Mass deportations of Cambodian/Burmese/Laotians

[Spitfire]

Many think that this could be on the cards very soon, found this report in the Bangkok Post buried in the 'Labour' section on the 3/4 th page of local news.

Migrants face deportation

Bangkok Post
Published: 19/01/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

More than 30 local and international labour organisations have submitted an open letter to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva expressing concern over the safety and security of over 2 million migrant workers in Thailand.

The petition was made in response to a December 2008 cabinet resolution that requires migrants to go through a nationality verification (NV) process to confirm their nationality in order to remain in Thailand after their existing work permits expire in 2010.

The government set Feb 28 as the deadline for migrants to complete the NV, even as the process continues to experience considerable challenges.

According to labour groups, less than 10,000 migrants from Burma, which make up around 90% of all migrant workers, have completed the process.

The petitioners, including the New York-based Human Rights Watch, the Human Rights and Development Foundation and the Asian Human Rights Commission, said they were particularly concerned about 60,000 Burmese workers whose permission to stay in Thailand expires on Jan 20.

The groups said it was impossible to complete the verification process by the Feb 28 deadline.

''There are 1.4 million workers to complete the NV, yet systems are working slowly,'' they said.

The labour advocates called on the government to revise the policy and take into account the workers' human rights.

However, The Human Rights and Development Foundation paints a much more serious picture of impending blanket deportations here for those that wish to read more on this subject.

http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/1566

Don't think they're messing around with this, they might actually do it.

[margaretcarnes]

As it's now the 20th over there it will indeed be interesting to see what happens (if in fact the Western media bother with the story at all.)
Abhisit could face his real test. I'm sure most of us hope he succeeds, but it could be argued that if Cambodia, Burma and Laos themselves had a decent record on Human Rights there would be no need for their nationals to go to Thailand anyway. Thailand itself has provided work and refuge for the period it committed to apparently.
The worry is that the procedures for registering etc have maybe been unecessarily delayed or hampered by whatever beaurocracy as an excuse. I'm actually surprised by the numbers involved, and concerned how they would be herded up and treated if the worst happens.

[cookmanchef]

Unfortunately "Human rights organisations' do themselves no favours and lose a lot of credibility by issuing ridiculous and annoying statements. Whenever that Chakrabati woman comes on BBC news I have to restrain myself from kicking the cat as she spouts on about the rights of economic migrants who tricked their way into the UK.

It is possible that many of these people do face difficulties and danger if they are forced to return but we will probably never know the truth.

[Khundon1975]

Around 2002/3 we were in Pattaya on the seafront road, having a coffee in Starbucks, (Yuk I know but the wife likes it) as we looked out the window , two big army lorries pulled up and soldiers and police piled into a building site a few doors up the road.

A short while later, out came at least 30 workers, hands secured with those plastic cuffs and they were stuffed into the lorries and the site was left almost deserted.

The next day, guess what, a full compliment of workers again.

A few days later, I got my FIL to check on what happened to them, he did some enquiries and found out that they were all, without exception, from Myanmar and were sent to holding camps for "processing".

The economic migrants that come into Thailand just to earn enough to live, will always be exploited by the rich and unscrupulous and when they get rounded up and deported, there are thousands waiting to take their place.

Until the neighboring countries improve the migrants chances of obtaining gainful employment in their own country, then they will keep coming over the borders and the Thais will keep exploiting them.

The circle needs to be broken and that is down to the governments of Myanmar and other countries and to the Thais, who need to go after the big boys involved in this type of human trade.

Fat chance of that though.

cookmanchef Spend 15 minutes on Google and you will be surprised at just how much truth is out there, for those that look.

[margaretcarnes]

Very true KhunDon. Unfortunately the exploitation of migrant workers is a problem in the UK as well. Maybe not to the same extent of course. But there's some scary stuff going on here - with legal foreign workers - exploited simply because they don't understand their legal rights, and daren't make a fuss or they will lose their jobs.
I've been working with a Polish student for the last 4 months and it's been quite enlightening.

[poosmate]

4 months to learn to polish?

[margaretcarnes]

4 months to learn to polish?

Yeah dream on! Over 5 years wasn't enough to get to grips with Thai

[buksida]

Thailand to kick out Burmese refugees
Thousands of refugees who fled Burma for safety in Thailand after their country's junta launched a military offensive could be forced to return home where they could face torture or even death, campaigners believe.

Activists say that up to 3,000 ethnic Karen, who were forced from eastern Burma last summer, could be "voluntarily repatriated" as early as today. While the Thai authorities insist that no one will be forced to return to Burma against their will, they have said that those who want to go home could start returning immediately. It has been claimed that officials have already been putting pressure on some of the refugees.

Full Story: The Independent

And we farangs think we get a hard time here.

[Georgy Porgy]

An article in The Nation on 5th Feb, says deportations of karen has stopped due to International pressure (sorry can't work out posting link).
[url]
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakin ... Burmese-re[/url]

[Khundon1975]

There was a programme on Channel 4 here in UK last week, called "Going to Mars" about two Karen families from refugee camps in Thailand.

It followed them as they were offered homes in Sheffield. Hence the "Mars" bit.

The families had houses next to each other and one family spoke English whilst the other did not. After a few weeks they had fallen out, not sure why but maybe a follow up programme will enlighten us.

I believe many families are allowed into the US and Canada but this is still a drop in the ocean, compared to the thousands still in camps in northern Thailand.

If the Thais thought they could get away with it, they would shove them all back over the border, but the outcry from the International community would be immense, so they just treat them like s**t and hope they go back of their own accord.

margaretcarnes Yes Mags I agree, we in the UK have many problems with illegal immigrants being exploited.

February 5th 2004 is a case in point. 21 Chinese dead, exploited by their own kind.

Are we really in the 21st century? sometimes it feels like the Dark Ages.

[stgrhe]

I believe many families are allowed into the US and Canada but this is still a drop in the ocean, compared to the thousands still in camps in northern Thailand.

There are several thousands of Karen refugees in Sweden. They were taken from Thai refugee camps by the Swedish authorities in the same manor as how the Vietnamese boat refugees were done some decades ago.

As far as I know the Karens have settled in well in Sweden despite the odd climate.