Is there such a thing as an “illegal” human being?

Wednesday, 30 June 2010 10:04

We ask Thailand to show compassion to humans without documents

By Htoo Chit, Executive Director of the Foundation for Education and Development
(FED), formerly Grassroots HRE

Life as a migrant isn’t easy for Burmese people in Thailand, but a new law just made it that
more difficult.  On June 2nd, 2010 the Prime Minister of Thailand, Abhisit Vejjajiva, established
the Special Centre to Suppress, Arrest and Prosecute Alien Workers Who Are Working
Underground.

This support shall be provided in accordance with the systems and regulations of the Fund
for Deporting Alien Workers from the Kingdom of Thailand. This order shall be effective
immediately. A total of 346 Burmese were arrested 16-19 of June, 2010 only in Bangkok.
Whether in California, or Thailand or France, the influx of poor migrants seeking a better life
causes tension between the majority population and their new neighbors.  It is important to
enact fair policies that protect the human rights of all people.  This new law is not a fair way to
deal with immigration, particularly in light of the difficult process migrants face in trying to
become legal.

“Migrants have long experience of mass raids which do not screen migrants’ status. It is highly
likely that some migrants holding only appointment cards for nationality verification will also be
arrested, together with undocumented migrants, and this will undermine the confidence of all
migrants to proceed with regularization.  Furthermore, ordering the arrest of the 300,000

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Is there such a thing as an “illegal” human being?
Wednesday, 30 June 2010 10:04

migrants who were eligible to enter into the nationality verification process but did not follow
through does not address the shortcomings of the process, it only causes more confusion,
distrust and resentment.” Mae Kong Migration Network (MMN) which is regional advocacy
group, statement on 22 June, said.

So why aren’t migrants registering?  Many migrants do not register with the Thai government
due to high cost and fear of reprisals of giving their address in Burma. Some Thai employers
also don't want to allow their Burmese workers to register to avoid any taxes prevent any
recourse for abuses on their workers.  Many of the migrants are not registered in Thailand,
which means they are vulnerable to exploitation. Common human rights violations facing
Burmese migrant workers is labor rights abuse such as uncompensated overtime, low salary,
no life insurance or compensation, sexual harassment and torture. In response, we have been
mobilizing migrants to apply for temporary passports. Still, many migrants live in fear.  “We
understand the legal status would be protected for our rights but are we afraid to practice the
national ratification because we don’t trust the government and we are concerned our family to
be harassed in Burma.”  Nai Soe, Burmese’ a rubber plantation worker said.

If there is so much abuse in Thailand, who do these people leave Burma? Under Burma’s
military dictatorship, the people of Burma have suffered a great deal. The dictatorship has
ruined the country and the economy. As a result of bad economic planning, many poor Burmese
people have fled to neighboring countries to get jobs. Many of the Burmese people end up
fleeing into Thailand to seek jobs.  In addition, many Burmese people flee into Thailand
because the Burma Army attacks many of its citizens and uses forced labor on many
infrastructure projects. The Burma Army is still using forced labor, especially in rural areas
where the Burmese military regime, the State Peace and Development Committee (SPDC), has
increased the presence of their forces and built military bases. The SPDC army has confiscated
many acres of land in order to grow paddy and vegetables for Army’s rations.  In areas under
SPDC control, even in places where there is no resistance threat, the local people are regularly
summoned to do one or more days of forced labor at military camps and farms. Whenever a
new battalion moves into an area, the nearby villages are forced to provide most of the building
materials such as wood and bamboo for the camps.

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