Migrants' boat tethered to a Thai navy vessel, in waters near Koh Lipe island. Photograph: Olivia Harris/Reuters

60 MILLION CALL ON UNHCR FOR HELP.
REFUGEE DAY CALLS US TO COMPASSION AND HOSPITALITY
Even UNHCR says the 60 million people crying for help are beyond its capacity and resources to help.
What is needed by the 60 million of rest of us is:

On personal level:

  • one action by one person to help one refugee as a start
  • wise minds and political will to address the problems of people forced to flee
The UNHCR states: " The rapidly escalating figures reflect a world of renewed conflict, with wars in the Middle East, africa, Asia and europe driving families and individuals from their homes in desperate flights for safety. But the systems for managing those flows are breaking down, with countries and aid agencies unable to handle the strain as an average of nearly 45,000 people a day join the ranks of those either on the move or stranded far from home."

Boats in the Andaman Sea wandering off the coast of Thailand carrying Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi migrants from Myanmar. Estimations had eight thousand people stranded at sea. (Thapanee Letsrichai)

In Asia Pacific Region

  • the plight of the Rohingya from Rakhine state in Myanmar calls for:
    • solutions of root cause
    • examination of ethnic and religious persecution (personal and systematic)
      Safe places for boats to bearch.
  • Australia needs to stop pushing back boats and off loading people.
    Australia is a nation growing from its
    small number of indigineous peole with boatloads of convicts, economic nigrants, people escaping famine, and asylum seekers.
  • In Cambodia progress on refugee cards and possible resident cards is being made, but Montagnard still need to be register.
  • JRS Cambodia wishes all refugees a day with some spark of happiness and hope. We will celebrate together after Ramadam.