Migrant groups stage ‘zero remittance’ protest
MANILA, Philippines — Migrants rights advocates from 29 countries on Tuesday refused to send remittances home in a symbolic protest against the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) being held in Manila.
Around 5,000 migrants, migrant advocates and supporting sectors also held a protest march in Manila to coincide with the start of the government-level discussions of the GFMD at the Philippine International Convention Center.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon and President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo addressed the various government representatives from 162 countries on Wednesday as it opened at around 9 a.m.
Protesters carried thought balloons where the calls "No to GFMD," "End labor export," "End poverty," and "Create jobs at home," written in different languages.
Eni Lestari, International Migrants Alliance (IMA) chairperson, said among those who joined the remittance boycott were migrants from the Philippines, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Germany, Italy, Belgium, United States, Canada, Fiji, Argentina, South Korea, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Japan, and Hong Kong.
It could not be immediately determined whether the boycott had any impact, although Philippine officials earlier said such a protest would not have any negative impact on the Philippine economy, which is dependent to a big extent to dollars remitted by its 8 million or so migrant work force.
"Today, we are collectively exercising our power to show governments and big businesses that we are finally standing up against modern-day slavery that is forced migration," said Lestari.
He said the GFMD “has no right to speak about protecting our rights now when we have been treated for decades as nothing more than sources of profits and exactions. We know that the GFMD is just after our money, which migrants have paid for with blood and tears."
Connie Bragas-Regalado, Migrante International chairperson and IMA secretary-general, said: "By showcasing to the international community its labor-export program and the country's dependence on remittances, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is exposing the government's inability to create jobs at home and keep the economy from sinking like a dead weight.
“This shameful inability is caused by neo-liberal policies imposed by the same imperialist powers behind the GFMD," she added.
The protest rally culminated in a “Migrants' Speak Out" at the Bonifacio Shrine at 4 p.m., where participants of the International Assembly of Migrants and Refugees (IAMR) shared their lives and struggles through speeches, songs, poems, and dances.
Migrant leaders from the Philippines, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Thailand, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, and the United States talked about issues such as sex trafficking, violence against women, unpaid/low wages, domestic work, undocumented workers, state exactions, labor contract violations, refugees and political persecution, and racism and xenophobia.
"For many years, many have spoken for us. This time, we will speak for ourselves … let our voices be heard!" said Lestari.
The IAMR was organized as an “alternative" to the GFMD (hosted by the Philippine government) and the People’s Global Action on Migration (PGA), Development and Human Rights, a parallel gathering of various migrant advocacy groups worldwide.
While the PGA was supposed to be meant to supplement the forum of government representatives, its participants also marked their activities with protests in a bid to be heard.
As far as the IAMR was concerned, both the GFMD and PGA were “sham proceedings" and that it was the only “genuine gathering of migrants and migrants organizations from various countries of the world." - GMANews.TV
Around 5,000 migrants, migrant advocates and supporting sectors also held a protest march in Manila to coincide with the start of the government-level discussions of the GFMD at the Philippine International Convention Center.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon and President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo addressed the various government representatives from 162 countries on Wednesday as it opened at around 9 a.m.
Protesters carried thought balloons where the calls "No to GFMD," "End labor export," "End poverty," and "Create jobs at home," written in different languages.
Eni Lestari, International Migrants Alliance (IMA) chairperson, said among those who joined the remittance boycott were migrants from the Philippines, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Germany, Italy, Belgium, United States, Canada, Fiji, Argentina, South Korea, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Japan, and Hong Kong.
It could not be immediately determined whether the boycott had any impact, although Philippine officials earlier said such a protest would not have any negative impact on the Philippine economy, which is dependent to a big extent to dollars remitted by its 8 million or so migrant work force.
"Today, we are collectively exercising our power to show governments and big businesses that we are finally standing up against modern-day slavery that is forced migration," said Lestari.
He said the GFMD “has no right to speak about protecting our rights now when we have been treated for decades as nothing more than sources of profits and exactions. We know that the GFMD is just after our money, which migrants have paid for with blood and tears."
Connie Bragas-Regalado, Migrante International chairperson and IMA secretary-general, said: "By showcasing to the international community its labor-export program and the country's dependence on remittances, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is exposing the government's inability to create jobs at home and keep the economy from sinking like a dead weight.
“This shameful inability is caused by neo-liberal policies imposed by the same imperialist powers behind the GFMD," she added.
The protest rally culminated in a “Migrants' Speak Out" at the Bonifacio Shrine at 4 p.m., where participants of the International Assembly of Migrants and Refugees (IAMR) shared their lives and struggles through speeches, songs, poems, and dances.
Migrant leaders from the Philippines, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Thailand, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, and the United States talked about issues such as sex trafficking, violence against women, unpaid/low wages, domestic work, undocumented workers, state exactions, labor contract violations, refugees and political persecution, and racism and xenophobia.
"For many years, many have spoken for us. This time, we will speak for ourselves … let our voices be heard!" said Lestari.
The IAMR was organized as an “alternative" to the GFMD (hosted by the Philippine government) and the People’s Global Action on Migration (PGA), Development and Human Rights, a parallel gathering of various migrant advocacy groups worldwide.
While the PGA was supposed to be meant to supplement the forum of government representatives, its participants also marked their activities with protests in a bid to be heard.
As far as the IAMR was concerned, both the GFMD and PGA were “sham proceedings" and that it was the only “genuine gathering of migrants and migrants organizations from various countries of the world." - GMANews.TV
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