Press Statement
October 12, 2004

Reference: Rev. Reynaldo B. Cortes
Moderator, SOUTHEAST ASIA NETWORK ON UNDOCUMENTED CHILDREN
E-mail address: reyc@edsamail.com.ph
Contact no. (+632) 924-0234

Let the Undocumented Children Go!

The Southeast Asia Network on Undocumented Children (SENUC) a conglomeration of concerned Churches, Non Government Organizations and People’s Organizations in the region condemn the arrests and detention of the twenty five (25) undocumented Filipino children, ten (10) refugee children from Indonesia and Myanmar in Malaysia. We register our strong opposition against this inhuman act and violence committed by the Malaysian government against these poor children.

The world knows that undocumented families are forced to migrate because of the economic and political crisis besetting their home countries in which, majority of them are victims of the on-going armed conflict in the countryside. They seek refuge to Sabah, Malaysia but unfortunately the Malaysian government responded with massive arrests, detention and deportation of these undocumented and refugee children . After two years, we were alarmed once again by the renewed crackdown and deportation of the estimated 1.2 million undocumented migrants from Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh, India and Myanmar.

The Network also condemn governments of home countries of these undocumented children for not addressing the abovementioned problems, instead they have intensified the human labor exportation to find ways to keep their respective economies afloat. While enjoying millions of dollar remittances from the migrant workers, undocumented migrants, especially children continuous to suffer.

We challenge the aforementioned governments and the International bodies that protects the rights and welfare of the undocumented children to immediately address their problems by implementing “The 1999 Bangkok Declaration” which granted the humanitarian treatment including appropriate health and other services to undocumented migrants.

It is also high time for the Malaysian government which is a signatory to the United Nation Convention on the Rights of Children to honor and abide by this convention which provide preferential treatment to children irrespective of their status, race and religion.

However, we continue to challenge the Malaysian government and the International Labor Organization (ILO) to translate the 1999 Bangkok declaration into action and abide by the UNCRC. What is at stake at this juncture in our history is the future of this hapless undocumented and refugee children and the governments integrity and reputation in protecting and caring for their own people.

RELEASE IMMEDIATELY ALL THE CHILDREN FROM DETENTION!
STOP CRACKDOWN AGAINST THE UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANTS IN MALAYSIA!