Report on the WSCF-AP Human Right and Solidarity Workshop 1998

BUILDING SOLIDARITY: STUDENTS AND MIGRANT WORKERS IN ASIA

A major concern underpinning the Solidarity work of the WSCF-AP is to further strengthen the capability and the capacity of the federation and the SCM-National Movements in addressing people’s issues. This is a concrete move undertaken to enhance the facilitation of study process and to strengthen the human rights advocacy and struggles and to respond to concrete issues of the students, indigenous people, women, migrant workers, the peasants and the local workers. Scores of endeavors are now continuously undertaken. And one of the WSCF’s focuses right now is the solidarity with the migrant workers.

This year the WSCF has organized an “Solidarity Workshop on the Migrant Workers in Asia” to specifically facilitate the deeper understanding and undertake concrete actions concerning the migrant workers in receiving countries in East Asia. The solidarity workshop was held last June 7-12,1998 in Macau. A total of 18 participants attended the activity, 12 of whom were national delegates from Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, 4 resource speakers and The WSCF-AP Regional Secretary and the HR/ Solidarity Coordinator from the Philippines served as staff and facilitated the activity.

General objective of the workshop is to enable a selected number of student leaders to understand and appreciate the situation and issues of local and migrant workers, and its relevance to them as students.

The specific objectives are as follows:

1. Enable the participants to articulate the situation of local and migrant workers, primarily relating to their rights.

2. Provide them with opportunities to experience the situations that local and migrant workers face.

3. Enable them to identify critical aspects of possible solidarity networking and participation between the student movements, trade unions, migrant worker organizations, and support groups.

4. Facilitate the process of internship of participants with interested trade unions, migrant worker organizations, and support groups.

5. Facilitate the exchange of information and experiences of the different movements.

The workshop was divided in four components: Input discussion and sharing, bible reflection, action planning, and integration. During the activity, each participant were given an opportunity to report and share their respective national situation based on their initial integration and research with trade unions, support groups and migrant organizations from their countries. Major input discussion shared by resource speakers provided a deeper analysis on the migrant workers issues. Biblico-theological reflection on the other hand, provided a good theological basis for doing solidarity with the migrant workers. The action planning has come out concrete plan and follow-up activity in the next few months. Finally, an exposure to Hong Kong was conducted and a visit to different migrant workers organization including the Mission for Filipino Migrant Workers and the Hong Kong Industrial Committee, an independent workers union that set up by the Hong Kong Christian Council. During these visits a short discussion was made with each organization and provided a clear understanding on the plight of the local and migrant workers in Hong Kong.

INPUT SUMMARY and RESOURCE PERSONS:

A. Situation of Asian Migrant Workers

The facilitator was Mr. Rex Varona, the executive director of the Asian Migrant Center. The AMC is an NGO focussing on research and documentation of the Human rights violation, cases of violence experienced by migrant workers in Asia.

The discussion focuses on the issues and problems affecting the migrant workers through out Asia and the World; the risk they take, the consequences and the danger and difficulties in the host country. It was pointed out that the root causes of labor migration has a long standing condition that act as pressure for people to migrate. First is the backward mal developed economy that has resulted in low incomes, wide spread poverty, and a very low standard of living. Second is the unemployment rate on sending countries and the existence of large reserve army of labor that cannot be absorbed by local industries. And third is the effect of Globalization and governments policies in order to earn a much need currency for the economy. Due to this situation, as a consequence, migrant workers are exposed to different kinds of difficulties and exploitation. One is the burden of leaving the family to bargain and earn money abroad, which in effect, they are paying a much higher price, because they receive no protection from the governments.

Mr. Verona explained that labor migration has an immediate and long-term effect, which can be summarized as PERILOUS.

P Powerless (politically and Socially)

E Excluded and discriminated against

R Risky and vulnerable situation

I Insecure Future (esp. upon return)

L Large Numbers

O Obligations (debt, dependents)

U Unprotected (legal, rights, and social security)

S Social and Family problems (Family breakdown)

The discussion was concluded that migration is a worst expression of globalization and worst economic situation experienced because of the capitalist countries “ natural strategy to exploit labor and resources. Finally He added that the only lasting and sustainable solution to labor migration is to strengthen the national economy of sending countries so that people will have jobs and decent income, and so that the government will not export workers.

During the participants sharing, it was concluded that the SCM have a big role to play regarding the problem of labor migration especially on the education process, dissemination of information, and the direct involvement to the labor movement through internship and volunteer work.

B. GENERAL SITUATION OF FOREIGN MIGRANT WORKERS IN JAPAN

Ms. Mazumi Asu, a staff from the AMC facilitated the discussion, whom she focussed on the historical overview of labor migration in Japan; the problems experienced by documented and undocumented sex workers, entertainers, and construction workers. One of the cases highlighted was that of the migrant workers who arrived in Nagano prefecture. When Japan was host to the winter Olympics, the demand for workers increased. And due to shortage of labor, many subcontractors hired undocumented workers. However, when the construction project was completed, the police started arresting the migrant workers.

Other cases she highlighted were that of the 3 Thailand nationals trafficked by the Yakuza, the Malaysian who died in detention, a Chinese woman that was kicked and badly beaten by policemen, Brazilian that was killed by police, and a Filipina sex worker who was raped but when She filled a case in court, the Japanese government did not extend her visa. As a result, she cannot continue the case.

Ms. Masumi added that there are a lot of issues migrant workers are facing, such as the nationality of children of married and migrant workers, the strong racism, and the violence in the detention camps.

During the discussion, it was pointed out that the above cases happen in the context that migrant workers were treated as tools and not as human beings. When the Government no longer need their services, they will dump and arrest the migrant workers.

C. RE-INTEGRATION PROCESS FOR MIGRANT WORKERS

Mr. Bien Molina Jr gave the discussion. He is a co-coordinator of the AMC. The discussion focussed on the strategic response to the problems of labor migration and of migrants working in different country. As an experienced organizer, Mr. Bien pointed out that Migration is caused by lack of opportunities in the home country, forcing workers (skilled or unskilled) to go abroad in search for a high paying job.

He added that Labor migration runs a deadly course and migrant workers suffer great risks. Although counseling, refuge houses somehow provide a temporary assistance to migrant, NGO and movements should give more emphasis on developing a more strategic and a pro-active response. He said that our response should not attempt to change the course of migration but rather address the underlying reasons.

As a co-coordinator of the AMC, Bien pointed out that one of the response is to organize and migrant workers so that they can create an alternative livelihood and don’t have to depend on overseas work forever.

D. ORIENTATION SHARING FOR SEX WORKERS

The discussion was given by Ms. Yim Yuet Lin, a full time staff of Zi Teng. Zi teng is an NGO actively engaged in building contacts with sex workers (local and migrants), providing them information and heath care services, their legal rights, and other assistance.

Ms. Yim provided a good description on how the sex workers are treated. She made an interesting comparison between a factory worker and the sex worker in capitalist society. She also posed challenging questions to the participants to define peoples view on Sex workers.

BIBLICAL REFLECTIONS

There were two biblical reflections during the workshop. Rev. Daniel Peter, the former regional secretary of the WSCF-AP provided the first one, and the second one was given by Rev. Lee Chun Mo from South Korea.

Rev. Peter made two reflections. The first one focussed on the new Dynasty and the denial of image of God. He stressed that in Exodus, “the Israelites came out of Egypt not as a nation but as a working class and the process is a revolution”. He made an interesting contextualization to the present situation and how new dynasty face series of problems (e.g. GATT, WTO, IMF-WB).

The other reflection focused on the restoration of the image of God and the people’s aspirations. He has used various texts in the bible to illustrate the need to have aspirations in order to restore human dignity.

Rev. Lee Chun Mo on the other hand used different biblical passages that posed a challenge in helping the needy like the migrant workers out of their suffering and lamentations (Deut. 10:18-19). He stressed that the situation of the sick is similar to the situation of the migrant workers, and they both need our help.

SHARING OF THE NATIONAL SITUATIONS

To understand more the context of the receiving countries situation, each participants presented their respective national situation emphasizing on the local and migrant workers. The sharing was able to define commonalities on the conditions and plight of migrating workers and was able to identify commonalities such as:

o Migrant workers receive lower wages compared to local workers

o Racial discrimination

o Usually they are overworked

o The Government legal system does provide any security, insurance and safety of Workers

o The suffer from unhealthy and unsafe working conditions

o Most migrant workers are exposed to 3D jobs (dirty, dangerous and demeaning)

o Their passports and salaries were held by their employees, and mostly, will only be given after their contract ends.

o They suffer human rights violations, harassment either perpetuated by their employees, the police, the immigration department and even the governments.

With this, the participants were provided a framework and a clear direction for a concrete plan of action.

RESULTS OF THE ACTION PLAN

During the fourth day of the workshop, participants were divided into two working groups to develop a plan of action, and both came out with concrete plans. The summary of the two working groups’ action plan are as follows:

o Since migrant workers receive no protection from the governments of receiving countries, SCM national movements will collect data and document cases of HR violations and then petition the government to enact laws that will protect the Migrant workers.

o Encourage SCMers to publish article and work through media in disseminating Migrant workers issues.

o Encourage Churches to have a “Migrant Workers Sunday”--- a special Sunday to pray and express solidarity with migrant workers.

o Formulate and develop a Solidarity Network among national movements, trade unions, Migrant Workers organizations and NGO, support groups and student organizations.

o Appoint coordinators* from respective countries to and that will oversee and evaluate advocacy with migrant workers. Specifically they are to ensure the following:

1. Ensure that the national movements are encouraged to launch advocacy works, solidarity activities in support of the migrant workers.

2. Ensure the exchange of information regarding the migrants situations in their countries.

3. Ensure to release a publication/newsletter for dissemination to all member movements.

4. Make recommendations to the regional office and make a strategic planning for future solidarity.

5. Build and coordinate a wide network supporting migrant workers (national movements, student organizations, NGO, people’s organizations, alliances etc.)

If the evaluation on how these coordinators come out well, they will be appointed officially by the regional office to further continue the solidarity works.

o Organize discussions among SCMs & students (forum, testimony sharing of Migrant Worker)

o Encourage SCMers to have an exposure to areas/centers where migrant workers concentrate.

o Organize exchange program between receiving countries and sending countries and facilitate the internship to concern organizations and support groups in sending countries. **

o Release a Newsletter focusing on Migrant workers.

o National Movements are encouraged to launch Migrant workers workshop on the national level.

* The appointed Migrant worker solidarity coordinator from Taiwan R, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong are expected to meet this November to Seoul Korea to evaluate the plans and develop further solidarity with Migrant workers.

** One from each receiving country (Japan Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong) is expected to send an intern to receiving country. The Korean intern will be coming to the Philippines this July, while the other member movements is yet to finalize the whom to send.

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