Jesuit Mission Australia and Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Australia are calling on the Australian Government to take stronger action in response to the ongoing crisis in Myanmar, with more than 3.5 million people displaced by violence and instability since the military coup in 2021.
The call comes as Refugee Week (15-20 June) highlights the urgent need to protect the rights and dignity of displaced people around the world.
In their joint statement, the organisations call for stronger protection pathways, increased support for locally led responses, greater engagement with Myanmar diaspora communities, and continued advocacy for human rights and democracy in Myanmar.
More than five years after the military coup, people in Myanmar continue to face widespread violence, displacement and the systematic denial of fundamental human rights.
JRS Australia and Jesuit Mission Australia are calling on the Australian Government to implement the recommendations of the Senate inquiry into democracy and human rights in Myanmar.
“Jesuit Mission Australia stands with the people of Myanmar and with the communities across our region who continue to respond with courage and compassion in the face of immense suffering,” said Helen Forde, CEO of Jesuit Mission Australia.
“Our partners across the region continue to accompany communities affected by the crisis in Myanmar every day, providing education, essential services, and hope in incredibly difficult circumstances.
Australia has a responsibility to respond in a way that upholds human dignity, strengthens protection pathways, and supports those working closest to the communities most affected,” said Ms Forde.
“JRS works daily, across the region, alongside people who have fled violence and persecution in Myanmar. We see their strength and resilience, and we also see the immense barriers they face in accessing the bare minimum standards of safety, dignity and human rights,” said Fr Brett O’Neill SJ, Country Director of JRS Australia.
“We have to ensure people can access protection, support communities on the frontlines of this crisis and respond in a way that protects the dignity and humanity of those most affected,” said Fr Brett.
The joint statement outlines a series of recommendations for the Australian Government in response to the ongoing crisis in Myanmar.
Click here to read the full Myanmar joint statement from JRS Australia and Jesuit Mission Australia.
