Monday, January 26, 2009

Australians awarded the Order of Australia for helping Khmer refugees in Thai camps in the 80s

Ms Dorothy Lucy MISSINGHAM, SA

For service to international humanitarian aid through contributions to refugee resettlement and migrant assistance programs in South East Asia and Australia, and to the community.

Employee, Indo China Refugee Association (now known as Australian Refugee Association), working with resettlement of orphaned refugee children, 1984-2000; during this period she returned to Thailand and Cambodia to work with young Cambodians and also worked in Sydney with young refugees at Burnside Homes NSW; developed innovative approaches to assisting young refugees through supported accommodation and community networks.

Volunteer, involved in the settlement of refugee Cambodian orphans in Australia (Sydney, Canberra and Adelaide), the United States of America, Switzerland and Canada, early 1980s; assistance included taking refugees into her own home.

Ms Missingham continues to support several former refugees, now adults, from this period.

Volunteer, Khao-I-Dang Refugee Camp and Sakaeo Refugee Camp, Thailand-Cambodian Border, in the early 1980s; support and rehabilitation work in the camps through International Aid agencies and United Nations agencies.

Resettlement work with subsequent refugee groups including Eritreans, Ethopians and Kurds, and from the former Yugoslavia.

Board Member, Save the Children – Australia, during the 1990s.

Welfare work with asylum seekers at Port Hedland, during the 1990s.

Campaigner against landmines, for many years.

Founding Member, Survivors of Tortur and Trauma Assistance and Rehabilitation Service (STTARS) in South Australia.

Current Assistant Lecturer, School of Chemical Engineering and School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Adelaide.

Dr Barbara Julienne WAKE, SA

For service to international humanitarian aid through contributions to refugee resettlement and migrant assistance programs in South-East Asia and Australia, and to the community.

Employee, Indo China Refugee Association (now known as Australian Refugee Association), during the 1990s; working with the resettlement of orphaned refugee children.

Volunteer, involved in settlement of refugee Cambodian orphans in Australia (Sydney, Canberra and Adelaide), the United States of America, France, Canada and New Zealand, early 1980s; continues to support several former refugees, now adults, from this period.

Volunteer, Khao-I-Dang Refugee Camp, Thailand-Cambodian Border, in the late 1970s and early 1980s; support and rehabilitation work in the camps through the International Red Cross and United Nations agencies.

Campaigner against landmines, for many years.

Senior Lecturer, University of Adelaide, since 1994.

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