny chairs, we stared at one another. Although I still do not know how, we managed to understand each other. Sun, 07 Nov 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20100823034736 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20100823034323 Abidjan, 6 November 2010 – The forgiveness-reconciliation equation is not a one-way process. Rather it is based on reciprocity: it is a process in space and in time. In order to avoid recurring cycles of violence and vengeance, it important to appreciate and understand how much exiles also suffer and how they experience their defeat as a humiliation from which they can only free themselves through a justice that takes the form of revenge. Sat, 06 Nov 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20100823034323 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20100823033931 Washington DC, 5 November 2010 – Francisco had crossed the border into Arizona from Mexico with two brothers and a young sister-in-law. As a youngster in Mexico, his family had lived in a one-room wooden shack that had begun to collapse by the time he was a teenager. He had left Mexico for the U.S. when he was 17, determined to earn enough money to build his family. Little by little over the next five years he had succeeded in saving enough to build the beginnings of a new home for his family in Cuautla, Mexico. When he returned to Mexico in 2006, he stayed two months before returning to the U.S. so that he could make enough money to finish the kitchen. Fri, 05 Nov 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20100823033931 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20100823033752 Phnom Penh, 4 November 2010 – Som Eik decided to try charcoal making and went off to the forest along the Thai border. Suddenly, he heard a huge bang and was flung into the air. One leg was dangling and he was bleeding profusely from wounds to the arms and body. A landmine. Soldiers far off heard the explosion and rushed to get him first aid. Thu, 04 Nov 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20100823033752 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20100823033506 Johannesburg, 3 November 2010 – Today more than half of the world’s refugees live in crowded urban areas rather than in refugee camps that have traditionally been located at great distances from major population centers. Danisa, a young Zimbabwean man, is one of these so-called “urban refugees.” He recently came to our office in Pretoria asking for money to begin a hair cutting business. After an interview, one of our team purchased some clippers, a chair, a mirror and a bowl. This was his shop. We worked with him to get a permit that enabled him to practice his trade legally, thus giving him some insurance from police raids. Nevertheless he was still vulnerable to robbery. Wed, 03 Nov 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20100823033506 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20100823032920 Rome, 2 November 2010 – How beautiful this world of ours seems when viewed from the perspective of outer space! Its abundant land, water and air, minerals and energy, forests and farms seem capable of sustaining all earth’s people. It reminds us of how in the first chapter of the Book of Genesis God gazed lovingly on what he had created and saw that it was very good. As we look at our planet, we see a world of great diversity in terms of colors, plant life, living beings, as well as men and women of different languages and cultures. From the borders of space, however, we do not see the limitations and divisions of our world. Tue, 02 Nov 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20100823032920 http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20100823013632 Washington DC, 1 November 2010 – In his poem, “God’s Grandeur” Gerard Manley Hopkins, the nineteenth century Jesuit poet, wrote of how, despite all humankind’s efforts to disguise and mar the divine presence in our world, “there lives the deepest freshness deep down things.” The spark of God’s image survives even in the deepest darkness. The Jesuit Refugee Charter as well confirms this insight when it states: “To accompany refugees is to affirm that God is present in human history, even in most tragic episodes.” Mon, 01 Nov 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Retreat_Day?TN=DTN-20100823013632 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307090050 Sydney, 18 October 2010 – JRS Australia has welcomed the announcement by the government that it intends to move children and vulnerable families from detention into community-based accommodation. Fri, 29 Oct 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307090050 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20101021045527 Sydney, 12 October 2010 – JRS questioned the construction of regional processing centres for refugees as the sole answer to the rising number of asylum seekers coming to the Asia Pacific region. Tue, 12 Oct 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20101021045527 http://www.jrsap.org/Prayers_Detail?TN=DTN-20100922113033 Praying with Refugees, October 2010. Human suffering, especially inflicted by people, saps our faith and our belief in a merciful and compassionate God and maybe even in the ultimate goodness of humanity. Confronted by human suffering, it is quite easy to ask: where is God in all this? It can also kindle within us a profound and powerful sense of empathy. Fri, 01 Oct 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Prayers_Detail?TN=DTN-20100922113033 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110113101628 Phnom Penh, 26 August 2010 – Le Thi Hong, an asylum seeker from Vietnam, teaches the basics of giving manicures and pedicures to a small group of asylum seekers and refugee women at the JRS office. Mon, 13 Sep 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110113101628 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307095356 Bangkok, 26 August 2010 – At the beginning of the month, a group of ethnic Ahmadi asylum seekers finally opened the doors of their new community centre in the outskirts of Bangkok. The new centre is the result of a partnership between JRS and Ahmadi asylum seekers from Pakistan. Tue, 31 Aug 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307095356 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110114124506 Bangkok, 1 August 2010 - On the 1st of August the Convention on Cluster Munitions came into force, becoming binding international law in 107 countries around the world. Fri, 13 Aug 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110114124506 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110114013855 Just four years after the 2006 collapse of civic order and two years after simultaneous attacks on the top two national leaders, the government of Timor-Leste is saying goodbye to conflict. Indeed, while some “remarkable progress” has been achieved (UN Special Representative’s Report, February 2010), the bold proclamation invites all to ask whether conflict and other essential issues have been adequately addressed or are simply swept under the rug. Mon, 09 Aug 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110114013855 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110113104225 Tuktuks gaily decorated with balloons and Ban Cluster Bomb banners rode around Angkor Wat carrying cluster bomb survivors on 1st August 2010. They were celebrating the entry into force of the Convention to ban Cluster Munitions. Led by Tun Channareth in his wheelchair they handed out leaflets explaining the law and gathering signatures of support. Thu, 05 Aug 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110113104225 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110114010434 Phnom Penh, July 2010 - Undeterred by the storm clouds gathering ominously over Phnom Penh, over 80 urban refugees and asylum seekers clamoured into the back of JRS vehicles and luckily for most, were able to reach Don Bosco vocational school in Phnom Penh Thmey for a World Refugee Day soccer match before the monsoon rains hit. Sat, 17 Jul 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110114010434 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110114011752 Bangkok, 3 August 2010 – On the 3rd of August Ban Landmine Campaigners from JRS Asia Pacific met with new Director of Thailand Mine Action Center (TMAC), Major General Ong-ard Ratanawichai. Sat, 03 Jul 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110114011752 http://www.jrsap.org/Prayers_Detail?TN=DTN-20100615025338 This brief couplet of unknown origin captures in a few words the distinct charisms of four saints and founders of religious communities in the Church—the Cistercians, the Benedictines, the Franciscans and the Jesuits. Ignatius of Loyola, who founded the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), placed much focus on the plight of the poor in the great cities of his time. Tue, 15 Jun 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Prayers_Detail?TN=DTN-20100615025338 http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110307084606 Paper prepared for the 'Right to Move' Symposium Thu, 21 Jan 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110307084606 http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307083640 On 20 December, human rights organisations criticised the Cambodian government decision to deport 20 ethnic Uighur Chinese asylum seekers despite a barrage of protests from the international community. Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/news_detail?TN=NEWS-20110307083640 http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110414103035 “What is a Jesuit? I get asked this question all the time.” Zainuddin, a young man from Jogjakarta, received a Muslim education from elementary to university level. His interest in Jesuits arises from his work as education officer with JRS in Aceh, a region in northwest Indonesia hard hit by the 2004 Tsunami and by civil war that ended in 2005. In this province governed by Sharia law, it is villagers benefiting from the intervention of JRS who ask what ‘Jesuit’ means. Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:00:00 GMT http://www.jrsap.org/Spotlight_Detail?TN=DTN-20110414103035