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| ANROAV Statement on the Deaths of 54 Migrant Workers in Thailand |
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| Thursday, 17 April 2008 | |||||||||||||
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Background: We abhor the economic social and political environment in Burma that makes such illegal migration necessary. While ANROAV expresses profound sadness at the loss of so many young lives and grieves with the families of the deceased, we will raise this matter at the highest level to ensure that those traveling to seek work and freedom from oppression can do so safely and with due process. We insist that this incident be investigated thoroughly and transparently and urge the global media to continue its comprehensive reporting on the incident to closely follow up on all aspects of the story. We urge both the Royal Thai Government and the SPDC of Burma to ensure that the perpetrators of this crime are brought to justice - not merely the truck driver whose culpable behaviour could be interpreted as manslaughter, but the heads of such human trafficking gangs which we understand are linked to both Thai and Burmese officials and private business interests. We also urge that all victims immediately be provided with independent lawyers such as those from the Lawyers Council of Thailand. We believe that the charge that leads to the fining of traumatized workers is an act of abject inhumanity and inconsistent with the Buddhist values that Thailand espouses. This is a matter of national shame and we hope that Thailand uses this opportunity to clean up the well-known trafficking routes and gangs responsible. These deaths were not unique although the scale of the tragedy was enough to draw the world's attention. These deaths should be directly attributed to profound failings of officials of the Royal Thai Government and also the Burmese military junta. The Burmese military junta has created a situation in Burma where large swathes of its population must flee for personal safety or in search of more prosperous economies to support themselves and their families. The junta has a profound lack of respect for human dignity and basic human rights that is well documented and known throughout the world. The junta continually refuses to acknowledge the crisis within its own borders and therefore refuses to regulate the mass migration of its citizens overseas. The junta stands knowingly by with closed eyes whilst others, including its own officials, organise for the trafficking, smuggling and illegal transportation of its citizens overseas in conditions such as evidenced on 9th April. The Royal Thai Government must also be strongly condemned. Thailand has an economy dependent on the cheap labour of at least two million migrant workers, of which approximately 85% are from Burma. Migrant workers make up approximately 5% of the Thai workforce, toiling in the most dangerous, dirty and demeaning jobs within the seafood, construction, agriculture and garment industries. Thailand as a receiving country of so many migrants has an obligation to promote and protect the rights of these workers, both in terms of their working conditions, but more importantly their right to life. The Thai State has failed in its obligation to protect the right to life of migrant workers as a result of the 9th April incident and the death of these 54 migrant workers. The Thai Government has acknowledged that as few as 25% of all migrants currently within its borders are registered because of a failed, complex and inflexible migrant registration system. An economy that relies so heavily on a continuous import of foreign labour from its neighbouring countries but yet creates a situation where these workers cannot legally register to work can rightfully be seen as a nation failing to address the illegal trafficking, smuggling and transportation of workers into and within its border. ANROAV recommends both short-term and long-term measures the Royal Thai Government should undertake to seek to address root causes of the 9th April tragedy as follows:
The Thai State and its neighbours must work hand in hand with civil society, employers and related international agencies to ensure a repeat of the horrific 9th April incident can never occur again. The successful management of migrant workers will bring greater benefits for the Thai economy and at the same time respect the basic human rights of all migrant workers
Click here to Endorse the Statement (online) On Tuesday 22nd April at 9am, Thai labour and human rights groups will also meet in front of the Thai Parliament to prepare to hand over to the Thai Prime Minster at 10am a letter and attached additional statements related to the 9th April incident.
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