[URGENT APPEAL] The Korean Government must immediately stop the massive arrest and deportation of undocumented migrant workers

[URGENT APPEAL] from AHRC(Asia Human Right Commission)
The Korean Government must immediately stop the massive arrest and deportation of undocumented migrant workers

Dear
friends,The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) calls for your urgent
support for these undocumented workers in South Korea. Since the South
Korean Government began cracking down on undocumented workers in November 2003,
many cases of harassment and arbitrary arrest of migrants have been reported. It
is also reported that the detention center authorities did not provide
appropriate medical treatment to the migrant workers, who were on hunger strike
in Detention Centers in Hwasong and Yeosu. Instead, the officials punished them
by putting them in the segregation cell and forcibly deporting them to their
countries. Several hunger strike participants are in critical condition now.
Please send a letter to the President and Minister of Justice of South
Korean Government and request them to stop the ongoing crackdown on and
deportation of migrant workers. AHRC also suggests that you send a letter or
call the detention centers and ask them to provide appropriate medical treatment
to the hunger strike participants. You can also follow up with this
matter through the website of the Equality Trade Union – Migrants’ Branch (ETU-
MB): http://migrant.nodong.net/ver2/index_e.html
Also, you can join their campaign and send an instant online protest letter to
the Korean government letter via www.labourstart.org. To
see our previous urgent appeals regarding this matter, please
visit:[UA-73-2003-South Korea: http://wwwahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2003/621/UP-01-2004-South
Korea: http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2004/527/]Urgent
Appeals DeskAsian Human Rights Commission
(AHRC)

UPATED
INFORMATION:Migrant workers’ hunger strikeOn 17
February 2004, nine migrant workers stated a hunger strike calling for the
immediate stop of the Korean government’s crackdown on undocumented migrant
workers. More and more migrant workers in detention centers as well as outside
are joining the hunger strike. However, the detention center authorities put two
Russian and 5 Kazakh hunger striking migrants into a dark, unlit segregation
cell that is meant for one person, and denied the effective medical
attention.Currently, Kul Bahadur Yakha and Enamul Haq and someone known
as “Gupta” are being held at Hwasong Detention Center. Kul Bahadur, now only
weights 36 kg and Gupta’s weight is now 59 kg (before 73 kg). Both of them are
very weak. Further, Byambajav Baraash, a migrant worker from Mongolia, is in
very critical condition and needs urgent medical treatment in a hospital. He is
also at Hwasong Detention Center. The Center number is +82 31 355 2011 or 355
6068. Samar Thapa, a prominent ETU-MB organizer, is being kept in Yeosu
Detention Center. He is separated from the bulk of the migrant population.
It is reported that his condition is also bad. The Center number is +82 61 665
2441. Chronology of the Sit-in Struggle at Myeongdong
Cathedral:November 15, 2003100 migrant workers, along with
the Korean Confederation Trade Unions (KCTU), began an indefinite sit-in
struggle at Myeongong Cathedral, demanding the Korean government stop the forced
deportation of migrant workers and legalize all unregistered migrant
workers.November 2003 to January 2004The Korean government deported
3,000 migrant workers and 10,000 migrant workers voluntarily left South Korea.
The Korean Government’s repression begins against the Myeongdong Sit-in Struggle
Collective (MSCC). January 17, 2004The Korean Government announced
that if the workers voluntarily leave Korea, they can return to Korea under the
new EPS. But the government officials fail to provide any official documents of
this promise to the workers. February 15, 2004One of the key leaders
of the MSCC, Samar Thapa from Nepal, was arrested by immigration officials. He
is currently imprisoned at the Yeosu Deportation Center.February 17,
2004Workers demonstrated against the arrest of Thapa. Gupta from Nepal was
arrested by immigration officials. Nine workers (one at the Yeosu Deportation
Center, four at the Hwasung Deportation Center, and four at the Myeongdong
Cathedral) started an indefinite hunger strike in protest of the forced
deportation of migrant workers. February 20, 2004The Ministry of
Justice announced they will renew the crackdown and forced deportation of
migrant workers on 1 March 2004.February 23, 2004The hunger strike
inside the Hwasung Deportation Center spread and 17 migrant workers participated
in the hunger strike. Human rights abuse against hunger strike participants
increased. Six of the hunger strikers were put in solitary confinement. In
addition, the center officials refuse to disperse much-needed medicine to the
participants. As a result, several participants are in critical condition. Some
are vomiting and are discharging blood, while others are suffering from body
spasm and intense headaches. However, deportation center officials refused to
provide medical treatment, aside from dispensing cough medicine. March
8, 200421 days into the hunger strike, the detain centers provided medical
treatment to the hunger strike participants. Meantime, the Korean Government
forcefully deported 11 migrant workers participating in the hunger strike even
though some of them were in poor health. Reminder:
On 31 July 2003, the South Korean government passed a new
migrant worker management system, entitled the Employment Permit System (EPS)
which is to take into effect on August 2004. This new law, along with the
Industrial Trainee System, is basically South Korean’s version of a slave
system. According to the new law, migrant workers can work in South Korea for
only three years and no right to move their work place. Since migrant workers
cannot change their work place, the employer basically has complete control over
the wages and working conditions of migrant workers; thus these workers are
bound to the employer like slaves. In preparation for the implementation
of the EPS, since November 16, 2003, the South Korean government has been
consistent in their policy of seeking out and deporting migrant workers who have
been in South Korea for more than four years. This policy has resulted in the
tragic deaths of nine migrant workers who chose death instead of returning to
their home countries. Until now, 7 have committed suicide, and many
other migrants have fled their jobs and homes in fear of the immigration police;
some have taken to hiding out in the mountains during intense crackdown periods.
Still, more than 110,000 migrants remain as undocumented
workers.SUGGESTED ACTION:Please send a letter, fax or email to the
President of South Korea and express your concern of this matter Send a
letter: Mr. Roh Moo-hyunPresident1 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu
Seoul 110-820, REPUBLIC OF KOREA Tel: +822 770-0018Fax: +822
770-0202 or 770-0347 / +822 770-2579 (for appeal)E-mail: president@cwd.go.kr or president@president.go.kr
Send a copy to: Ms. Kang Kum-silMinister of Justice 1
Jungang-ro, Gwachon-si, Gyonggi Province, 427-760REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Fax: +822 503 3532, or 822 26506295/ +822 503 7046 (HR
Department)E-mail: m_moj@moj.go.kr, immi_moj@moj.go.kr or kskang7@moj.go.kr
Chang-kook KimPresident of the National Human Rights Commission of
Korea16 Euljiro 1-ga, Jung-guSeoul 100 842 REPUBLIC OF KOREATel:
+82 2 2125 9700 Fax: +82 2 2125 9811 / 9666E-mail: nhrc@humanrights.go.krMr
Y. NoderaRegional DirectorILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
United Nations Building, 11th Floor Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, P.O. Box
2-349 Bangkok 10200, Thailand Tel: 66 2 288 1710, 288 1755 Fax: 66 2
288 3056 (direct), 288 3062 E-mail: bangkok@ilobkk.or.th Ms. Gabriela
Rodriguez PizarroSpecial Rapporteur on the human rights of
migrantsOHCHR-UNOG, 8-14 Avenue de la Paix 1211 Geneva 10,
SWITZERLAND Tel: +41 22 917 9000 Fax: + 41 22 917
9011Sample letter:The Korean Government must
immediately stop the massive arrest and deportation of undocumented migrant
workersDear President Roh Moo-hyun,I am writing to bring
to your attention the ongoing arrests, detention and deportation of undocumented
migrants in South Korea. Seven undocumented workers have already
committed suicide, and many human rights abuses by immigration officials have
been reported since the crackdown on migrant workers began last November.
Moreover, I was shocked to learn that the detention center authorities have
denied providing appropriate medical treatment to the hunger strike
participants, who are in critical condition. Also, I would like to
appeal to the Korean Government’s repression against the Equality Trade Union –
Migrants’ Branch (ETU-MB), which is actively supporting the campaign for
undocumented migrants in South Korea. The right to protest is a basic human
right that is guaranteed by Article 22(3) of the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights (ICCPR) which is Korean Government is a state party.
I strongly urge the Korean government to immediately stop the ruthless
crackdown and deportation of ‘undocumented’ migrant workers. The Korean
Government must stop repress the ETU-MB activists, in accordance with Article
22(3) of the ICCPR. I also call for the South Korean government to abolish the
Industrial Trainee System, revoke the Employment Permit System and install
proper legal protection for migrant workers in full accordance with
international standards and laws. I further urge the South Korean government to
legalize all undocumented migrant workers, release all detained migrant workers,
and fully ensure their labour rights by law. Yours
truly,——————Thank you.Urgent Appeals
Programme Asian Human Rights Commission
(AHRC)