LEGALIZATION FOR UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANT WORKERS NOT CRACKDOWN ,NOT DEPORTATION!!

KASAMMAKO (Katipunan ng mga Samahan ng mga Migranteng Manggawa sa Korea)


The Unity of Filipino Migrant Workers Associations in Korea

SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN
STOP CRIMINALIZATION, CRACKDOWN AND REPRESSION OF MIGRANT WORKERS!

The Unity of Filipino Migrant Workers in Korea or KASAMMAKO denounces the criminalization, intensified crackdown and repression of migrant workers in South Korea. The Korean government has used the visa status of migrant workers especially the undocumented migrant workers as a scapegoat in launching the anti-terrorism campaign in view of the government�s hosting of the G-20 Summit in November this year. There had been a mapping of areas where migrant workers live and work and the immigration police have raided many factories, carrying with them search warrants for identified factories.

As of May 16, there were already thirty two (32) Filipino migrant workers nabbed by the Immigration police last week few days after the Ministry of Justice announced the conduct intensified crackdown on May 4, 2010. The Filipino migrant workers are among the hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrant workers which are target of cleaning-up of criminals in the country, a xenophobic response that violates the fundamental human rights of migrant workers and all foreigners working and living in the country. Migrant workers of coloured race are doubly prejudiced because they can be easily identified such as the South and Southeast Asians, Africans and Chinese are the targets of the crackdown, in comparison to the fair skinned Caucasians from North America, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

The National Police Agency on May 4, 2010 announced through a press statement that they have also started the �G-20 Preemptive Response� beginning May 2nd. They have stated that as the foreign population increases in the country so do the crime rate committed by foreigners. The National Police Agency has started the conduct of special investigations in areas where there is a high concentration of foreigners. The investigation will continue for fifty days (50) on the national level while for Seoul region the investigation will be for two weeks.

Since majority of the foreign population in Seoul metropolitan area are 75% Chinese. It is founded that the target for arrests are primarily these ethnic groups. Areas specific to one nationality are classified as target areas such as the following: the Chinese in Yeoungdungpo, Guro and Guemcheon areas, Mongolians in Junggu specifically the Mongolian town in Gwanghuidong; the Vietnamese in Seongdonggu, Geumcheongu and Seongbukgu; Russians and Uzbeks in Junggu, especially the Russian Street in Gwanghuidong. Finally, the Nigerians in Yongsan and Itaewon.

According to their press release the target of their investigation and eventual deportation are the following: foreigners who are suspects in a crime; foreigners who are in possession of deadly weapons (e.g. knives, etc.); foreigners who have pending arrest warrants; sex workers and their costumers and the undocumented migrant workers. The statement as well disclosed that raids on houses and work places of foreigners would be done both day and night in identified areas as well as random street checking of the foreign nationals.

Although the government through the Ministry of Justice has advertised that the period of intensified crackdown on undocumented migrant workers and foreigners will begin on June 1st and will last until August 31, 2010, several hundreds of migrant workers have already been arrested and waiting for deportation to their home countries. The enticement of the government for voluntary departure comprise of these: all migrant workers who voluntarily leave Korea within this period will not be penalized for overstaying and will be exempted from a 5-year immigration ban in Korea. They will be able to take the Korean language test and reapply for work in Korea through the Employment Permit System (EPS). The employers are also encouraged to surrender their undocumented workers so that they can be exempted from paying the fine of up to 20 million won. They will also be able to hire EPS workers that would replace their lost manpower.

KASAMMAKO calls on President Lee Myung-Bak to immediately STOP THE CRACKDOWN on migrant workers. The continuance of this immigration strategy is a violation of the United Nations International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. It will further alienate South Korea from the migrant workers who have contributed in sustaining the economic development of the country. It will also aggravate the condition of the weakening productivity of the small and medium scale enterprises.We denounce the militarist approach of resolving labour and immigration issues. Migrant workers regardless of their visa status have been working in the country as productive forces and have been contributing to the national economic development, but they are treated with suspicion as common criminals and are racially discriminated. The use of police power to reduce the number of undocumented migrant workers and foreigners in preparation for the G-20 Summit in Korea would widen the racial divide and will intensify xenophobia among Korean citizens and will result in racial motivated conflicts.

KASAMMAKO demands for the legalization of undocumented migrant workers. which is the right medicine that solve the problem of undocumented it was been proven wayback on 1991 when the government gave 6 months permit to all undocumented migrants workers and extended for 2 years, it was also applied on the year 2002 before the EPS law was implemented. Furthermore, the increase of number of undocumented migrant workers is consequent of the faulty labor Employment Permit System (EPS). We Demand that the EPS must be change to new labor arrangement that would ensure the respect of rights of migrants and equal protection under the law.

We call on the Philippine government especially the Philippine Embassy in Seoul to protest this inhumane program of the Korean government and actively monitor the every detention center around the country for Filipino migrant workers processed for deportation in need of assistance such the speedy issuance of travel documents that should be gratis, provide shelter and basic subsistence for those who are forced to leave their jobs for fear of their employers of possible penalty for hiring them.We call on all migrant workers network, concerned institutions, and individuals around the world to similarly denounce this ongoing crackdown, criminalization and repression of migrant workers and foreigners in South Korea.

[b]

salamat po!nakapirma napo ako dyan.

maraming salamat po

may balita po para sa mga tnt na 10 to 15 days detention bago pauwiin ang isang nahuling tnt.. sisikip ang detention nito

nakakatawa no??? sila na nga ung pumili ng ganun buhay nila d2 sa korea, sisihin pa nila ang korean government at aakusahan pa nila ng "criminalization and repression of migrant workers" hehehe...kasama din ba sa agenda nyo ung mga nakapending na KLT passer sa pinas na pwede silang maantala sa ginagawa nyong pakikibaka, wag naman po sana mangyari na ipa-cancel ng korea ang kasunduan nila sa pinas.

kung di ka rin naman tutulong wag ka namn maging pabigat!

wag lang sarili isipin , isipin rin karapatang pantao!!!

the freedom to express our opinion! heheheheh

pabasa mo sa mga kaibigan mong tnt ang pananaw mo mr. tachy

agen ulitin ko sa abot na makakaya mong IQ -hindi lahat ng tnt dito sa korea ay kasalanan nila maging TNT... mas funny ka sir

joseph dba tnt krin

tachy wrote:nakakatawa no??? sila na nga ung pumili ng ganun buhay nila d2 sa korea, sisihin pa nila ang korean government at aakusahan pa nila ng "criminalization and repression of migrant workers" hehehe...kasama din ba sa agenda nyo ung mga nakapending na KLT passer sa pinas na pwede silang maantala sa ginagawa nyong pakikibaka, wag naman po sana mangyari na ipa-cancel ng korea ang kasunduan nila sa pinas.

wag nman sanang mangyari mapending ang mga eps-klt........d nman kami papayag nyan maghintay kmi ng matagal d2.laki din hirap nmin mag-apply...

ps:anu po masasabi nyo eps-klt passer........

kabayang lagalag, e7 nga daw po xa! pero bkit sa lahat ng may e7 visa na kakilala ko e xa lang ata ang nakikibaka at nag-iisa naka post dun sa rally,hehehe... pero dun po sa 2 regular blogger natin na e7 ang visa (kilala nyo naman po cla) very neutral lang po cla, hindi cla one sided nor bias, bilib ako sa kanilang 2, MABUHAY po kayo sirs...

kabayang joseph ,galing me hyewa-dong kahapon ala nman nagpapapirma dun,,eps ako pero susuportahan kita,,wag mo n pansinin yang mga naninira n yan ,di kasi nila alam yung hirap ng kalagayan ng mga tnt d2 sa korea d2 sa pocheon yung mga nahuhuli ng immigration binubugbog pa ,,nakasakay na nga sa van tinatadyakan pa ng mga sikyang immigration n yan,nakakaawa tlaga,,

tama ka jan,,, kaya sa mga makasarili jan na pinoy, wag nlng magcomment ng pangit,kung wala din man kayong maitulong mas ok na cguro na plasteran nlng ang bibig sa isyong ito, ako poy EPS din pero support din ako jan kaso nga lang wala pa ako pirma jan,,errrrrrrrr,,,,,,

josephpatrol wrote:kung di ka rin naman tutulong wag ka namn maging pabigat!

wag lang sarili isipin , isipin rin karapatang pantao!!!

the freedom to express our opinion! heheheheh

pabasa mo sa mga kaibigan mong tnt ang pananaw mo mr. tachy

agen ulitin ko sa abot na makakaya mong IQ -hindi lahat ng tnt dito sa korea ay kasalanan nila maging TNT... mas funny ka sir

Tama po! Di lahat ng TNT ay ginustong maging illegal.Most often, negligence @ ignorance of Employers of existing & new Immigration/Labor rules and regulation kaya di napa-process ng maagap ang visa extensions.Gaya ko, Aug 20 mg-end ang first 3 yr.sojourn ko at ilang beses ko na pinatatawagan sa marunong mag-hanguk ang opisina regarding prescribe timeline of reemployment processing tpus pilit tinuturo sa akin sa calendar na Aug 5 pa dw ipa-process reemployment ko at ok dw yun sa labor at immigration!mukhang mati-tnt na din yta ako. Sa mga kabayang tnt dyan bka pwedi po mgpa-ampon hehehhe..Peace!

sna mbgyan kmi ng chance mkapag trabaho sa korea...yun lng po msasabi ko...