Media coverage, JuiKnia campaign
Here's an unofficial translation of some print and online media coverages during JuiKnia campaign.
Over 40,000 Cambodian urges world leaders to open hearts to refugees
Oringinal article: Vayo Radio News
Juiknia is a campaign organized by Oxfam to send message to world leaders to open doors and hearts and welcome refugees and migrants. This campaign runs for one month and had just closed in early May. As a result, Oxfam and partners have collected 40,000 supports from Cambodian and diverse communities around the world who are compelled to send message to world leaders to open hearts to refugees as it is the issue of the world.
Refugee crisis is still the issue of the world. In responding to this issue Oxfam, an international organization working on poverty reduction, organized its first campaign to collect voices from Cambodian to send message to world leaders to open hearts and welcome refugees who are seeking for asylum. This campaign organized in partnership with Bophana Center, Politikoffee, Phare Ponleu Selpak, Cambodian Living Arts and Khmerican.
Oxfam received over 40,000 signatures after its one month campaign starting from March 31st to May 1st. This number is three-time exceeded the target. Within one month, the organization received over 200,000 like, share and comments on its Facebook.
Man Asisah, Policy and Campaign Coordinator of Oxfam, said, after collecting these signatures the team will send a letter to embassies in Cambodia.
Right now, over 65 million people are being driven from their homes, threatened by death destruction, to find asylum in a safe place.
40 years ago, Cambodian refugees were welcomed by countries around the world.
Dr Sok Siphana, Consultant to the government of Cambodia shared his experience as one of Cambodian refugees: “…the life of refugees is not as hard as the life during Pol Pot regime.”
Voice: “I left Cambodia alone in December 1979 to Thai border to look for my sister who left the country since before the genocide [Pol Pot regime]. We do not know where she goes. My mom said we need to find her so I have left home alone then my mom and other four family members followed me. The life of refugees is not as hard as the life during Pol Pot regime. For me, we were already happy—I did not say the life of refugee is happy but it is better comparing to the genocide in Pol Pot regime.”
Arn-Chon Pon, Founder of Cambodian Living Arts, said he is former Cambodian refugee who was evacuated by the Khmer Rouge. It was a fade that he met an American man who was then brought him to the United States. He continues:
Voice: In 1974 I was 8 or 9 years-old. I heard Khmer Rouge win the fight with America. Later thousands of people were evacuate. Later I saw an American man, Peter Pon who was then became my god-father, walking to the camp.
During the meeting in New York hosted by Obama in 2017, world leaders committed to accept 360,000 refugees. However, under the mandate of the new government, Donald Trump strongly rejected the acceptance of refugees regardless UN’s request. Understanding the difficulties of refugees Oxfam is calling world leaders to open doors and hearts and welcome refugees from all around the world.
Over 12,000 Cambodian voices will be send to world leader to welcome refugees
Man Asisah, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator of Oxfam and the person who coordinated this campaign talks to VOA reporter, Phon Bopha, at Oxfam office in Phnom Penh on 3 May 2017. ©Photo: Phon Bopha/VOA
Oringinal article: Voice of America (VOA)
Juiknia is a campaign organized in response to world refugee crisis in which over 65 million people are being driven from their homes due to conflict, violence and threatened in various form.
Phnom Penh—while hundred thousand of people leaving their homes in some war countries like Syria the politicians of superpower countries are setting restriction to refugees. To restore refugee crisis Oxfam is mobilizing support through juiknia campaign which was just ended in early May.
Oxfam is an international organization working on poverty reduction. The organization just closed its campaign on Tuesday with a total of over 10,000 signatures and over 20 stories of hopes of Cambodian migrants and refugees.
Juiknia was organized in response to world refugee crisis in which over 65 million people are being driven from homes due to conflict, violence and threaten in various forms.
In early 2015 Australian government provided financial support in exchange to sending refugees from Afganistan who seek for asylum in Australia to Cambodia.
In January the new government of the United State, Donald Trump, set a policy not to accept asylum seeker who left the war and other turmoil country like in Syria. Until now, his order is not effective.
Juiknia campaign started in end of March and ended in early May. There were film screening of a man who visited his homeland after his family left Cambodia to France during the war time. The video was screened at Bophana Center.
Man Asisah, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator of Oxfam and the person who coordinated this campaign told VOA during the film screening on Tuesday evening that this campaign was organized to mobilize support and send message to superpower and developed countries to open doors to refugees wholeft their homes due to war and other turmoil.
Asisah told VOA at Bophana Center that: “The world is facing refugee crisis. Based on the figure from Oxfam, over 65 million people are escaping from one place to another place, from one country to another country to seek for asylum, the place where they think it is safe and can survive.”
In mid-May the signatures and the stories of hopes will be binded and send to world leaders of 10 developed countries such as U.S., European Union and China etc.
Asisah said: “Oxfam expects that with the signatures collected throughout this campaign world leader will continue to open hearts and warmly welcome refugees from all around the world.”
Phay Siphan, government spokesman, who left Cambodia to U.S. in 1979 escaping from the killing by Khmer Rouge told VOA that he can surve untill today because he has escaped to U.S. during the war in Cambodia.
Phay Sipha, said: The number of people who escaped from the war is tremendous due to political instability and the invasion from other countries which make those people become refugees.
In the video shown during the launch of juiknia, Sok Siphana who left Cambodia to U.S. when Cambodia was instable said “I had the chance to work a lot for Cambodian society because of hte education received from living abroad. I brough my knowledge back to share with my society.”
Today, he is the advisor to the Royal Government of Cambodia.
Son Chay, member of opposition party [Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP)], who left Cambodian in 1980 to Australia told VOA that the superpower countries should continue to open their doors to refugees who cannot stay in their countries due to war.
Son Chay said: “We know that in the current world political situation politicians have restriction to refugees or those who escaped from war to find asylum.”
He said that those who do not welcome refugees are superior to politicians who have a tendency to accept refugees.
He continued that Cambodia must join in calling on the acceptance of refugees worldwide.
“If there is no permisson to temporary or permanently allow refugee to stay they could not stay and may struggle till death.”
Hundred thousand of Cambodian people left their homes to other countries such as U.S., France, Australia and others when Cambodia had war.
The interview on refugees and Cambodian participation
Paolo Lubrano, Oxfam Regional Humanitarian Manager, launch of JuiKnia campaign in Phnom Penh, 31 March 2017. ©San Sel/RFA
Oringinal article: Radio Free Asia (RFA)
Refugee crisis become a tremedous issue around the world because the number of refugees has increased to over 65 million people. 65 million people are being driven from their homes, threatended by death destruction and left their homes due to war, conflict and and threatend.
At the end of March, San Sel from Radio Free Asia interviewed Paolo Lubrano, Regional Humanitarian Manager of Oxfam, in Phnom Penh on refugee crisis and the posibility of Cambodian participation to solve the issue.
San Sel: While the world particularly ASEAN (refugees in Rohingya and Myanmar) is facing tremedous refugee crisis, why Cambodia should pay attention to the issue?
Paolo Lubrano: First of all, it is the legal obligation. Refugees are protected by UN convension on refugees. It is the obligation of the governmet to provide education, asylum, job and health care.
I think Cambodia is the right country to start this campaign because it is one among two countries in the region who signed on UN convension on refugees with the Phillippines. The other reason is that Cambodia experienced hungers, difficulties and many negative memories. Cambodia committed to turn the suffer to a lesson for others. We started this campaign with Cambodia because there are many lessons others can learn from.
San Sel: As Cambodia has no longer have serious refugees issue, some citizen think that refugee issue of Rohingya people in Rohingya is Rohinya’s issue, refugee in Myanmar is Myanmar’s issue. What is your message to those citizen?
Paolo Lubrano: I think it is all our problem because what is happening with Rohingya who migrated to Malaysia, Bangladesh is that they will face difficulties. All of this may happen to us some day.
How many of us may leave our homes due to security issue that may happen again? Cambodia shows the support as cambodia used to be given a warm welcome.
We should provide what we have received if we want to maintain the willingness and good will that we received. Provide the love to those who are in need. This is the only way to pay back to what we have received.
This does not refer to only Cambodia but to other countries as well. It is a legal obligation and also moral obligation as human. We need to come together and help each other.
San Sel: How can Cambodia join ‘juiknia’ to solve refugee crisis?
Paolo Lubrano: There are many ways. First of all, we need to join voices to regconize refugees’ rights. It’s relevants to the implementation of UN convension on refugees.
We need to find way to urge our government to find a legal way for refugees. We need to urge our government to equally pay attention to refugees to get education, health care, job, protection and asylum.
I think we should raise our voice and find a reason to show that the response to refugee issue is right. I think refugees have many stories of hope, struggling and togetherness. I think this is all the stories we need to understand.
San Sel: The other question is related to Rohingya’s refugee crisis in Myanmar in ASEAN. The United Nation found that Rohingya people is facing killing. What should SEAN and the world do to solve this crisis?
Paolo Lubrano: At the moment it seems that no one is wiling to solve the issue because of deep political involvement in the issue and humanitarian. Based on my opinion, we should join hand to find other solution. Some Rohingya people are evacuated to remote island in the bay of Bengal(Paolo metioned Goly?)—a dangerous place. This is not how we take care people.That island is prone to flooding. Rohingya people are forced to leave homes and do not get education and healthcare. This is not acceptable because it contracts with human rights.
What we can do is to find a possible solution but the nationalism in Myanmar has to be resoved first. There are two ways. First is internal and second is external. ASEAN can help through putting political pressure to Myanmar government by doing integration before forcing people to leave. Provide humanitarian assistant.
If the integration cannot be used because we need more time then the we can only provide humaitarian assistan, ASEAN can put political pressure to Myanmar government and allow transportation of humaitarian asssistant to the place where Rohinghya people are living, and provide water, food, education and women rights’ protection.
Meawhile the world today is talking about this issue, for example in Myanmar, Bangladesh and Malaysia. There are many research ad discussion about this issue. ASEAN also joint.
We as civil society organization also raised this issue. Oxfam, Save the Children, Plan and many other organizations are part of the ASEAN working group. Our role is to raise this issue and find political tactic to solve the issue.
San Sel: Based on your observation what is the development of refugee situation in the future?
Paolo Lubrano: Integration approach is a possible strategy. In the coming years, the government will find a way to do integration step by step from small size to bigger size. We cannot do integratin with people at the same time but we can do it step by step. Second, humanitarian assistant team wil find new way to reach to crisis area to help and work with refugees. This will be done in two ways. Firstly, human rights approach ad secondly humanitarian assistant approach. Both has to be done at the same time. However, the possible way is integration from small to bigger size. This is happening in some area and there are more to come.
San Sel: Thank you!
Paolo Lubrano: Thank you!
Campain on refugee crisis ‘Jui Knia’ calls for Cambodian participation
Oxfam Country Director, Solinn Lim, gave a speech during the launch of JuiKnia campaign, 31 March 2017. ©SanSel/RFA
Oringinal article: Radio Free Asia (RFA)
The number of refugees and migrants around the world has increased to over 65 million people. They are being driven from their homes due to conflict, violent and threaten. Fourty years ago, Cambodian used to be refugees as well.
In response to refugee crisis, ‘jui knia’ is a campaign organized to mobilize stories of hope in the past to send message to world leaders to open doors to refugees.
‘Jui Knia’ campaign was launched on March 31st in Phnom Penh by Oxfam.
Lim Solinn, Oxfam Country Director, said “Jui Knia” shows what Cambodian experienced 40 years ago when many people left their homes, families, relatives and memories of hope to find a new home where there is no war, no killing and is a new opportunity to build new life.
The main objective of this campaign is to mobilize thousand f support from refugees and migrants to join hand to support over 65 million refugees and migrants around the world to welcome refugees by signing on the petition.
Solinn said that the participation from Cambodian people to share their personal storie will help the world understand more about the difficulties refugees face. “The suffer of Cambodian people during the war and Khmer Rouge regime is global issue. It is not only Cambodia’s issue. We can share this suffer to the world.”
She continued that Oxfam choose Cambodia to launch this global campaign because: “Cambodia is special as we have those bitter experience during the war and the killing regime which we can share to the world.”
She continues that this campaign is not only the space to share a tragedy experience but also the place to share stories of hope after the war to hundred thousand of refugee. “The objective of this campaign is very important. We do not want to share our difficulties and tragedy in Cambodia. We want to share the world the stories of hope from Cambodian around the world who came across life during the war and have now receovered and brought light back to the development of Cambodia.”
Paolo Lubrano is a Regional Humanitarian Manager of Oxfam. He used to go to Syria where there is serious refugee issue. He shared this thought that the participation of Cambodian people in this ‘Jui Knia’ campaign is a moral and legal obligation.
Cambodia and the Phillippines are the two countries in ASEAN who have signed on the UN convension on refugee.
Paolo said the experience of Cambodian people is a lesson for diverse communities: “We met artists in foreign countries who are facing lack of care and away from families and home country. However they turned those suffer into arts, into something beautiful which people admire. This is what this campaign wants to tell. We tell stories of hope, stories of togetherness and not only aboutt he difficult experience and lack of care.”
‘Jui Knia’ campaign will mobilize at least 200 Cambodian stories and collect 10,000 signatures to share to embassies in Cambodia—the target countries of refugees.
In June, this refugees issue will be discussed in International Conference on Refugee in Germany.
Main activities during this camapaign include film screening at Bophana Center, meeting at Politikoffee, the performance by Phare Ponle Selpak in Battambang and Siem Reap province, traditional art performance by Cambodian Living Art6s at the National Museum, shor-video competition, stories sharing and signing the online petition at http://cambodia.oxfam.org/juiknia.
Cambodia start Juiknia campaign to suppor world refugees
Photo: ThmeyThmey News
Oringinal article: ThmeyThmey News
Phnom Penh_Juiknia is a campaign organized to share love, hope and call for support to refugees and migrants around the world. This is the first campaign in Cambodia launched on March 31st. This campaign lasts for 4 weeks.
“Juiknia, Cambodian migration stories of hope” is the name of the new campaign organized by Oxfam. Cambodia is the country that had experienced war and became the first country launching this juiknia campaign.
“This campaign is organized to mobilize support from Cambodian people to share stories of hope of refugees regardless their tendencies or where they are coming from. We came across a bitter experience 40 years a go both a bloody civil war and genocide. No one understand the horrifying violence and persecution than Cambodian.”
Beside sharing Cambodian stories of hope juiknia will send message to world leaders to welcome refugees. Solinn Lim continued that this campaign does not only talk about the difficult experience. The campaign will be a space where people share stories of hope, show their care and compassion of Cambodian refugees. What is more important is that joining us to write a petition to call world leaders to save refugees who are victim of war and conflict.
“This campaign is part of the global campaign. Therefore, it will send a message to leaders around the world to continue to welcome refugees by continueing to open their hearts and homes to refugees. It is just like how they welcome Cambodian who seek for asymlum 40 years a go,” said Solinn Lim.
Today, the world is facing tremedous refugees crisis which we never had before, 65 million people become refugees and have no place to stay because of war and conflict. Moreover, there is also turmoil against refugees in some areas. Some countries close their doors to refugees and migrants.
Cambodia: A country of hope for refugees and migrants
As mentioned earlier Cambodia is the first country to organize this campaign. “This campaign is first organized in Cambodia for a number of reasons. Firstly, Cambodia is one of the least countries who joint UN convensionon on refugees,” said Paolo Lubrano, Regional Humanitarin Manger of Oxfam. “Secondly, it is relevant to bitter experience on refugees Cambodian had. Lastly, Cambodia turns their suffer to possitive story and hope. In short, Cambodia is a country of hope.”
Paolo Lubrano hopes that this campaign will have a participation of 1 million people in 2020 from at least five countries in Asia. What this campaign wants to achieve is the participation in the UN convension on refugees in the region. Besides, this campaign is also organized to get attention from leaders around the worlds to provide asylum, education and protection by law to refugees, migrants and citizen who lost their homes due to conflict and war.
Juiknia campaign is initiated by Oxfam with a duration of 4 weeks starting from March 31st. Several activites will be organized throughout the campaign to inform the public and to ecnourage for their participation. Some activities in partnership with Bophana Center, Politikoffee, Phare Ponleu Selpak and Cambodian Living Arts include film screening on refugees in Syria, music and arts performance.