{"id":184527,"date":"2022-01-20T11:00:06","date_gmt":"2022-01-20T03:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/?p=184527"},"modified":"2022-01-26T13:52:49","modified_gmt":"2022-01-26T05:52:49","slug":"interview-with-justice-centre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cNo one becomes a refugee by choice\u201d: we discuss the refugee crisis in Hong Kong with the Justice Centre"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>For those of us who were brought up in Hong Kong or came here to work and study, we know it can be tough to <a href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/leaving-hong-kong\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">leave the city<\/a>. What most people don\u2019t realise is, how it can be almost impossible for <a href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/how-to-help-refugees-in-hong-kong\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">refugees<\/a> fleeing dire situations to make a new life <em>in<\/em> the city. To learn more, we talked to Preston Cheung, a Senior Advocacy and Communications Officer ,and Mr A, a refugee who also works for the Justice Centre, both of whom help to provide legal support for other refugees in Hong Kong.<\/p>\n<h2>About Justice Centre<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_184528\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-184528\" style=\"width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-184528 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/justice-centre-900x675.jpeg\" alt=\"a group photo of Justice Centre staff\" width=\"900\" height=\"675\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/justice-centre-900x675.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/justice-centre-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/justice-centre.jpeg 1400w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 900px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 900\/675;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-184528\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The hardworking team at the Justice Centre (Photography: Justice Centre via Facebook)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Since 2007, Justice Centre has worked to achieve justice for marginalised groups, namely asylum seekers and refugees, and victims of torture, human trafficking, and forced labour. To find out more, tune in to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hashtagimpact.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">#impact<\/a> podcast by Regina Larko as she chats with Lynette Nam, the Senior Legal Advisor, on what the Justice Centre has achieved over the years and about upcoming projects you can help support.<\/p>\n<div class=\"spotify-embed-wrapper\"><iframe title=\"Spotify Embed: Driving Change for Justice | Lynette Nam | Justice Centre Hong Kong\" style=\"border-radius: 12px\" width=\"100%\" height=\"152\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" data-src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/episode\/0F4NJeKnbikoODVp4mLps6?si=382044eeccbb43a5&#038;utm_source=oembed\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<h2>The story of how Mr A, a refugee, is now helping other refugees seek justice in Hong Kong.<\/h2>\n<h3>Can you describe your experience of arriving in Hong Kong? What did you expect? What were you surprised by?<\/h3>\n<p>I was a civil servant in my home country for almost eight years, working closely with government officials. I knew how we treated refugees in my own country, but they were allowed to work, study, and live much like other native citizens. So I was expecting a similar situation when I arrived in Hong Kong. I didn\u2019t have a visa at the time as I was fleeing my country; I was told it would be granted at the time I arrived at the airport.<\/p>\n<p>But unfortunately, I was getting arrested at the immigration checkpoint. Though this was only for a few days, it was hard to cope with the lack of empathy or sympathy for my situation. They kept asking me why I came to Hong Kong and what my involvement was back home. In a freezing room, I only had a small mattress, no blanket, and I was unable to sleep longer than five minutes at a time. I couldn&#8217;t even take a shower in those five days I was detained. This went on until the United Nations was able to confirm that I have international permission to land in Hong Kong.<\/p>\n<h3>How has your relationship with Hong Kong (as a city, as a community, as your home) evolved over the years?<\/h3>\n<p>I can say that without a doubt there is a lack of information. When I talk to people, they often make negative comments but then say, \u201cOh no, we\u2019re not talking about you!\u201d So my question is, then who are you talking about?<\/p>\n<p>I recall when my landlord first saw my immigration papers, he was afraid to even touch it. Because I had been detained he was worried that he was dealing with a criminal. When you think about refugees, pictures and videos of faraway countries with poor and malnourished children are what come to mind. So when I say I am a refugee, people don\u2019t believe me, they think I\u2019ve only come here to start a better life.<\/p>\n<p>But overall, with more awareness and education, attitudes toward refugees are changing slowly in the community. Social media plays a big role in educating others about Hong Kong\u2019s refugee crisis. No one becomes a refugee by choice.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_184529\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-184529\" style=\"width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-184529 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/justice-centre-empathy-900x600.jpeg\" alt=\"a black and white image of two holding hands\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/justice-centre-empathy-900x600.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/justice-centre-empathy-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/justice-centre-empathy.jpeg 1400w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 900px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 900\/600;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-184529\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Empathy always goes a long way. Always. (Photography: Justice Centre via Facebook)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>What did you have to leave behind when fleeing to Hong Kong that you still miss after spending more than 15 years in the city?<\/h3>\n<p>A lot! There\u2019s a lot. Back home, hospitality is the first word you teach a child, especially when it comes to taking care of foreigners. Which is completely different from here. Here it\u2019s more about competition than humanity. Growing up, people would ask me, \u201cHow is your health?\u201d or \u201cIs there anything I can help with?\u201d So I definitely miss my culture and the people. I have no relatives or family here, it\u2019s a big hole in my life now. And of course, I miss the food!<\/p>\n<p>Most of all, I miss the freedom to do what I want and live like a normal human being.<\/p>\n<h3>A refugee in Hong Kong is only given HK$1,500 for rent a month and on average HK$40 for food per day. Can you share your experience of building a new life in Hong Kong on a very limited budget? What did you find the most challenging?<\/h3>\n<p>Imagine someone who cannot even choose what to eat from the supermarket or cannot choose where to live. You can only afford to stay in subdivided flats in the New Territories or old buildings in Kowloon that are ready to be demolished. Most times, you have to agree to live with people you have no idea who they are. It\u2019s a loss of human dignity.<\/p>\n<p>The lack of choice is what I found most challenging. You no longer feel like a human being.<\/p>\n<h3>How much has your life changed since you were granted special permission by the government to work in Hong Kong?<\/h3>\n<p>I was granted permission to work in 2013. It was a kind of metamorphosis. From somebody who didn\u2019t have any choice to become somebody who could decide what to wear, where to eat, and where to live. From living with no plan (much like a machine) to somebody who has a schedule of things to do \u2013 it\u2019s just feeling alive again.<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=vgr7Sf0LU9I<\/p>\n<h3>Can you tell us more about your work advocating for justice for refugees in Hong Kong?<\/h3>\n<p>I am the Community Outreach Officer and my role is to create awareness and, of course, work with Preston. I reach out to local and international communities to help provide education about the refugee crisis.<\/p>\n<p>My goal is to get the refugee community to speak for themselves, but it\u2019s not easy if you have to hide your identity. But you don\u2019t always have to be on the spot to speak out. For me, I am okay with being called a refugee, but there are people who will hide it\u2014as they\u2019re scared of the negative connotations associated with the term. So we\u2019re slowly working on making refugees comfortable enough to talk about their life here.<\/p>\n<h3>What can we, as residents, do to alleviate misconceptions about refugees?<\/h3>\n<p>No one knows if he or she will become a refugee one day. Refugees are only different from others in terms of circumstances, otherwise, they\u2019re also human. They are people who have talent and skills and they\u2019re able to give back to the community if given the opportunity. Excluding refugees won\u2019t make the problem go away. The way forward is to integrate refugees within the community.<\/p>\n<p>In 1958, my country hosted refugees from Rwanda and they grew to become the key people in transport, education, health, infrastructure, and so much more. And I can tell you, when they returned back to Rwanda in 1994, we suffered. We really felt that emptiness. Refugees, if given the opportunity, can really contribute.<\/p>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"sbi-embed-wrap\">\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media sbi-embed\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CSyiC3XAsFV\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:500px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CSyiC3XAsFV\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\"> <\/p>\n<div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CSyiC3XAsFV\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by Justice Centre Hong Kong (@justicecentrehk)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>\u201cWe often forget we\u2019re descendants of refugees ourselves\u201d &#8211; Preston Cheung<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_184530\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-184530\" style=\"width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-184530 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/Justice-Centre-Preston-Cheung-900x600.jpg\" alt=\"Preston Cheung from Justice Centre\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/Justice-Centre-Preston-Cheung-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/Justice-Centre-Preston-Cheung-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/Justice-Centre-Preston-Cheung.jpg 1400w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 900px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 900\/600;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-184530\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Preston Cheung from Justice Centre is not a new-comer to the issue of refugee crisis<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>How long have you been working for the Justice Centre? How did you come to be a part of the team?<\/h3>\n<p>I\u2019ve been working here for two years and my work involves running our communications and policy work. When I was still pursuing my undergraduate degree, I worked as a Protection Intern for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, where I was a delegate in a forum alongside agencies working with NGOs like the Justice Centre. It&#8217;s been a natural choice for me to come back to this field.<\/p>\n<h3>What is the most rewarding part of your work, and also what is the toughest part?<\/h3>\n<p>Though my role here doesn\u2019t directly involve client cases, it\u2019s amazing to see how communication efforts on social media can help clients rebuild their lives and regain a sense of humanity. It feels very rewarding to be part of the change, as one of the only NGOs raising concerns directly to the Legislative Council to amend the limited financial aid and living conditions of subdivided housing for refugees and minorities.<\/p>\n<p>The toughest part of it all is telling clients that despite our best efforts, things did not go our way and we couldn\u2019t achieve the desired outcome. It takes extra courage from the clients to come forward and voice their concerns on behalf of other refugees in Hong Kong. It\u2019s important to keep our clients motivated for them to share their concerns and also to maintain the level of trust and confidence they have with us.<\/p>\n<p>It can be hard to reach newly arrived refugees to provide the help and support that they need, when they need it. The Justice Centre Hong Kong and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.freshfields.com\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer<\/a> have joined forces to create a mobile app to help asylum seekers in Hong Kong understand their legal rights. The project was spearheaded by Georgia Dawson, a senior partner at Freshfields who has worked with Justice Centre for 13 years. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is one of our a long-standing pro bono partners; their innovative work and collaboration has supported some of the most vulnerable members of the Hong Kong community.<\/p>\n<div class=\"video-wrapper\"><iframe title=\"HK Asylum Guide - Justice Centre Hong Kong and Freshfields unveil ground-breaking new app\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5FIUshHkyQ8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<h3>What can Hong Kongers do to help with the refugee crisis in Hong Kong?<\/h3>\n<p>70-80% of Hong Kong&#8217;s population comprises descendants of refugees. Hong Kong has a long history as a refugee society and that is something very few recognise. But the words people use are very important; many say their parents or grandparents \u201cfled\u201d China, without using the term \u201crefugees\u201d and the missing link starts there.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re all migrants from somewhere at some time. If you think refugees are just dark-skinned people or South Asians, you are misinformed.<\/p>\n<p>Discrimination towards refugees also comes from ethnic minorities in Hong Kong and this sort of alienation only isolates refugees even more. Refugees need people with whom they can communicate in their neighbourhood and ethnic minorities play a very important role.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re looking forward to the next World Refugee Day on 20 June. But every day is a good to discover organisations like ourselves and to get educated about the crisis. The opportunities to help are there, you just need to get involved.<\/p>\n<p><em>To get involved and stay up-to-date on events, follow <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/justicecentrehk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">@justicecentrehk<\/a> on Instagram.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For those of us who were brought up in Hong Kong or came here to work and study, we know it can be tough to leave the city. What most people don\u2019t realise is, how it can be almost impossible for refugees fleeing dire situations to make a new life in the city. To learn [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":107509,"featured_media":184531,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"categories":[18024],"tags":[41250],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.7 (Yoast SEO v23.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Justice Centre Hong Kong helps refugees seek protection | Honeycombers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We talk to Mr A and Preston Cheung from the Justice Centre about Hong Kong\u2019s refugee crisis and what members of the public can do.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u201cNo one becomes a refugee by choice\u201d: we discuss the refugee crisis in Hong Kong with the Justice Centre\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For those of us who were brought up in Hong Kong or came here to work and study, we know it can be tough to leave the city. What most people don\u2019t realise\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Honeycombers Hong Kong\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/honeycombershongkong\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-01-20T03:00:06+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-01-26T05:52:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/Justice-Centre-Mr-A.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"933\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Fashila Kanakka\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@honeycombershk\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@honeycombershk\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Fashila Kanakka\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Fashila Kanakka\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#\/schema\/person\/29d464fb102b2a7ee53962e3c754a1e2\"},\"headline\":\"\u201cNo one becomes a refugee by choice\u201d: we discuss the refugee crisis in Hong Kong with the Justice Centre\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-01-20T03:00:06+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-01-26T05:52:49+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/\"},\"wordCount\":1851,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/Justice-Centre-Mr-A.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"refugee crisis Hong Kong\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Local Buzz\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/\",\"name\":\"Justice Centre Hong Kong helps refugees seek protection | Honeycombers\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/Justice-Centre-Mr-A.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-01-20T03:00:06+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-01-26T05:52:49+00:00\",\"description\":\"We talk to Mr A and Preston Cheung from the Justice Centre about Hong Kong\u2019s refugee crisis and what members of the public can do.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/Justice-Centre-Mr-A.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/Justice-Centre-Mr-A.jpg\",\"width\":1400,\"height\":933,\"caption\":\"When one door closes, another one opens, but it\u2019s not always easy\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"\u201cNo one becomes a refugee by choice\u201d: we discuss the refugee crisis in Hong Kong with the Justice Centre\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/\",\"name\":\"Honeycombers\",\"description\":\"Restaurants, Bars, Fashion, Style and Things to Do in Hong Kong\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Honeycombers\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/12\/Honeycombers-Logo-Icon.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/12\/Honeycombers-Logo-Icon.png\",\"width\":696,\"height\":696,\"caption\":\"Honeycombers\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/honeycombershongkong\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/honeycombershk\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/honeycombershk\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/honeycombers\"],\"email\":\"hongkong@thehoneycombers.com\",\"legalName\":\"Honeycombers Hong Kong Limited\",\"publishingPrinciples\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/about-us\/\",\"ethicsPolicy\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/about-us\/\",\"diversityPolicy\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/about-us\/\",\"diversityStaffingReport\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/about-us\/\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#\/schema\/person\/29d464fb102b2a7ee53962e3c754a1e2\",\"name\":\"Fashila Kanakka\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cd4081522e58a76fe0cf2d925b3157a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cd4081522e58a76fe0cf2d925b3157a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Fashila Kanakka\"},\"description\":\"Fashila was born in India and raised in Hong Kong. She shares a strong bond with both her home and birth land. She loves hunting for hidden gems and finding the road less travelled. More often than not, you can find her loading up on succulents at the Flower Market, buying yet another book to rest on the shelf, or making calories come to life by baking!\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/author\/fashila\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Justice Centre Hong Kong helps refugees seek protection | Honeycombers","description":"We talk to Mr A and Preston Cheung from the Justice Centre about Hong Kong\u2019s refugee crisis and what members of the public can do.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"\u201cNo one becomes a refugee by choice\u201d: we discuss the refugee crisis in Hong Kong with the Justice Centre","og_description":"For those of us who were brought up in Hong Kong or came here to work and study, we know it can be tough to leave the city. What most people don\u2019t realise","og_url":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/","og_site_name":"Honeycombers Hong Kong","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/honeycombershongkong\/","article_published_time":"2022-01-20T03:00:06+00:00","article_modified_time":"2022-01-26T05:52:49+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1400,"height":933,"url":"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/Justice-Centre-Mr-A.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Fashila Kanakka","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@honeycombershk","twitter_site":"@honeycombershk","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Fashila Kanakka","Estimated reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/"},"author":{"name":"Fashila Kanakka","@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#\/schema\/person\/29d464fb102b2a7ee53962e3c754a1e2"},"headline":"\u201cNo one becomes a refugee by choice\u201d: we discuss the refugee crisis in Hong Kong with the Justice Centre","datePublished":"2022-01-20T03:00:06+00:00","dateModified":"2022-01-26T05:52:49+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/"},"wordCount":1851,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/Justice-Centre-Mr-A.jpg","keywords":["refugee crisis Hong Kong"],"articleSection":["Local Buzz"],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/","url":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/","name":"Justice Centre Hong Kong helps refugees seek protection | Honeycombers","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/Justice-Centre-Mr-A.jpg","datePublished":"2022-01-20T03:00:06+00:00","dateModified":"2022-01-26T05:52:49+00:00","description":"We talk to Mr A and Preston Cheung from the Justice Centre about Hong Kong\u2019s refugee crisis and what members of the public can do.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/Justice-Centre-Mr-A.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/10\/Justice-Centre-Mr-A.jpg","width":1400,"height":933,"caption":"When one door closes, another one opens, but it\u2019s not always easy"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/interview-with-justice-centre\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"\u201cNo one becomes a refugee by choice\u201d: we discuss the refugee crisis in Hong Kong with the Justice Centre"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#website","url":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/","name":"Honeycombers","description":"Restaurants, Bars, Fashion, Style and Things to Do in Hong Kong","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#organization","name":"Honeycombers","url":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/12\/Honeycombers-Logo-Icon.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/12\/Honeycombers-Logo-Icon.png","width":696,"height":696,"caption":"Honeycombers"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/honeycombershongkong\/","https:\/\/x.com\/honeycombershk","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/honeycombershk\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/honeycombers"],"email":"hongkong@thehoneycombers.com","legalName":"Honeycombers Hong Kong Limited","publishingPrinciples":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/about-us\/","ethicsPolicy":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/about-us\/","diversityPolicy":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/about-us\/","diversityStaffingReport":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/about-us\/"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#\/schema\/person\/29d464fb102b2a7ee53962e3c754a1e2","name":"Fashila Kanakka","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cd4081522e58a76fe0cf2d925b3157a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cd4081522e58a76fe0cf2d925b3157a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Fashila Kanakka"},"description":"Fashila was born in India and raised in Hong Kong. She shares a strong bond with both her home and birth land. She loves hunting for hidden gems and finding the road less travelled. More often than not, you can find her loading up on succulents at the Flower Market, buying yet another book to rest on the shelf, or making calories come to life by baking!","url":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/author\/fashila\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/184527"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/107509"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=184527"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/184527\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":188127,"href":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/184527\/revisions\/188127"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/184531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=184527"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=184527"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=184527"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}