Monday, November 10, 2008
GFMD a sell-out of the souls of migrant workers
THE CHALLENGE TO THE GLOBAL FORUM ON MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER ISSUES OF MIGRANT WORKERS
October 19, 2008
Seoul, South Korea
KASAMMAKO believes that GFMD is a device to sell neoliberal anti-poverty and financing strategy. It thrives on the poverty of Third World countries, directs them to institutionalize migration policies as a mechanism for development and development cooperation.
The GFMD as localized in the migration policies in South Korea, the government under President Lee Myung Bak has institutionalized labour migration as a means of off-setting the lack of labour resources due to its ageing work force. Although there is so much publicity about better working arrangements for migrant workers and other foreigners employed in the country, the government is up to flush out undocumented migrant workers to less than 100,000 out of over 200,000 in 2010. This has resulted to insurmountable anxiety, loss of income to thousands of migrant workers who were forcibly deported. Both the South Korean government and the Philippine government did not respond to the need to provide amnesty and eventual legalization of undocumented migrant workers. The rampant violations of human rights of migrant workers have not been addressed by both the sending and receiving governments of migrant labour.
Furthermore, the recent surreptitious agreement on the National Pension System and the Social Security System between the two governments intends to divest migrant workers of their hard-earned retirement benefits when finally approved by the Philippine Senate and the Office of the President of the Philippines. The NPS-SSS equalization scheme would eventually deprive migrant workers who contributed to the NPS a lump-sum refund of their contributions at the end of their contract. This is a scheme that would increase the funds of the NPS and the SSS but not benefitting directly the migrant workers. This should not be ratified in any way.
Moreover on the broader scale the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) which is ensuing in Manila this week is a lip service to the situation of the migrant workers worldwide. KASAMMAKO believes that the GFMD is characteristically against the interests of the migrant workers, on the following grounds:
• It hides under the cloak of universally-accepted concepts and principles such as the right to migrate, the “right to development”, “responsibility of government to manage” but peddles on “remittance as a survival mechanism for poor countries” and “temporary labor migration” as a “flexible way of meeting labor surplus and shortage across countries”.
• It avoids the notion that migration is an “alternative to development” because it will expose the undeniable fact that “neoliberal” globalization has failed miserably on its promise to usher development, especially in poor countries that has a vast pool of unemployed. It also unmasks the real intent of the current drive of First World countries and their institutions to exploit the migration phenomenon, the lucrative labor export programs and migrant remittances for the purpose of salvaging or propping up the collapsing economies, especially of semi-colonies and dependent countries.
• GFMD sells neoliberal anti-poverty and financing strategies by promoting the concept that “migration promotes development” and that the remittances of migrants helps the economy and therefore serves as a “tool for development”. It directs its efforts towards capturing the remittances of migrants to: a) ensure super profits of bank monopolies, and b) ensure that debt-ridden economies have a large currency reserve to pay off debts.
The underlying agenda however is to do away with capital pump-priming and ODA which donor countries and IFIs have so far been unable to meet for the past several decades. This exposes the fact that neoliberal globalization currently has not brought Third World countries any closer to the eradication of global poverty and unemployment.
• It promotes the concept of government responsibility to “manage migration” in order to augment state revenues and help cover deficits in foreign payments. Managing migration meant institutionalizing migration policies, adopting “policy coherence” in all its related branches of government, and by “aligning” migration policies with development policies domestically and internationally. This concept exposes that the underlying neoliberal agenda is for Third World countries to continue to tow the line of neoliberal policies (liberalization, privatization, deregulation, etc), policies that bred a vast pool of unemployed and underemployed, the very same policies that brought Third World countries heavily indebted and in a state of abject poverty.
• It employs post post-Washington strategy of “transparency” and “shared responsibility” thru “inter-partnership” with all “stakeholders” in the name of development but marginalizes the role of the most important stakeholder on this issue – the migrants themselves. Consultations and representation of migrant organizations in HLF are nil. Even in dialogues wih civil society organizations, migrant representation is merely a token.
While there is some truth that remittances temporarily alleviates the financial woes of families of migrants, this perverse notion signifies greater commodification of migrants and the perpetuation of conditions for cheap labor, not to mention the social costs of migration, especially on children and families.
KASAMMAKO exposes the so-called “development” through migration and reliance on remittances as development tool are neoliberal anti-poverty and financing concepts and strategy that thrives on people’s exploitation and miseries of migrants, enhances labor flexibilization and therefore, greater commodification of labor, and only brings Third World countries into the quagmire of poverty because these do not address the root causes of underdevelopment and the massive migration of peoples from poor countries. We call on governments, NGOs and all migrant workers to work for a just economic development and unconditional respect for the rights of migrant workers.
October 19, 2008
Seoul, South Korea
KASAMMAKO believes that GFMD is a device to sell neoliberal anti-poverty and financing strategy. It thrives on the poverty of Third World countries, directs them to institutionalize migration policies as a mechanism for development and development cooperation.
The GFMD as localized in the migration policies in South Korea, the government under President Lee Myung Bak has institutionalized labour migration as a means of off-setting the lack of labour resources due to its ageing work force. Although there is so much publicity about better working arrangements for migrant workers and other foreigners employed in the country, the government is up to flush out undocumented migrant workers to less than 100,000 out of over 200,000 in 2010. This has resulted to insurmountable anxiety, loss of income to thousands of migrant workers who were forcibly deported. Both the South Korean government and the Philippine government did not respond to the need to provide amnesty and eventual legalization of undocumented migrant workers. The rampant violations of human rights of migrant workers have not been addressed by both the sending and receiving governments of migrant labour.
Furthermore, the recent surreptitious agreement on the National Pension System and the Social Security System between the two governments intends to divest migrant workers of their hard-earned retirement benefits when finally approved by the Philippine Senate and the Office of the President of the Philippines. The NPS-SSS equalization scheme would eventually deprive migrant workers who contributed to the NPS a lump-sum refund of their contributions at the end of their contract. This is a scheme that would increase the funds of the NPS and the SSS but not benefitting directly the migrant workers. This should not be ratified in any way.
Moreover on the broader scale the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) which is ensuing in Manila this week is a lip service to the situation of the migrant workers worldwide. KASAMMAKO believes that the GFMD is characteristically against the interests of the migrant workers, on the following grounds:
• It hides under the cloak of universally-accepted concepts and principles such as the right to migrate, the “right to development”, “responsibility of government to manage” but peddles on “remittance as a survival mechanism for poor countries” and “temporary labor migration” as a “flexible way of meeting labor surplus and shortage across countries”.
• It avoids the notion that migration is an “alternative to development” because it will expose the undeniable fact that “neoliberal” globalization has failed miserably on its promise to usher development, especially in poor countries that has a vast pool of unemployed. It also unmasks the real intent of the current drive of First World countries and their institutions to exploit the migration phenomenon, the lucrative labor export programs and migrant remittances for the purpose of salvaging or propping up the collapsing economies, especially of semi-colonies and dependent countries.
• GFMD sells neoliberal anti-poverty and financing strategies by promoting the concept that “migration promotes development” and that the remittances of migrants helps the economy and therefore serves as a “tool for development”. It directs its efforts towards capturing the remittances of migrants to: a) ensure super profits of bank monopolies, and b) ensure that debt-ridden economies have a large currency reserve to pay off debts.
The underlying agenda however is to do away with capital pump-priming and ODA which donor countries and IFIs have so far been unable to meet for the past several decades. This exposes the fact that neoliberal globalization currently has not brought Third World countries any closer to the eradication of global poverty and unemployment.
• It promotes the concept of government responsibility to “manage migration” in order to augment state revenues and help cover deficits in foreign payments. Managing migration meant institutionalizing migration policies, adopting “policy coherence” in all its related branches of government, and by “aligning” migration policies with development policies domestically and internationally. This concept exposes that the underlying neoliberal agenda is for Third World countries to continue to tow the line of neoliberal policies (liberalization, privatization, deregulation, etc), policies that bred a vast pool of unemployed and underemployed, the very same policies that brought Third World countries heavily indebted and in a state of abject poverty.
• It employs post post-Washington strategy of “transparency” and “shared responsibility” thru “inter-partnership” with all “stakeholders” in the name of development but marginalizes the role of the most important stakeholder on this issue – the migrants themselves. Consultations and representation of migrant organizations in HLF are nil. Even in dialogues wih civil society organizations, migrant representation is merely a token.
While there is some truth that remittances temporarily alleviates the financial woes of families of migrants, this perverse notion signifies greater commodification of migrants and the perpetuation of conditions for cheap labor, not to mention the social costs of migration, especially on children and families.
KASAMMAKO exposes the so-called “development” through migration and reliance on remittances as development tool are neoliberal anti-poverty and financing concepts and strategy that thrives on people’s exploitation and miseries of migrants, enhances labor flexibilization and therefore, greater commodification of labor, and only brings Third World countries into the quagmire of poverty because these do not address the root causes of underdevelopment and the massive migration of peoples from poor countries. We call on governments, NGOs and all migrant workers to work for a just economic development and unconditional respect for the rights of migrant workers.
How it's like locally--Global Forum on Migration and Development
KASAMMAKO STATEMENT ON FORCED DEPORTATION OF FILIPINO WOMEN MIGRANT WORKERS IN SOUTH KOREA AND ITS IMPACT ON THEIR MINOR CHILDREN
While many state representatives and participants from non-government organizations are gathering in Manila for the United Nations sponsored Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) many migrant workers are forcibly deported, especially in South Korea where recently two Filipino women migrant workers have been arrested without considering the safety and welfare of their minor children. The ongoing clampdown on migrant workers in South Korea has remained unabated. We member organizations of KASAMMA-KO or the Unity of Filipino Migrant Workers Associations in Korea expose and deplore these ongoing violations of human rights of migrant workers and their family members.
On October 23, 2008 at around 2:00 p.m. Bernadette Bourbon of legal age and a Filipino migrant worker was arrested by the Korean immigration police in Caribi, Yangju City while she was on her way to pick up her nine years old daughter named Princess from an Elementary School in that city. She was brought to the immigration detention Center in Uijungbu City and is being processed for deportation. Despite the intervention of social workers and a minister from a Methodist Church to free Bernadette Bourbon for the main reason that she has a daughter who is schooling, the request was not granted unless she either post a bail of ten million won or not less than 8,000 US dollars and the temporary release that will last for only three months or both she and her daughter be immediately deported to the Philippines. While she is in detention her daughter Princess is under the care of the Methodist minister.
At around six o’clock on the 24th day of October another Filipino woman migrant worker was nabbed by the Korean immigration police in Tongdocheon city, north of Seoul. She is Mercy Silvano, of legal age and has a year and two months old baby boy named Freddie Cartel. Both were arbitrarily arrested and are being processed for deportation. With the sudden arrest, Mercy Silvano cuddling her baby was dragged by the immigration police to the car and was not allowed to bring any baby food such as milk and others. Inside the detention center, baby Freddie is being fed by food served to detainees. The Korean immigration office in Uijungbu refused to release the mother and child even with the knowledge of how to protect the rights of minor children and of migrant workers. The office hurriedly processed them for deportation to avoid criticism and protests from social workers and migrant workers organizations in Korea.
It is preposterous on the part of both the Korean and Philippine governments to allow the deportation of migrant workers with little regard of their human rights and their abdication to protect minor children of migrant workers. Not too long ago South Korea’s Counselor of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations has reported to the 44th Session of the UN Commission for Social Development that the government will realize programs to respect rights of children through its Child Protection and Development Plan and Comprehensive Measures for Children’s Safety, but it seems this is just a lip service to children.
Let everyone know that the United Nations International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families ensures the protection of rights of migrant workers and members of their families. We reiterate the provisions of this convention to remind the Korean and Philippine governments of their ethical responsibility to protect and respect the rights of children especially:
Article 29
Each child of a migrant worker shall have the right to a name, to registration of birth and to a nationality.
Article 30
Each child of a migrant worker shall have the basic right of access to education on the basis of equality of treatment with nationals of the State concerned. Access to public pre-school educational institutions or schools shall not be refused or limited by reason of the irregular situation with respect to stay or employment of either parent or by reason of the irregularity of the child's stay in the State of employment.
These articles in the UN International convention for the Protection of Rights of Migrant Workers and their Family Members will only be meaningful when participating governments should truly STOP CRACKDOWN and legalized all migrant workers. Also, the disregard for the rights and welfare of migrant workers and members of their families is the reason for migrant workers to unite for ZERO REMITTANCE DAY tomorrow October 29. The GFMD can only have its impact when labor sending countries can institute just distribution of national wealth and develop national economies so as to provide decent livelihood for the majority of its people.
While many state representatives and participants from non-government organizations are gathering in Manila for the United Nations sponsored Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) many migrant workers are forcibly deported, especially in South Korea where recently two Filipino women migrant workers have been arrested without considering the safety and welfare of their minor children. The ongoing clampdown on migrant workers in South Korea has remained unabated. We member organizations of KASAMMA-KO or the Unity of Filipino Migrant Workers Associations in Korea expose and deplore these ongoing violations of human rights of migrant workers and their family members.
On October 23, 2008 at around 2:00 p.m. Bernadette Bourbon of legal age and a Filipino migrant worker was arrested by the Korean immigration police in Caribi, Yangju City while she was on her way to pick up her nine years old daughter named Princess from an Elementary School in that city. She was brought to the immigration detention Center in Uijungbu City and is being processed for deportation. Despite the intervention of social workers and a minister from a Methodist Church to free Bernadette Bourbon for the main reason that she has a daughter who is schooling, the request was not granted unless she either post a bail of ten million won or not less than 8,000 US dollars and the temporary release that will last for only three months or both she and her daughter be immediately deported to the Philippines. While she is in detention her daughter Princess is under the care of the Methodist minister.
At around six o’clock on the 24th day of October another Filipino woman migrant worker was nabbed by the Korean immigration police in Tongdocheon city, north of Seoul. She is Mercy Silvano, of legal age and has a year and two months old baby boy named Freddie Cartel. Both were arbitrarily arrested and are being processed for deportation. With the sudden arrest, Mercy Silvano cuddling her baby was dragged by the immigration police to the car and was not allowed to bring any baby food such as milk and others. Inside the detention center, baby Freddie is being fed by food served to detainees. The Korean immigration office in Uijungbu refused to release the mother and child even with the knowledge of how to protect the rights of minor children and of migrant workers. The office hurriedly processed them for deportation to avoid criticism and protests from social workers and migrant workers organizations in Korea.
It is preposterous on the part of both the Korean and Philippine governments to allow the deportation of migrant workers with little regard of their human rights and their abdication to protect minor children of migrant workers. Not too long ago South Korea’s Counselor of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations has reported to the 44th Session of the UN Commission for Social Development that the government will realize programs to respect rights of children through its Child Protection and Development Plan and Comprehensive Measures for Children’s Safety, but it seems this is just a lip service to children.
Let everyone know that the United Nations International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families ensures the protection of rights of migrant workers and members of their families. We reiterate the provisions of this convention to remind the Korean and Philippine governments of their ethical responsibility to protect and respect the rights of children especially:
Article 29
Each child of a migrant worker shall have the right to a name, to registration of birth and to a nationality.
Article 30
Each child of a migrant worker shall have the basic right of access to education on the basis of equality of treatment with nationals of the State concerned. Access to public pre-school educational institutions or schools shall not be refused or limited by reason of the irregular situation with respect to stay or employment of either parent or by reason of the irregularity of the child's stay in the State of employment.
These articles in the UN International convention for the Protection of Rights of Migrant Workers and their Family Members will only be meaningful when participating governments should truly STOP CRACKDOWN and legalized all migrant workers. Also, the disregard for the rights and welfare of migrant workers and members of their families is the reason for migrant workers to unite for ZERO REMITTANCE DAY tomorrow October 29. The GFMD can only have its impact when labor sending countries can institute just distribution of national wealth and develop national economies so as to provide decent livelihood for the majority of its people.
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