China (see also Hong Kong)

The Chinese government has agreed to help Hong Kong authorities to overturn a court ruling giving 1.67 million Mainland Chinese the right to live in the territory. This decision is feared to set off a new dispute over the independence of Hong Kong’s judiciary which was guaranteed by China when Hong Kong reverted to China in July 1997.

A spokesperson of the Hong Kong government revealed that Beijing will approach the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) or Parliament to re-interpret the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s mini-constitution. The government believes that under Chinese law, Beijing has the right to interpret the Basic Law. If the law is re-interpreted only 200,000 Mainland Chinese will have the right of abode.

Hong Kong's Secretary for Justice Elsie Leung Oi-sie and Secretary for Security Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee went to Beijing to discuss with the Director of Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, Liao Hui, and the Deputy Director of the committee’s Law Committee, Qiao Xiaoyang, to discuss the right-of-abode issue. According to Beijing officials, they have made no amendments to the Hong Kong government’s request to approach the Standing Committee of the NPC concerning the right-of-abode issue.

Australian Customs and naval vessels intercepted a Taiwanese trawler carrying 108 Chinese off the coast of Sydney, one of the biggest groups of boat people intercepted by Australian authorities. Since the beginning of the year, 27 boats carrying illegal immigrants have landed in Australia and about 640 boat people have been detained. Australia has set up a task force to address the arrival of boat people. For their part, Chinese authorities vowed to intensify the war against human traffickers working along China’s coastal regions in light of increasing numbers of illegal immigrants heading to Australia. In the first four months of this year alone, police handled 437 cases of human smuggling involving 3,545 people.

A case involving a Chinese national was the subject of diplomatic discussions between the Australian and Chinese governments. Zhu Qingping applied for permanent residency in Australia, was denied and was returned to China. In her application for residency, she claimed that the Chinese government forced her to have an abortion when she was eight-and-a half months pregnant. The Chinese government said that she sought the abortion herself. Some politicians and refugee support groups in Australia support her bid.

Shipyard worker Zhou Jianhe, 50, known as a veteran dissident, flew to the United States together with his family to seek asylum. He joins a growing number of pro-democracy activists driven into exile by the Chinese government. The government has allegedly pressured most of its prominent critics to move abroad where they often lose their effectiveness.

Sources: Carmen Cheung and Grace Loo, "Top officials dash to Beijing," Hong Kong Standard, 3 June 1999; Lisa Creffield, "Pregnant deportee ‘heavily sedated," South China Morning Post, 4 June 1999; "No amendment by Beijing to interpretation request," Hong Kong Standard, 4 June 1999; "More than 100 boatpeople found off Sydney, The Straits Times, 5 June 1999; Associated Press, "Blitz should halt illegal immigrant influx: Canberra," South China Morning Post, 7 June 1999; "Oz sets up task force to tackle boatpeople crisis," World News, 7 June 1999; AFP, "Crackdown on human traffickers," Hong Kong Standard, 8 June 1999; Kong Lai-Fan, "Deputies ask to attend Beijing meeting to discuss Basic Law," South China Morning Post, 8 June 1999; Janine MacDonald Canberra, "Chinese say deportee sought abortion," The Age, 8 June 1999; AFP, "China to help HK overturn ‘right of abode’ rule," The Straits Times, 11 June 1999; AFP, "Abortion row mainlander seeks residence in Australia," South China Morning Post, 12 June 1999; AFP, "Chinese applies for Aussie PR after being deported," Star Online, 12 June 1999; AP, "Veteran dissident seeks US asylum," South China Morning Post, 14 June 1999; Lisa Creffield, "Visa urged for abortion row woman," South China Morning Post, 15 June 1999.

Hong Kong (see also China, UAE)

Hong Kong's move to seek a reinterpretation and China's subsequent decision to help the Hong Kong government reverse a court decision on the right of abode have sparked intense reactions among various interest groups.

Hong Kong’s Bar Association has stepped up its lobby against the government’s request for a reinterpretation of the Basic Law. It has warned authorities in the mainland that the request will undermine judicial independence.

Two pro-democracy legislators, James To Kun-sun (Democrat) and Cyd Ho Sau-lan (Frontier) attempted to go to Beijing to meet with mainland leaders to express their opposition to the National People’s Congress’ (NPC) interpretation of the Basic Law; they were not allowed to board their flight. The two planned to submit to mainland officials and to the Complaint Office a letter signed by 19 legislators outlining the reasons for their opposition to the SAR government’s move.

Three Hong Kong students from the Hong Kong Federation of Students went to Beijing to urge the Standing Committee of the NPC not to overturn a court ruling to limit immigration from China. They intended to submit a petition bearing 15,000 signatures. They were refused permission to see parliamentary leaders.

Two NPC deputies, on the other hand, are urging the Court of Final Appeal to ask the NPC Standing Committee for formal guidelines on how interpretations are sought in order to increase confidence that reinterpretation would not be abused. An editorial in the South China Morning Post also urged for the setting up of a mechanism or guideline to limit similar approaches to the NPC whenever Hong Kong courts have rulings involving the Basic Law.

Should the Standing Committee of the NPC render an interpretation on the right of abode, special laws will have to be enacted to enable mainland children of Hong Kong permanent residents, including illegitimate ones, to migrate to the territory. This was disclosed by Information Coordinator Stephen Lam in an interview with Radio Television Hong Kong’s Talkabout program. He further explained that legislation would be needed in accordance with the NPC’s interpretation of the relevant provisions of the Hong Kong’s Basic Law.

The Chief Justice and more than 20 other judicial officers received lobbying letters from the Department of Justice on the right-to-abode issue. One judge described the letter as "a blunder, but a serious one" as it can be interpreted as the government trying to sway the judges’ opinions. Observers believe this would put the judges in an embarrassing position and may undermine the people’s concept of justice. Secretary of Justice Elsie Leung apologized for the blunder. She explained the government’s position on the legality of a reinterpretation of sections of the Basic Law from the NPC's Standing Committee. She also invited the judges to get in touch with the Department of Justice if they had any queries.

Seventeen mainlanders who challenged the deportation order of the government won their case before the Court of Appeals. The overstaying migrants were allowed to remain while their claim was under review. Contrary to the government’s decision to deport them, they cannot be removed simply because they do not possess certificates of entitlement. In their decision, the judges considered the failure of the government to introduce a scheme to enable migrants to claim certificates of entitlement. Chan Yan-yan, representative of the mainland "overstayers" said the judgment had restored her faith in the judicial system. Principal government counsel Gilbert Mo Sik-keung expressed that the government was not happy with the Court’s decision but it showed that the rule of law had not been undermined. The ruling will be challenged by the government before the Court of Final Appeal whose decision will affect not only the 17 mainlanders but about 1,000 (another source say 2,000) other overstayers and countless mainlanders with similar claims to abode. In the meantime, the government was able to secure from the judges an order that the ruling should not take effect before it can be challenged in the Court of Final Appeal. A spokesperson from the government warned that the judgment might encourage the influx of migrants. As this developed, a senior security official said that there have been no signs of an influx of illegal mainland migrants since the promulgation of the Court of Appeal’s decision. Deputy Secretary for Security, Timothy Tong Hin-ming, stated that no more than 30 migrants had so far been intercepted which is less than the daily average of about 40 (see also, Fewer illegal immigrants below)

Hong Kong’s Housing Bureau chairman Lee Wing-tat admitted that its estimates of the housing needs of a possible influx of 1.67 million mainlanders are only a rough estimate. The bureau earlier told legislators that Hong Kong needed to build 13 public estates every year if it was to accommodate the estimated 1.67 million new arrivals. Not all new arrivals could move to public housing, however, because existing policies provide that only families with more than half of their members must have lived in the territory for seven years to be eligible.

The number of illegal immigrants from the mainland trying to enter Hong Kong has dropped to a three-year low after the Court of Final Appeals ruling on the right of abode. Figures from the Security Bureau showed 3,865 mainlanders were apprehended for illegal entry between February and May, down from 4,121 and 6,478 in the same period in 1998 and 1997. Security along the land border and elsewhere in the territory has been on full alert since the ruling.

Hong Kong's SAR and the central government have reached an agreement concerning the detention of Hong Kong people in the mainland. The agreement requires provincial authorities to notify the central authorities on any arrest or detention of Hong Kong people.

A recent riot at Pillar Point refugee camp once again drew attention to the problems of dealing with the Vietnamese boat people. The riot broke out between northern and southern Vietnamese refugees. The rivalry between the two groups turned for the worse with the transfer of ethnic Chinese Vietnamese refugees to the camp. Compassion fatigue has set in for countries of resettlement and the refugees - whether genuine ones or economic migrants - have no place to go. Some 600 have been stranded in the camp for years; many of them have no relatives and some are either drug addicts or have criminal records. Another 550 should have been repatriated but were rejected by Hanoi, and some 320 are Vietnamese who fled Vietnam in the early 1980s. Repatriation has been held up because of court proceedings. Hong Kong is currently supporting the 1,470 refugees at Pillar Point.

Several solutions have been considered. Officials are planning of separating the factions permanently or moving some inmates to other camps. Human rights lawyers, on the other hand, called for the immediate resettlement and integration of the detainees. Hong Kong’s United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) director Terence Pike said the solution was local integration. An editorial suggested that the only realistic solution now is to give them residency rights and then close the camp to discourage asylum-seeking Vietnamese in the future. The solution may not be that acceptable at this time when the right of abode issue is being debated.

Foreign ministries sounded the alarm against a Budapest-based firm International Lawyers Diplomatic Service SA which offers diplomatic passports for sale for up to $1 million. The scam is said to have victimized Hong Kong applicants. The travel documents advertised in international magazines, including Time (published on May 24), claim that the diplomatic passports which can offer immunity from prosecution, airline upgrades and party invitations for holders. The company’s Internet site offers Singapore, Swiss and Sao Tome diplomatic passports at US$100,00 (HK$774,000), US$150,000 and US$50,000 respectively.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption uncovered and arrested 14 people in connection with a syndicate suspected of using illegally obtained documents in the SAR to set up more than 300 bogus marriages in the mainland. The alleged scam involving corrupt solicitors’ clerks falsified affidavits and other documents to get a wedding license on the mainland.

Chau Lai-ping, company director of Evergrow International Enterprises, an emigration consultancy, was accused of helping 30 applicants to falsify certificates and letters in support of migration applications to the Canadian consulate. Lai -ping also offered $4,000 to $8,000 to a district manager of City College for his assistance.

Maria Mui Yuk-ming, wife of government chemist Dr. Ting Tai-lun was convicted of beating her Indonesian maid Rukiyah and was asked to pay the fine of $500. In response to questions why she was only fined HK$500, Eastern Court Magistrate James Lee Chung-yin explained that this was because she already a heavy punishment.

A stateless man named Ruud Klinsman was unlawfully locked up in Victoria Prison for nearly four months while no efforts were made by the Immigration Department to establish his identity or work out where to deport him. He has not been charged with any offense but had been refused recognizance or bail. Lawyers have filed a writ of habeas corpus in an attempt to free him until deportation.

Sources: May Sin-Mi Hon, "Lawyers’ lobbying up a gear," South China Morning Post, 2 June 1999; Elaine Pak Li and Niall Fraser, "Fine for beating maid increased," South China Morning Post, 3 June 1999;Ng Kang-Chung, "Number of illegal immigrant cases falling off," South China Morning Post, 5 June 1999; Kong Lai-fan, "Influx figure swayed public, says poll," South China Morning Post, 4 June 1999; Rhonda Lam Wan, "Mainland agrees to notify SAR about detentions," South China Morning Post, 4 June 1999; Anne Stewart, "Stateless man unlawfully left to languish in jail, says barrister," South China Morning Post, 5 June 1999; Glenn Schloss, "Scam offers bogus passports for $1M," South China Morning Post, 8 June 1999; Anne Stewart, "Stab death witness call," South China Morning Post, 8 June 1999; "Murder probe after maid found stabbed to death," Hong Kong Standard, 8 June 1999; Ng Kang-Chung, "Influx housing forecast only a rough guess," South China Morning Post, 9 June 1999; "HK official says sorry over right-of-abode blunder," The Straits Times, 9 June 1999; Magdalen Chow, "Company boss denies role in migration plot," South China Morning Post, 10 June 1999; Niall Fraser, "Marriage syndicate smashed," South China Morning Post, 10 June 1999; "Two turn up abode heat," Hong Kong Standard, 10 June 1999; "Anti-interpretation mission off to Beijing," Hong Kong Standard, 10 June 1999; Lily Dizon, "Grandson has right of abode," Hong Kong Standard, 11 June 1999; "17 to find out fate in court," Hong Kong Standard, 11 June 1999; AFP, "China to help HK in right-of-abode ruling;" 11 June 1999; Cliff Buddle, "Migrants detained illegally," South China Morning Post, 12 June 1999; Audrey Parwani, "Scant faith in system amid joy at judgment," South China Morning Post, 12 June 1999; "Delegation of HK students on a mission to Beijing," The Straits Times, 13 June 1999; "Break for mainland kids of HK residents," The Straits Times, 13 June 1999; Jimmy Cheung, "Rule of law still working," South China Morning Post, 14 June 1999; Kong Lai-Fan, "Court ‘should ask for NPC for interpretation guidelines’," South China Morning Post, 14 June 1999; Anne Stewart and Stella Lee, "Police battle to quell refugee riot," South China Morning Post, 14 June 1999; "Dangerous card (Editorial)," South China Morning Post, 14 June 1999; "No influx since court ruling on overstayers," Hong Kong Standard, 14 June 1999; Magdalen Chow, "Deaf and dumb illegal immigrant set free by judge," South China Morning Post, 15 June 1999; Chow Chung-Yan, "South hates north and both of them hate us," South China Morning Post, 15 June 1999; Chow Chung-Yan and Stella Lee, Viet camp riot forces segregation, "South China Morning Post," 15 June 1999; Stella Lee and Glenn Schloss, "Hundreds of inmates stranded," South China Morning Post, 15 June 1999; Kai Peter Yu, "Victim tells of baby being stabbed in riot," South China Morning Post, 15 June 1999; Anne Stewart, "Integration needed to end camp ‘war’," South China Morning Post, 15 June 1999;" Refugee Solution (Editorial), South China Morning Post, 15 June 1999; "Beijing refuses to meet students," The Straits Times, 15 June 1999.

Han Jong Souk, a first-generation Korean resident of Tokyo, called on Japan’s Justice Ministry to create a new law for ethnic Koreans that will supersede the Alien Registration Law. The law requires Children of Koreans who came to Japan during the 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula to carry alien registration cards. A reform bill which was deliberated and approved in the House of Councilors last month proposes to abolish the fingerprinting requirements of all foreign residents and decrease the penalty from a criminal to an administrative penalty for permanent residents who do not carry their alien registration cards. However, the bill does not abolish the requirement for all permanent residents to carry the card at all times.

Source: "Ethnic Korean says alien card law should be replaced," Japan Times, 15 June 1999

Korea (see Japan)

A survey conducted by a cable television channel showed that 58.9 per cent of respondents objected to the US$300 million-aid that President Lee Teng-hui committed to Kosovo refugees. Among others, the right-wing New Party (NP) questioned Mr. Lee’s motive in giving the aid, suspecting that this might be linked to his nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. The NP demanded that the aid offer be reduced to NT$300 million (S$15.4 million) on the basis that Taiwan's national debt has risen to NT$7 trillion. Meanwhile, Taiwan gave Macedonia a helicopter and promised 500 personal computers for educational purposes and to send technical missions there. Macedonia switched recognition of China from Beijing to Taipei on January 27, 1999.

Source: AFP, "Taiwanese frown on aid offer to Kosovo refugees," The Strait Times, 10 June 1999

Pakistan (also see Hong Kong)

Some foreign nationals illegally enter the country by using Pakistani passports which have been smuggled out of the country. Some 850 fake Pakistani passports issued to aliens, mainly Bangladeshi, have been cancelled. This modus operandi aggravates the country's problems with illegal migrants. Karachi alone has to deal with the burden of some 2.2 million illegal aliens.

Authorities say there are about 3,180,973 overseas Pakistanis. They are distributed as follows: 605,000 in North America; 720,000 in the UK; 212,568 in other parts of Europe; 1,552,350 in the Middle East; 52,522 in the Far East; and 38,533 in other countries.

Recently, the government has succeeded in getting work permits to Pakistanis who had been working in Greece without legal papers. Athens has issued work permits to 30,000 out of 35,000 Pakistanis who were working there without legal authority. The government helped by providing legal assistance.

Sources: Arman Sabir, "Illegal aliens using Pakistani passports to enter country," Dawn, 1 June 1999; Bureau Report, "Greece gives work permits to 30,000 Pakistanis," Dawn, 3 June 1999; Tahir Siddiqui, "850 fake passports issued to aliens being cancelled," Dawn, 15 June 1999.

The Ministry of Labour has initiated a new insurance policy for Sri Lankan migrant workers in order to induce more people to seek foreign employment in the future. Labour Minister W.D.J. Seneviratne disclosed that nearly 1.2 million Sri Lankans are currently employed abroad. Ninety per cent of them have found jobs with the approval of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) and are legally guaranteed by the government. Several steps have also been undertaken by the government to improve the living conditions of migrants and their families through various welfare measures. SLBFE recently initiated a program to strengthen the safety and protection of the school children of migrant workers. The program aims to help the children of migrant workers cope with various social difficulties while their parents are employed abroad.

Jordanian Labor Minister Eld Al-Fayez commended the Sri Lankan migrant workers’ vital contribution to Jordanian society in the past years. In return, the Jordanian government implemented laws and regulations to improve the social, welfare and safety measures during the period of their employment in the country.

Two hundred Sri Lankans citizens have been informed that they may make formal application for a US immigrant visa. The invitation came under Section 203 of the US Immigration and Nationality Act, the diversity visa program which makes available 50,000 permanent resident visas every year for persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States.

Sources: Ananda Kannangara, "New insurance policy an inducement for migrant workers - Labor Minister," Daily News, 3 June 1999; "220 Lankans win US green cards," Daily News, 7 June 1999; Ananda Kannangara, "Social security program for children of migrant workers," Daily News, 10 June 1999; Ananda Kannangara, "Lankan migrant workers have made vital contributions to Jordanian society - Jordanian Labour Minister," Daily News, 11 June 1999

UAE (see also Philippines)

During his visit to the UAE, Hong Kong's Finance Secretary Donald Tsang said Hong Kong is offering an opportunity to UAE businessmen to enter mainland China as part of a "strategic alliance" it is seeking with Dubai. However, the UAE government must take a stand on two issues if Hong Kong businessmen are to bring in their investment: visa-free access (Hong Kong has such an agreement with 59 countries) and majority ownership in joint ventures.

After the Asian financial crisis in 1997, Hong Kong sent out missions to seek new markets and investment opportunities in Latin America, South Africa and the Middle East, especially Dubai. Tsang expressed that Dubai has the same philosophy as Hong Kong and does not believe in politics. Like Hong Kong, Dubai is the gateway to Europe, Russia and Iran.

The Kerala Government is set to strictly enforce the Migrant Workers Act to prevent the exploitation of its migrant workers, mostly women, in the marine, vegetable, and fruit processing plants.

Sources: Ashok Dutta, "Hong Kong offers to open Chinese doors for UAE," Gulf News, 8 June 1999; Akhel Mathew, "Move to protect emigrant workers," Gulf News, 14 June 1999.

The number of immigration law offenders, both employers and foreign workers, is increasing with the latest suspects including a Malaysian, Indonesian, Bangladeshis and an Algerian. Among the reasons for the increase are the ease in gaining employment and the lucrative Brunei dollar.

Source: Azlan Othman, "More immigration offenders caught," Borneo Bulletin, 12/13 June 1999.

Indonesia (see also Hong Kong, Malaysia)

A total of 27,416, about half of some 55,000 Indonesian nationals working in Sarawak, registered at the Indonesian Consulate to cast their vote in their country’s first democratic election. Of the total 7,756 registered in Shibu, 6,173 (Miri), 10,136 (Bintulu) and 3,421 (Kuching). Many Indonesian housemaids working in Sarawak failed to register. Indonesia had its first free elections in 44 years in early June. Some 130 million Indonesian voters grew up knowing only strongman Suharto as their president. The hopes as well as the challenges beyond the election have been compared to the Philippine experience in 1986 and after.

Source: "27,416 Indonesians in Sarawak register to vote," Sarawak Tribune, 4 June 1999

Plantation owners have been given until July 15 to repatriate their illegal foreign workers or else they face stern action. Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah said that enforcement action would be taken against the 39,536 illegal foreign workers who failed to renew their work permits. The Immigration Department had identified 116,109 foreign workers in the plantation sector.

Meanwhile, illegal immigrants have been ordered to move out of a large plot of native reserve land which was allegedly distributed to them by a village head in exchange for cash payments.

Around 50 Indonesian illegal immigrants who were rounded up from various locations were deported. Meanwhile, a Sabah politician has suggested that the government should reward people who report the presence of illegals in the country.

Sources: Haryati Karim, "Informers on illegals should be rewarded," Sarawak Tribune, 4 June 1999; Fraser Barui, "Illegal immigrants deported," Sarawak Tribune, 10 June 1999; "Illegals ordered to vacate land," The Star, 11 June 1999; "DPM: Illegal workers must go by July 15," The Star, 13 June 1999

Philippine Ambassador to the UAE, Amable Aguiluz, pledged greater vigilance in checking documents following the apprehension of a gang of forgers producing fake papers for job-seeking Filipinos in the UAE. In their efforts to promote the welfare of Filipino workers, the embassy blacklisted Café Feirenze in Abu Dhabi; it will no longer be allowed to hire Filipinos after allegedly mistreating a Filipina employee. Another thrust of the programs in the UAE focuses on the re-integration of workers.

Nine Filipino families have filed complaints of bigamy and desertion against their husbands working in the UAE, up from the six cases filed in the 1998 quarter. The embassy gives the errant husband or wife the chance to exercise their responsibility or report them to the personnel department of their employers if they refuse. The embassy can also forward the case to immigration officials in Manila.

There are more than 100,000 Filipinos who are currently employed in the UAE. Of these, 31,000 are in Dubai; 13,000 in Sharjah; 3,000 in Ajman; 5,000 in Ras Al Khaimah; and 300 in Fujairah. Sixty per cent hold skilled jobs.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) revealed that at least 30 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), or an average of one return home daily every month, suffering from varying degrees of mental illness due to inhuman working conditions and brutality inflicted by their employers abroad. Mr. Edmund Eddun of OWWA said the numbers represented only those referred to them and could be a lot higher. Almost all countries had Filipino workers who became mentally ill but there is a higher incidence rate from Middle Eastern countries.

The World Bank forecasted eight months ago that the Philippines’ fight against poverty was "likely to slow down but not reverse itself." Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand are also expected to suffer significant increases in poverty. Estimates indicate an increase of about 10 per cent in the incidence of poverty for Indonesia (about 20 million newly poor people), significant increases in urban South Korea and some increase in Thailand. Although the Philippines was able to reduce the percentage of people living below the poverty line from 35.7 in 1997 to 32.2 per cent in 1998, the absolute number of poor people has increased. Data from the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) showed that the bottom 10 per cent increased its income to P20,261 in 1997, from P15,622 in 1994 or an increase of 32 per cent but the top 10 per cent increased its income to P491,658 in 1997, from P295,542 in 1994 or an increase of 66.36 per cent.

The World Bank wants international financial rescue packages to be better balanced to cushion the effect of the crisis on the poor. This should include safety net measures such as unemployment insurance, subsidized school fees, job creation programs, and food subsidies. Unemployment insurance is virtually unknown in the Philippines. Subsidized school fees are only for elementary and high school public education.

The rise in the first quarter GNP has been propelled largely by increases in dollar remittances from overseas Filipino workers. In the absence of resources to support its anti-poverty program, the government’s poverty reduction may be left to the private sector, overseas Filipino workers and the underground economy.

Pres. Joseph Estrada called on OFWs to respect the laws and regulations of their host countries even as he stated that his administration would improve efforts to protect their welfare. Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma warned OFWs to stay clear of illegal drugs or prohibited substances. Laguesma said that Oman, for example, had issued a stern royal decree against the use or trade of prohibited drugs. The penalties range from one to 10 years in prison and fines of up to 10,000 Oman rials.

Some four million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) celebrated Migrant Workers Day on 6 June 1999 as enacted in Republic Act 8042, which recognized then as pillars of economic development as partners in building the economy. In a speech read for him by Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora, Pres. Estrada said that his administration would protect them from illegal recruiters. Estrada also said that the remittances coming from OFWs reached $5 billion in 1998.

The celebration led by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) was highlighted with the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) by representatives of government, seafarers’ union and manning agencies providing for a speedy disposition of seafarers’ cases.

As of January 1999, OFWs are estimated at seven million, with most of them working as blue-collars or professionals. The Middle East (over one million) and in the Asia-Pacific region (870,082) are the regions with the most number of OFWs.

Philippine diplomatic authorities revealed that more migrant Filipino breadwinners are abandoning their financial obligations to their families left behind in the country. In 1997 alone, Consular Assistance Division (CAD) of the Department of Foreign Affairs received about two or three requests per day from family members for help in locating OFWs. Today, the average has risen to 10 to 15 requests daily. Most of the requests are for OFWs working in the Middle East and Europe (see also, Filipinos in the UAE).

Concerning OFWs in distress, as of December 1998, around 2,091 OFWs are languishing in foreign jails – 967 in Kuala Lumpur, 162 in Jeddah, 152 in Tokyo, 135 in Hong Kong, and 129 in Riyadh. Twenty-two are facing death in Jeddah, Kuala Lumpur, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Guangzou, San Francisco and Los Angeles. In the case of distressed OFWs in Riyadh, Philippine officials and the local Riyadh government devised a new way to decongest the Philippine Labor Center, which is filled with some 900 contract workers awaiting repatriation. The arrangement facilitates the speedy issuance of exit permits to stranded Filipino workers or placement with new employers. Meanwhile, in Singapore, the High Court sentenced Melody Zacarias Das, a Filipina married to a Singaporean, to six years in jail for killing her two sons.

The Philippine navy arrested 25 mainland fishermen along with two Hong Kong men with their fishing boat near Palawan Island, east of the Spratly Islands. The navy turned over the men to the police in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, and will be charged with illegal entry and illegal fishing. The Philippines is one of six nations, including China, claiming the Spratly Islands.

A team of experts from the United Nations will be sent to Manila to provide financial and technical assistance to the Bureau of Immigration in drafting a new immigration law.

Sources: Evelyn A. Juan, "Filipinos accuse husbands abroad of desertion," Gulf News, 3 June 1999; AFP, "Kin turn heat on 9 Filipino bigamists," The Straits Times, 4 June 1999; "30 Filipinos return monthly mentally sick," The Straits Times, 4 June 1999; Frankie Llaguno, "World Bank on RP poverty," The Manila Times, 4 June 1999; Regina Bengco, "OFWs told to respect host countries’ laws," Gulf Daily News, 6 June 1999; E.T. Suarez, "Migrant Workers Day today," Manila Bulletin, 6 June, 1999; Lim Seng Jin, "Woman jailed six years for killing her sons, " The Straits Times, 8 June 1999; Johnna R. Villaviray, "Pinor expats send less money home," The Manila Times, 8 June 1999; "Migrant Workers Fair on at POEA," Manila Bulletin, 8 June 1999; "Drive on illegal recruiters vowed," Manila Bulletin, 9 June 1999; AFP, "6 years for Pinay killer," Philippine Daily Inquirer, 9 June 1999; "Filipina jailed 6 years in S’pore for killing sons," Borneo Bulletin, 9 June 1999; Ceri Williams, "Philippine navy arrests 27 fishermen near Palawan," South China Morning Post, 9 June 1999; Ceri Williams, "Fishermen to be charged," South China Morning Post, 10 June 1999; Evelyn A. Juan, "Manila blacklists café after employee row," Gulf News, 11 June 1999; Evelyn A. Juan, "New Manila welfare officer to tackle labour waged," 14 June 1999; Evelyn A. Juan and Barbara Mae Dacanay, "Manila cracks down on job document forgers," Gulf News, 15 June 1999; Jun Ramirez, "UN to help draft new immigration law," Manila Bulletin, 15 June 1999.

The Foreign Ministry warned Thai workers of tougher measures in its efforts to crack down on illegal labor. Illegal workers could be jailed and whipped if arrested.

Source: "Singapore gets tough," Bangkok Post, 12 June 1999

Thailand (see also Philippines, Singapore)

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is considering the return to Tripoli of thousands of Thai workers. Following the sanction on Libya in 1992 (for the bombing of a US airline in Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988), Thailand recalled its workers. More than 25,000 Thais were working in Libya before the sanctions were imposed. The sanctions were lifted this April. About 6,500 Thai workers are in Tripoli now and as many as those who were there before the UN sanctions are being considered to work for a river construction project.

Thai Foreign Minister, Surin Pitsuwan, met with Gadaffi despite pressure from the US not to. Surin’s expressed policy is to open new markets for Thai products especially in those countries like Iraq and Libya.

Thailand’s Labor Ministry has decided not to renew the work permits of about 90,000 foreigners (another source says 650,000) and would instead help employers recruit Thais to fill the jobs after the foreign workers are repatriated. Some of the work permits may be renewed on a case-to-case basis. Only rubber and sugar cane planting, pig farms, rice mills, fisheries and other related businesses would be allowed to continue hiring foreign laborers. Stricter employment regulations shall also be imposed to curb the use of illegal labor and employers would be held responsible if their foreign workers abscond.

Meanwhile, fishing and related businesses expressed the need to continue hiring foreign workers beyond the August 4 deadline. They claim there is no sufficient time to find enough Thai replacements.

Thailand and Vietnam have agreed to resume talks on lifting visa requirements for their nationals, an issue both countries consider important. If successful, Thailand will be the first ASEAN state to have the agreement with Vietnam. Chaisiri Anaman, head of Thailand’s Consular Affairs Department, and a team of legal experts would soon negotiate with Vietnam. Thailand’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra also proposed an accord allowing Thais and Vietnamese sentenced to jail for minor offences to serve their remaining prison term in their home countries. A royal pardon is also being sought for 80 Vietnamese fishermen jailed for poaching. Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan and Vietnamese Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Xuan Gia will discuss cooperation in fisheries, energy, agriculture and road transport through Laos.

Thailand will be the ASEAN chairman by the year 2000 followed by Vietnam in 2001.

Source: Reuters, "Thai workers to take part in Libyan river project," Bangkok Post, 2 June 1999; "Libya may let in thousands of Thai workers," The Straits Times, 3 Jun 1999; Penchan Charoensuthipan, "No reprieve likely for foreign workers," Bangkok Post, 5 June 1999; Achara Ashayagachat, "Talks set to resume on visa accord," Bangkok Post, 8 June 1999; Penchan Charoensuthipan, "Stricter job rules set for employers," Bangkok Post, 11 June 1999; Penchan Charoensuthiphan, "Push for longer reprieve," Bangkok Post, 12 June 1999.

Vietnam (see Hong Kong, Thailand)