THAILAND – Stop deportation, ensure migrants’ rights!
3 March 2010 8:13 am

th_migrants_irrawaddy.gifBy the resolution issued
in January 2010, one million undocumented migrants are expected to be
deported from Thailand after 28 February. About 60 non-governmental
organisations, including FORUM-ASIA, called on the Thai government to
ensure migrants' human rights in a letter on 16 February.
th_migrants_irrawaddy.gifBy the resolution issued
in January 2010, one million undocumented migrants are expected to be
deported from Thailand after 28 February. About 60 non-governmental
organisations, including FORUM-ASIA, called on the Thai government to
ensure migrants' human rights in a letter on 16 February.

We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned for the safety of over 2
million migrants from Burma,
Cambodia and Laos working in Thailand who may face deportation
after 28th February 2010. Over 80% of these migrants originate from
Burma and
face ethnic and political conflict as well as continuing economic
deterioration
in their homeland, which is controlled by a military government.

Most migrants from Thailand's
neighbouring countries entered Thailand
without documentation, but are permitted to work temporarily pending
deportation by the Royal Thai Government (RTG). This temporary
permission has
been extended on a year to year basis in recognition that migrants fill
important gaps in the labour force and strengthen the Thai economy.

On 19th January 2010, the Thai Cabinet
issued a resolution linking extension of migrant work permits to
nationality
verification (NV). For over 1.3 million migrants who received permits
during
2009 and are willing to submit biographical information to their home
governments prior to 28th February 2010, they will receive permission
to remain and work in Thailand until 28th February 2012 so NV can be
completed. However, migrants who do not enter NV and all undocumented
migrants
(estimated to be around 1 million persons) shall be deported after 28th
February 2010.

We appreciate the importance the Thai government attaches to enacting
workable migration
policies and we support exploration of ideas such as NV for formalising
irregular migration flows between countries. But we also believe
migration policies
must be carefully planned to ensure protection of migrants' human
rights. For
this reason, we are deeply concerned the Cabinet's 19th January 2010
resolution responds neither realistically nor appropriately to the
situation of
migrants in Thailand.

To read the complete letter, please click here (Human
Rights Watch website).

(Photo courtesy of Irrawaddy)