Uphold and Protect the Rights of Migrants: Stop the Impending Massive Crackdown of Undocumented Migrant Workers in Thailand

We the undersigned are calling on the Thai Royal Government to reconsider its decision to launch a massive crackdown on nearly 1.4 million undocumented migrant workers in Thailand after February 28, 2010.

February 28 is the last day for all migrant workers with two-year permits to undergo a national verification scheme, being conducted by the Thai Royal Government for supposed verification and extension. Those who will not sign up will be arrested, detained and deported.

As in previously recorded cases in Thailand and Malaysia among others, the crackdown will surely result in abuse and inhuman treatment of migrant workers, many of whom are from Cambodia, Laos and Burma.

Eighty percent of the 1.4 million are Burmese, many of whom are refugees who fled their country fearing persecution. The crackdown will endanger not only their refugee status but their security and safety once they are forced back to Burma.

The other targets of this crackdown are almost a million migrants because they were never registered or are dependents of such.

Such a massive undertaking of the Thai Royal Government will violate the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers which the Thai government itself co-signed in 2007, among many other international human rights laws and conventions.

Thus we call for the following:

1) We reiterate our call to the Thai Royal Government to reconsider its decision to pursue the crackdown and instead abide by the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers which includes the following general principles and commitments respectively:

a) The receiving states and the sending states shall, for humanitarian reasons, closely cooperate to resolve the cases of migrant workers who, through no fault of their own, have subsequently become undocumented;

b) Extend assistance to migrant workers of ASEAN Member Countries who are caught in conflict or crisis situations outside ASEAN in the event of need and based on the capacities and resources of the Embassies and Consular Offices of the relevant ASEAN Member Countries, based on bilateral consultations and arrangements;

2) We also call on the Thai Royal Government to abide by international humanitarian laws and instruments

3) We call the attention of the governments of the migrant-sending countries to immediately plan for the safety of their respective citizens in Thailand who will be affected should the massive crackdown push through after February 28. Migrant workers returning to their home country must be supported by their respective governments.

Migrant workers, regardless of their status, have rights that need to be upheld, promoted and protected. They deserve just, fair, equal and human treatment.