Refugee Union was invited for an interview at Citizen Radio Studios in Chai Wan. Our interview was meant to explain to the Hong kong people the challenges faced by Refugees here in Hong kong. From inadequate Welfare assistance to discriminative Policy frame work. In any case its impossible to secure a room with 1500 Hong kong dollars, food is not enough, no one can survive on 40 dollars a day, beside the amount doesnt reach the refugees as budgeted as the delivery system put into place is riddled with improprieties and unjust practices. The Welfare system do not cater for clothing, shoes, housing equipments and appliances. The ISS contract captures the clothing but hardly do they issue the same nor offer allowance for their purchases. Where do we get clothes and shoes from ? Education sector is another area where we suffer big time. The government pays school fees but do not cater for those in Kindergartens. Parents do not receive assistance for the purchases of Uniforms, Books, Transport and other requirements to cover extracurricular activities such as school trips and excursions as well as snacks in school. USM is another cause of alarm for refugees. The rejection rate is alarming, it begs the question, do all fake refugees come to Hong kong, how do they liaise with each other from their countries of ++ origin and decide to come to Hong kong. The process itself is shrouded in mystery as no one know nor understands whats going on. The USM system it seems to us was created and designed to reject all the applications for Asylum, it was never meant to help anybody. The Status determination is compounding as is nothing short of what pundits refers as a farce. Its waiting period and the delays involved beats logic and defeats common sense. Refugee union also explained that its a waste of valuable resources for the government to outsource the provision of assistance to the refugees and asylum seekers to ISS who have done more harm than good to its clients. They have mistreated and discriminated against us with unequal measure. ISS has earned a dubious reputation of the most inhumane NGO that we have ever encountered. Their welfare assistance provision is full questionable practices, dubious transactions, collusion with landlords and a last but not least a very troubling system to deal with. The bureaucratic system employed to deliver the assistance ends up utilizing the same monies budgeted for the refugees on the name of providing the same services that Social Welfare Department, Immigration and the lands department can provide seamlessly. Refugee Union reiterates that nothing short of granting Refugees Permits to work will diminish their suffering. Its an inevitable solution that ought not be delayed nor postponed. The time is now as it has been long overdue.
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 08:07:56 +0000
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