Cambodian workers deported from Thailand (Photo: Koh Santepheap)Thu, 18 Feb 2010
DPA
Bangkok/Geneva - The United Nations Thursday raised concerns over the possibility of mass deportations of migrant workers in Thailand at the end of this month, following the implementation of a new worker documentation process. "A potentially large number of documented and undocumented migrant workers from Myanmar, Cambodia, and Lao People's Democratic Republic face the threat of deportation from Thailand after February 28, 2010," Jorge Bustamante, the UN human rights expert for migrants, said in Geneva.
In January, the Thai cabinet passed a resolution allowing for a two-year extension of work permits for some 1.3 million migrants provided that they were willing to submit biographical information to their home governments prior to February 28, 2010.
Those who fail to do face the risk of deportation.
The new process was agreed on in memoranda of understanding signed bilaterally between Thailand and its three neighbours Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.
"We believe this is the best way of documenting the migrants and of protecting their rights here," Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpaksi said.
Human rights groups have noted that the lack of national identity documentation in countries such as Myanmar will mean many migrants working in Thailand will fail to meet the deadline.
They have also raised concerns that migrants who are fleeing their homelands for political reasons would be unwilling to seek verification documentation from their governments.
"This scheme does not offer options for protecting the human rights of migrants" who fail to take the necessary steps, Bustamante said.
"Among the groups who may potentially be deported, there may be some who may be in need of international protection and should not be returned to the country of origin. Thailand should respect the principle of 'non-refoulement'," he added.
Non-refoulement is a principle of international law that states refugees should not be expelled to a place where they might be at further risk of persecution.
Thani said that the principle did not apply in this case, because the government viewed the foreign labourers as "economic migrants" rather than refugees.
He also suggested that a mass deportation might not be on the cards immediately after the February 28 deadline.
"As we get closer to the deadline we will see what can be done to facilitate the process," Thani said. "I think we will work something out."
In January, the Thai cabinet passed a resolution allowing for a two-year extension of work permits for some 1.3 million migrants provided that they were willing to submit biographical information to their home governments prior to February 28, 2010.
Those who fail to do face the risk of deportation.
The new process was agreed on in memoranda of understanding signed bilaterally between Thailand and its three neighbours Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.
"We believe this is the best way of documenting the migrants and of protecting their rights here," Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpaksi said.
Human rights groups have noted that the lack of national identity documentation in countries such as Myanmar will mean many migrants working in Thailand will fail to meet the deadline.
They have also raised concerns that migrants who are fleeing their homelands for political reasons would be unwilling to seek verification documentation from their governments.
"This scheme does not offer options for protecting the human rights of migrants" who fail to take the necessary steps, Bustamante said.
"Among the groups who may potentially be deported, there may be some who may be in need of international protection and should not be returned to the country of origin. Thailand should respect the principle of 'non-refoulement'," he added.
Non-refoulement is a principle of international law that states refugees should not be expelled to a place where they might be at further risk of persecution.
Thani said that the principle did not apply in this case, because the government viewed the foreign labourers as "economic migrants" rather than refugees.
He also suggested that a mass deportation might not be on the cards immediately after the February 28 deadline.
"As we get closer to the deadline we will see what can be done to facilitate the process," Thani said. "I think we will work something out."
4 comments:
PLEASE TELL ALL YOUR BROTHER, SISTER, RELATIVES, FRIENDS, AND ALL KHMERS TO STAND UP IF YOU WANT TO HAVE CAMBODIA MOVING TO THE RIGHT DIRECTION. LET HAVE MORE THAN MILLIONS KHMERS TO KICK HUN SEN'S REGIME OUT OF POWER SO WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENT. PEOPLES POWER THAT THE ONLY WAY TO PREVAIL. WAKE UP KHMERS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. DON'T LET Communist People Party ( CPP ) ruling the rest of your life.
Siamese should ask if they really need to clean it capital by violence and animosity against these few undefended innocent or it is their brain that should be cleaned from hatred and barbarism. While men use violence than reasons, is rather littleness. It is an act of SHAME condemned by the world code of morality and human rights.
Thailand is the RACIST country in the world!
KaonKhmer
little man need to make big noise or little other to make oneself look bigger or better like froge
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