Please Help – Emergency at Thai-Cambodia Border

Cambodians are once again victimized – this time, by the latest political struggles in Thailand. Over 150,000 Cambodians are presently fleeing Thailand in the midst of that country’s unstable and tumultuous political climate, fearing a crackdown on illegal migrant workers. Many are reporting documents destroyed and lost possessions. There are also unconfirmed reports of violence and killings by Thai military officials.

Many of these Cambodians originally left their homes out of desperation, in the hopes that they could find more opportunities for work across the border. Now returning home displaced and jobless, an overwhelming number are still economically disadvantaged and vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, making it the ideal environment for human traffickers. The priority now is water, food and sanitation kits in order to keep people alive and prevent a disease outbreak- a major point of concern as thousands of people are packed in Poipet (a city bordering Thailand) at the moment.

Ratanak International’s response to emergencies like this one has always been to help in any and every way possible. We are putting together a significant emergency budget and redirecting funds to our partner NGO who is already on the ground at the border crossing, providing life-giving aid to men, women and children in need. It is rare for us to request your help in such an urgent manner. Our emergency fund is not often activated, but this is a pivotal point in time where acting now could prevent a large-scale crisis. Would you consider contributing to our emergency aid fund at this time? Your additional donation will help ensure that thousands of Cambodians are provided the basic care every human deserves. The funds will go directly towards purchasing water, food and sanitation kits to prevent the situation from escalating into a major health disaster.

 

Click here to donate to our Emergency Aid fund (Select “Emergency Aid” under Donation Designation)

 

Thanks Chuck McCaul and Harley Voogd for the photos

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