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 Stop
the Massive Crackdown on Undocumented
Migrant Workers in Malaysia!
Uphold Human Rights in Malaysia Now!
Statement on the Mass Action in front
of the Malaysian Consulate in Hong Kong
2 March 2005
We, Hong Kong people
coming from Migrant Workers' Organizations and Institutions,
Human Rights Organizations, Students, Youth and Trade Unions
are gathering here to urgently appeal the Malaysian government
to immediately stop the massive crackdown on undocumented
migrant workers.
We urge the Malaysian government to respect the human rights
and uphold the 1999 Bangkok Declaration on Undocumented/Irregular
Migrants signed by them.
The massive crackdown or so called "Ops Tegas"
(Tough Operation) which started yesterday, March 1, already
defies the declaration that stated that "the state should
grant the humanitarian treatment, including appropriate health
and other services. All kind of unfair treatment should be
avoided."
Since the current crackdown involves more than half-a-million
officials and civilian security force volunteers in the nationwide
sweep, certainty human rights abuses would be committed. In
fact, the previous crackdown experienced by migrants in 2002
resulted to nearly half a million forcibly repatriated. During
that time scores of migrants fell ill due to the unhygienic
conditions in the detention centers and a number of women
suffered sexual violence. Worst of all, many migrants were
caned as a result of the amendment of the Immigration Act.
Despite your government's series of massive arrests, detention
and deportation of undocumented migrants since 1986, the estimated
number of undocumented migrants even increased and the reported
human rights violations and different forms of abuses especially
among women and children have actually worsened. We believe
that unless the root causes of forced migration are addressed,
the number of migrants who are forced to become undocumented
will continue.
We therefore strongly appeal for humanitarian considerations
for the undocumented migrants in Malaysia and for the immediate
halt of the persecution of the undocumented migrants and provide
them the condition to choose if they wish to continue their
stay in your country.
Furthermore, we strongly demand the following:
- Stop the crackdown on the undocumented migrants immediately.
- Abolish the 2002 Amended Immigration Act and implement
an Immigration Policy that adheres to international human
rights standards and instruments.
- Issue extension visas to migrants with pending labor
and court cases and allow them to continue their stay and
work with employers who wish to sponsor them;
- Implement a policy that will address the trafficking
issues of women and children;
- Establish a Special Commission on Migration for a total
review and map the road to a comprehensive policy for the
management of migration that upholds the rights of migrant
workers.
Asian Migrants' Coordinating Body (AMCB),
Asian Students Association (ASA)
and the Asia-Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM)
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