I've traveled to over 50 countries around the world. I'm a Canadian who chose to move to Cambodia for 5 years. I absolutely love Cambodia. All the shots you see in this video of Cambodia, make Cambodia seem like a crappy place to live but it certainly is not. It's beautiful and the people are wonderful. I plan to move back to Cambodia in a years time. I miss it everyday.
I've been living in Thailand for a few years now, 15 years in China before that. Also been to Cambodia a few times. It's not at all a bad place to live, if you have some money/support. That could come in the form of a healthy monthly pension, employment income or significant savings. but if you arrive there with the clothes on your back and get minimal support, it's going to be tough.
The room where those "refugees" are talking at 15:21 in the video looks better than the 25 dollars/month room where I lived for about 3 months. Many families in Cambodia live in places like that, but that is already quite far from the bottom of the scale (in Cambodia and in Myanmar). And the villa where the IMO is housing the refugees for one year looks like a place where only the top 1% of locals can afford to live. Those are economic migrants, not refugees fleeing for their lives. I can't blame them for trying since I'll probably do the same in their situation, but those are not the kind of people refugee laws are for. This guy already got a super fantastic deal, but hey, if he can try for more... Other people have done much better, and he knows it.
As a refugee, you should be greatful that you don’t have to live in a country where your children hear gunfire out the window and the military takes a family member away never to be seen again. That’s what a real refugee would be greatful for. If your plan is to go to a rich country and benefit off the economy, then you’re classified as an economic migrant.
Why would anyone be greatfull for living in a country where malaria and measles rage unchecked? And they cannot marry easily as every other person in that country has HIV.
I watched this video with an open eye. I don't share any sympathy for the young man simply because he plays at being a victim and not doing anything proactive to help himself! He set his sights on Australia, and instead was sent to Nauru, then offered to start a new life in Cambodia where his religion and culture is tolerated. He refuses to learn to speak Khmer, then expects the government to help assist with his return home?! His friends work hard for a living to support their families and despite the struggle for their children to get an educated (Cambodia does not offer education to non-cititzens) they somehow manage to survive. This guy is given a chance to start anew, yet refuses to do anything proactive to help his situation.
But how can Cambodia accept refugees and then does not want to integrate them or give a chance to their children to go to school that's no future. You don't even have a driver's license or an ID, they just have a refugee card. That isn't an identification to live in one country.
Because we Chinese are different. We can survive, assimilate and prosper in any parts of the world. Checkout Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia. I am from Singapore and been to all these countries. Some tips here, learn the local language and work hard day and night, no shortcuts.
$8000 is equal to approx 2 years worth of salary for the average Cambodian worker. The IOM is giving this to him in 1 year PLUS a grant to start a new business. What’s he complaining about?
Having recently returned from Cambodia I can report it is beautiful and on the precipice of a major rebirth. Our Chinese friends are pumping plenty of money into the place...New huge apartment buildings and expensive cars starting to appear everywhere.
So they are giving him $16000 to start life. Was he expecting to live on social security in Australia? This young man has the wrong attitude to life. I would love someone to give me that amount of money right now. Smh
If you’re fleeing from war stricken countries (especially wars that America, Europe, & in some regards Australia has an active hand in) then you should expect to be allowed in. You can’t supply weapons to poor nations with limited/corrupt governments and civil wars and expect the innocent to just sit and make due. It’s a privilege to be able to sit and make due some people in the world risk, death, famine, forcable compliance in civil wars/deadly regimes, gang rape/violence, etc. everyone escaping isn’t going through the same thing so to assume that someone should or even could just sit and make due with the situation they’re dealt is disgusting and absolutely privileged of you.
Peace & Fortitude I would NOT go to Cambodia. The government is absolutely corrupt and paid for and controlled by one family that doesn’t care about the natives. So you being a refugee would not be safe. I would try to make my way towards the U.K. and from there go to Greenland or neighboring countries...I hope you’re not a troll 😊
He (Rashid) is lazy. The chinese come to Suriname (South America), Papua New Guinea to open shop there eventhough they dont speak dutch, english. just speak chinese. but they want change so they work hardly
I fled from Cambodia to Thailand refugee camp, then we got accept to USA. I have been working for 20 years every day. Maybe 2 to 3 days off per years. My body hurts all over. I cry most of the time due to PTSD and depression. I am 52 years old now. I still cry missing parent being killed during the Communist. I work at night. I cry all by myself , wiped out my tear and go out to help a customer who come in buying coffee or donuts. They are not aware that I am crying while I am in back making Donuts. Nigtmare or Night Terror or not I am always treat people with respect. This is just a emotional state. I still other physical issue my L5 spinal disc has been messed up since I was 12 years of age. I became a man since that age. Now I am still have that back problem. I crawl to bed, out of bed and go to work not even a single day of for 20 years. In 2016 my ring finger is got lock can move. It was so painful. Extreme pain 24 hours pain. I can use only three fingers to make donuts on my right hand. In 2017, God has a GREAT sense of humor. The same finger on the left hand got locked up. Now both of my of my hands has exptreme pain daily. The only I feel no pain when falling asleep. Am I a cripple now? Only three fingers on the right hand, and other three fingers on the left hand. Cann't wash my face without hurting both of my elbows. Can't lift coffee pots without hurting both of my elbows. Server depression, worrying about my family future. PTSD still keep haunting me. Getting mad at God, but thank him for leaving three fingers on each hand to perform my daily tasks. Two year right hand and two year left hand. This four years is quite a test for me. To give up or continue. Now my fingers are getting better every day somtimes I feel it is creeping back. Depression and PTSD continue it course. Still cry and scream in my sleep constainly. 2019 God sent me another, test, this year another bigger test. This year is maybe the last test he will ever send because it might land me in the emergency room very often. I have gone thru this experience without any medicine or counselor. All I do just love myself, others, my family and all my pets and God. I am a Buddhist. I don't thinks so. I am a Christian? I don't think so. I pray yes. Evey day I open my eyes and sitting in my car and pray. Who is my God. My God is a power of love and compassion. I have helped quite a few people even though I am having my difficult time in my life. I don't have any friend any more. I try to seek any opportunity to be an instrument of help to others. He is very young and capable. Be strong both mental and physical so that he can help other refugees around him. He can even help other poorer Cambodian. Stop take medicine. It only wear you down. Back pain, elbow pain finger pain, I still be able to defend myself if someone try to come at night to harm me, especially I am staying at the Donut Shop and open door to public at night. It is very dangerous. That's why I decide to be alert and able to protect myself. Medicine make u drowsy and useless all day. Am I bragging? No. Just want to share all those curve balls God throw at me. Will I survive this year? Not sure, but I am tough, I am strong. This is the principle I have to tell myself. I cry alot. PTSD is suck. One day I cried from 8 to 4 in the afternoon when I was in United State Army. Then in 2000 I cried from 6 till 12 nonstop. Why? My parents got killed by the Khmer Rouge, all the dead bodies I witness since my childhood. Khmer hate me because I am Chinese. Chinese hate me because I am not Chinese enough. Khmer hate me because I look like Vietnamese. Some parents don't want their kids to play with me because I am an orphan. No parents means you are not well disciplined and educated. I was called a Viet Cong by one of the Drill Sergent. It is not cool at all, but I don't let it bother me at all. One of the female Drill Sergent called me a sissy. What do u expect from a 110 pound little boy? When I graduate from Boot Camp, I weight 135 pound. Enough of my life long story. I can write a book about this story. I plan to make a UTub channel to help those younger people out there. Life is precious if you live for others, but not for yourself. I am not ready to go and make my Maker yet. Before I live for my sisters in my family. Now I live for my two boys. Maybe later live for my Grand kid and Great Grand kids. My life does not belong to me. I told myself I can't die. It sounds corny, but what it is. If you can 't think like that you will commit suicide eventually. PTSD and server depression is no a joke. Love and peace. Wear your masks. It save lives. By the way. I am updating another reason for other to hate me. I have been a 99 percent since 2019 till now. First do for my health. Now I do it for the animals and the environment. I am Chinese, but I am not eating bats, dogs and other animals. It is not funny, I know. By the way, I still dance when making Donuts even sometime I could hardly walk. I still have some light in my dark life. Be positive. A better tomorrow will come. When? When I running with my great grand kids. Pain and suffering is just another side of the coin, happiness and feeling pride and dignity. Live for others if yours is suck. Don't hate me. Because I am specially STRONG.....LOL
El Perro Loco I strongly agree that the money went straight to their pockets.I also believe the aussie went about this all wrong or wrong people to go to.There are private sectors who are trust worthy and can pull it off.Look at the GDP growth in cambodia at the moment,highest in the region all because of the private sector not the government.That being said the money is gone and refugees needs to understand that theyre guests and the host has all the rights to do what ever they please.Dont like it? get out or starve and die.No such thing as welfare in cambodia.
+Bin Laggin I think you should be more upset at the corruption, as opposed to who's getting welfare. Frankly, Cambodia stays a poor nation because of the wealth being concentrated in so few hands. Maybe if you worked on changing that dynamic. Welfare wouldn't be a concern. Frankly, this is looking like a violation of human rights. Australia is going wind up wasting money and time moving migrants around. Cambodia is losing out too because those refugees could have become massive assets to a nation. The key for anything nation to be successful is mastering immigration. For me I couldn't care less who's on welfare. Markets can't be worth more than someone's life at that live. What Cambodia has is unsustainable and could implode.
+Bin Laggin You could go talk to these refugees or give them status to allow them to work. By the way it's not 51% of Americans of welfare. And in America 90% of people on welfare do work. The reason they're on welfare is because their wages are too low to live on. You seem very misinformed.
El Perro Loco Maybe i am,but what i see here is what i believe in.And i see welfare shooting up over weight doesnt want to work they get pregnant so they can set themselves up for another 18 years of paychecks people take advantage of the system.Every two to three houses in a block here are on welfare with bikes and drives the latest cars while the people who actually work have much less. They seem to think the world owes them.I believe in making things happen instead of sitting around hoping one day something will fall through.Welfare is an inside joke here for people who doesnt want to work but of course their are people out there who genuinely need help to get on back on their feet, those are the ones we should concentrate on.I see the same problem in these refugees.
Places to retire are not necessarily the best places to make a living, and vice versa too, places that are great for making a living are not necessarily great for retirement.
Mohamed Roshid is a fortune hunter. Look at the Iranian guy having a used car shop. I met a Pakistani guy in Phnom Penh and he came with only a back pack 4 years earlier. He was doing extremely well, even better than many Cambodians. He has a shop selling Indian/Pakistani cloth and rugs. He did not seem to have problems with the language.
I'm sorry to say this, but what were these 'refugees' fleeing from if they all happily returned to their homelands? Bless Cambodia for taking them in...
Oh yeah they aren't given the newest up to date cell phones. That's unacceptable in my eyes. Ugh this is part of the reason people are starting to see what they are getting away with 'They won't pay for my daughters education'. They didn't get my son a job. OMG
Sunshine These refugees have a better life than most of the Cambodian people ,they have the support for a year at least ,the people of the country have no such support ! They r allowed to stay in the country & they dare to say they do want to learn the people language ,what an insult to the host ! Your own country doesn’t want you or didn’t support you & yet you expect people to accept you when you don’t respect them !you need to go back to where you came from ! No one will accept an arrogant person like you ! Just go back to your country like the others if u r s
Cambodia is a wonderful place. But to live there you have to learn the language and have a professional trade. It’s how the country is built on. I’m an American and i stayed in Cambodia for 2 years and loved it. How it all starts is learn to speak the lingo and the rest will come!!
Even if you don't want to learn Khmer at least learn to speak English just the basic is good enough to help himself. It's crazy how people think they can just go to the rich countries crossed illegally and expect to become a citizen lol
They're provided with cash, start up for a business, christ that's more opportunity than you had. In Australia we have citizens who are struggling too. So be happy your safe, as that was your concern when you left.. Myanmar surely would not give those opportunities..
Or go to school to get a degree, it doesn't sound like he has brain at all! Keep himself busy, stop whining! The whole world is not your mother, and your mother never given you any idea! Many Cambodian young men end up in deportation, every cards they issued has an explanation and expiration date! Did these refugees ever read it?
To be fair , if you know anything about south-east asia and south asians, it would be quite difficult for him to get a job over a local even if he were fluent in the language.
He's got $17000 and he is despite the rubbish on here in a much better place than Myanmar! I am moving to Cambodia in two months I have a family with a 4 year old boy and I will do it with $5000 and do it easily! This guy has NOTHING to complain about!
My family is from Cambodia and we're war refugees. I believe that countries should accept refugees into their borders, however it should be under sponsorship. With sponsorship the families get to learn about the culture and the way of life in that country. This help them integrate into their new nation and become normal citizens. Plus this would put less strain on the host country. We still see and talk to the family that sponsored us to come to US and this allowed us to be more successful over other refugees who never really intergraded well.
I'm not American? I was born in the United States of America, I gave blood, sweat, and tears serving in the arms forces. What have you done for your country? What makes you an American? What does that make you? I guess you should go back to the country your forefathers came from.
Im Thai and I like a policy where immigrants must swear allegiance to the King, Nation, abandon Abrahamic faiths, and adopt a Thai name. They must assimilate
+Great Siam that's terrible. Also, thailand is a shithole. Beautiful scenery, ocean but everything else is rubbish . If what you say is accurate , then that only confirms it
@asterixis you are right. khmer is a difficult language even for me as a cambodian. i got an E for khmer, while i got an A for english in state exam. i can't imagine how hard it would be for foreigners trying to learn the language
@@sarahhumphreys3980 Can't really blame people for not "wanting to integrate" when they are not accepted. Which if you know anything about that region, his kind aren't.
Australia's refugee program might seem inhumane but it works and saves the lives of millions who would be exploited by the people smugglers It is hard to have any sympathy for this young man -he is better off than many local Cambodians
I actually find it really cool that Cambodia so openly accepted the refugees (with the cash). What did they expect from a country like Cambodia? Nobody will help you there except for that first year. I mean at some point they will become like the rest of the people and have to work and all... but that guy really needs mental help. The weirdest thing in all of this is Australia - how can they just send refugees away to another country? What kind of a weird deal was this? A huge failure for everyone.
Update on Rashid per a Google search...as of late 2019 he was operating a roti stand in Cambodia and got married to a Rohingya woman who is also a refugee. He still yearns to get to the West as he subsequently learned that many Australia refugee rejects have been sent to North America and Europe.
Cambodian ppl don't get support 😂😂😂 they work hard, wake up at 4am each day to get ready to open there market, fishing, start there day until the end of the night.
Rashid is one of those guy that like a handout only. i help out a few of his type in my lifetime already not knowingly. i would say dont bother let them figured it out.
I have no understanding for the inhumane treatment of the boat people by the Australian side. But: Australia says clearly, if you come illegal by a boat there is no way you ever will accepted in Australia. Yet people still don't listen.Then they practice what they said yet people still come.
In all fairness, part of the reason for asylum is also economic security. It was stupid of him to agree to go to Cambodia in the first place where it would likely have been worse for him than going to Myanmar or Bangladesh.
Great job. Very successful program. Canada should definitely learn from this. Canada has many refugees like Rashid who does not learn local language, or try to blend into local culture. Those people are eating government funding at Canadian tax payer expense. Most refugees going to developed countries are trying to game their systems. This needs to put STOP. Well done, Australia!
Why would you go to another country and not work overtime to learn the language? I have several language books from various country's I have visited. No excuse to not learn the language once your in a country, submersion is a primary key component to learning ANY language with efficiency.
That guy just wants an easy way out and/or a handout from a 1st world country, that's why he doesn't want to stay and learn. They're supporting him for 1 year already, he has a year to try and figure out what to do. He wants to be better settle but isn't willing to work.
These people are not interested in learning and they don’t want to improve their lives. Born poor is not a shame but not doing anything in the whole life and stay poor is really shameful.
This main seeker is a fake. I picked up Khmer quite quickly in one month versus him staying for 3-4 months already. The Chinese population did their own business in Cambodia and survived.
Those “refugees” from the middle east have to be resettled back to their countries of origin. What strikes me is why their brothers and sisters in faith are not welcoming them in Saudi Arabia or Kuwait?! I’m a legal migrant to Cambodia and it’s a very beautiful country with very lovely people. Yes if someone wants to work he / she can find work but it’s definitely not a country where freeloaders will have a easy life. Cambodia can be paradise to those who are willing to integrate and work but otherwise it’s their own fault if they have a difficult life!!! Don’t complain and go to work but don’t expect others to support you! Cambodia 🇰🇭 became home to many legal migrants like myself and all are happy that we can live in this beautiful country 👍
The first part is pure hateful. A Middle Eastern should be able to go wherever other people with same motives and conditions are able to go. Also countries don’t work like that. Just because you believe in a certain religion doesn’t mean you can simply go to a country with a majority subscribing to that religion.
The truth is the guy don't want to do anything. He doesn't want to learn the language. He does not want to work. Most of these people expect others to support them. Ridiculous.
As a refugee he needs to try to make a life for himself in any country he's sent to. Here he is outright refusing to seek employment in Cambodia, unwilling to learn the language to earn a living. Obviously he is not a refugee but an economic migrant. He's just waiting to go to a country of his choice that could provide for him. Can't sympathize with him here as he has no right to demand for anything.
Massage to you that nowhere can be better than your own home. The first world in your dream will collapse. I am myself a migrant and I have not seen my future where I have been living. I want to go back to home sweet home where I was born and grown up.
My question is out of all countries why Cambodia? Was he eligible to come to America is what I want to know. I am Cambodian but I will never live there. If you want to why do your research first.... even if I win the lottery, never.
Why do they keep going to countries that don't want them? No one should be surprised countries will try to find ways to keep them out. More support for people where they are has to be better than all that moving around to strange places.
Asylum seekers just want to cut in front of legitimate refugees which Australia does take in accordance with UN quotas. Asylum seekers pay people smugglers thousands of dollars to smuggle them by boat to Australia. Even though these are not legitimate refugees, Australian taxpayers are still paying for them to be re-homed in Cambodia. The four asylum seekers that returned to their home countries from Cambodia had passports and are financially well off.
I started off feeling sorry for the guy, but it seems that he is also unwilling to take control of his life too. I agree that his current situation sucks, but he's really the only one that can change his situation. And if he's not even willing to learn the local language, how else did he think he was going to survive?
Asylum seeker should never come to Australia because there are already so many people live on welfare in this country. Moreover, Australia mostly depends on mining and agriculture export, those field just doesnt need much labor. Manufacturing is really weak in Australia so consequently there is no excessive job demand. While Cambodia is poor, the middle class is growing, this guy can easily earn a lot of money opening shop in Cambodia.
Respect for this journalist, she asks the questions, others refuse to ask, in order to give a balanced view on this problem, I say to Rashid, you cannot cherry pick where you want to live , take the offers and make the most of it LOL the other so-called refugees went back home, to '''DANGER'''' when they realized that Australia would not let them in, that's what the journalists should cover
Come to Canada! Canada loves refugees and will welcome you with open arms. Canada is a big country in size, it can easily accommodate all refugees. Welcome to Canada! 🇨🇦
48% of 31 refugees has received some form of assistance from IOM? It is a joke. Just kick out the IOM officer of the job and use his salary to support refugees. It could be a more permanent solution. I wondered if those NGOs are really helping anyone.
Wouldn't it be nice to pick where we want to live and have someone else support us? Find a job, learn the language and try to assimilate. You can't survive if you just sit and wait for support!
Cambodia is ruled under a dictatorship.. That's the only flaw. There's rarely any crime and you can hustle to get by. These are economic refugees, go seek help in Muslim countries.
Failure? the program sounds like a resounding success to me! These people are choosing to go back to the countries they supposedly fled, to save their lives and are spreading their stories of how they were blocked at every turn, and probably lost their seed investment to get to Australia. This will reduce, the amount of people, who try to get into Australia, because it sounds like such a wonderful place. I'm an Australian living in Cambodia, I consider it to be a much better place than Australia. Also, I don't have a Cambodian drivers license, you don't need one here. The Cambodian minister, held a surprisingly good interview on the issue, considering he has not grown up understanding all the political games played in western countries. The dramatic attendance at the lock down house, with the refugees int it: Go and look at the refugee camps that look like prisons in Australia... Oh, I forgot, there is a media blackout there, and journalists will be arrested and their film footage confiscated, before they get there. These people are virtue signalling, country shoppers, they will be a drain, on any country they enter. The program, sounds to me, like a big success, hitting all the targets that the Australian government, would have wanted to achieve. This so called documentary, is a one eyed, so before our crew even leaves to get to Cambodia, lets plan where to go, to get what we consider evidence, to support our pre existing view of the situation, piece of garbage.
Good to know he does not like to stay in the country. Should let him go to another ''happy home". Cambodia has in fact a lot to offer, yet it has not offered that much and although it has offered, he would not accept it. Cambodia should welcome those who desire to stay and willingly wish to self-integrate.
The UK and Europe should adopt the same system, surely Cambodia is better for this guy. They want to go to countries that give them for free without any input through taxes and hard work.
Bravo !!!! If they don't want to stay in Ca,Cambodia, go back to your sands and mountains. Your are not going to force Australia to accept you in Australian territory . Bravo, AUSTRALIA !!!!
Cambodia need to start providing more of social services for the immigrants or refugees. More implementations of immigrants policies are needed to accommodate the newcomers.
As a refugee, one is between a rock and a hard place. Their own country is 'inhabitable' to them. They will face hardships in the country of their destination. If you intend to make a living and live peacefully in your destination, at least from this video - you can albeit difficult. One can't hope handouts for the entire duration of your life. What have you contributed to your own country as well as the country to play host to you? To speak badly about your host when they house you, especially when you are well and fed, is rude.
Australia's management of illegal immigrants is superb. An excellent model which the rest of us in the West should follow. Britain could use St Kilda to process illegal immigrants. Far enough from mainland to keep Britons safe.
Cambodia is a terribly poor country. How is it any different than a country that refuges have "fled"? People in Cambodia are dying from lack of food, health and education... shouldn't we be helping Cambodians.
so your solution is to simply transfer an entire population of a third world country and planting them into a developed one? Are you seriously that naive? these so called "refugees" are mostly nothing more than economic migrants, which is fine...BUT... there are official channels that an economic migrant can apply through. Get education , a skill or something else. Apply officially , not by arriving illegally by a boat having paid thousands of dollars to the people smugglers. (could've paid a whole uni tuition for that kinda money) . Its ridiculous. I am with Australia on this one.
A pretty one sided and disappointing report from Al Jazeera. The UNHCR wants the world to write an open cheque to anyone who wants to go to live in another country via in-proper means. To deter the massive influx of refugees whether they are legitimate or not Australia has written the playbook which many countries are envious of. I wonder how Japan handles their refugees?
You have the right to go back anytime Goun Khmer!! Me personally, since I came to this country at the age of 2........No thanks. America is the land where dreams, freedom and rights are here. Too many corruption in Cambodia....not to say here or anywhere else is perfect...Just more so there. Good luck and stay safe my fellow Khmer.