IMA leads counter-GFMD protest in front of United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland

The International Migrants Alliance (IMA) Europe section led a militant protest picket in front of the UN Complex in Geneva, Switzerland last December 1, to protest the holding of the 5th GFMD in Geneva and to say no to the GFMD,
 
The IMA held banners and posters which said: NO to the GFMD! UPHOLD the Rights of the Undocumented! No to the EU Return Directive! No to the Criminalization and Deportation of the Undocumented! Development for the People, NOT for Banks and Corporations!
 
Grassroots migrant and refugee and advocate participants came from Nigeria, Germany, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Italy, Denmark, Switzerland, Netherlands, and the Philippines.
 
The protest picket was the highlight of the successful two-day counter-GFMD activities (that included discussions of the IMA critique on the GFMD, workshop and forum on the IMA-initiated campaign on the undocumented) organized and led by the IMA Europe in Geneva, Switzerland that started  November 30, to further expose the anti-migrant framework of the GFMD and to fight the GFMD's vision to further exploit migrants and refugees and undermine their rights by utilizing them to boost state revenues and big corporate profits.
 
Representatives of Swiss Trade Unions, the Swiss Labor Party, World Council of Churches, Swiss Protestant Churches, Network of Swiss NGOs, respected human rights lawyers, and Filipino migrants in Geneva, participated and supported the IMA-led counter-GFMD activities. #

Let the genuine voice of migrants and refugees echo in Geneva to the GFMD!

As a migrant and refugee organization, advocate and friend, we invite you to join “MIGRANTS Counter to the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD)”– includes two events organized by the International Migrants Alliance (IMA), to be held 30 November- 1st December 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland.

From  the GFMD in Manila 2008, Athens 2009, and Mexico 2010,  the IMA mobilized thousands of grassroots migrant/refugee organizations and their allies to  expose and oppose the GFMD as a neo-liberal tool to further exploit the migrants and make use of them as instruments for development schemes sponsored by state and international financial institutions. IMA raised the calls: NO TO GFMD, NO TO FORCED MIGRATION, UPHOLD MIGRANT RIGHTS AND WELFARE. There is still a need to expose the GFMD, since it continues to  peddle its discredited  and deceptive framework.

In previous counter-GFMD activities, IMA dealt with  specific country, regional and international  issues. This year, IMA is consulting with various organizations for the launching of an internationally-coordinated campaign on the undocumented/irregular migrant.

The events to which you are invited to share your views are:

Event 1: Consultation Meeting on an internationally -coordinated Campaign to Protect and Uphold Rights of Undocumented: Focus on Criminalization/Deportation and Regularization
Date: 30 November Time: 18:00 – 20:30 hrs. Place: Maisons des Associations
Program: Testimonies on the plight and struggle of the undocumented, Sharings with trade unions/NGOs and Campaign Planning and sharing on the findings of a Survey on the DECLINE OF THE GFMD 

Event 2: NO TO GFMD demonstration/mobile picket to further expose and oppose the GFMD and for solidarity with the undocumented/irregular migrants
Date: 1 December Time: 1700-1900 hrs. Venue: “The Chair”, Palais de Nations
Program: speeches, street cultural activities

Main calls: NO TO GFMD, NO to criminalization/deportation of the undocumented, YES to regularization, Uphold Migrant Rights

Together, we will OCCUPY GENEVA to denounce the elitist GFMD, raise our issues and forge our solidarity.

Kindly confirm your attendance and participation in the  two events.

UFCW Canada offers 20 scholarships to children of temporary foreign workers in Canada

Migration and the hope of providing a better future for our children have always gone hand in hand. As the largest private-sector union in Canada, United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Canada understands the importance of education. As such, we are offering 20 scholarships for the children, grandchildren, sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews of migrant workers.

Each scholarship is in the amount of $500 CDN. In 2010, UFCW Canada’s Migrant Workers Scholarships generated over 4,000 applications from around the globe and produced five extraordinary recipients.

Application Deadline:

December 31, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. Only those accepted to receive the scholarships will be notified via registered mail or email by March 31, 2012.

Scholarship Criteria:

Only those persons who entered Canada to work under the Temporary Foreign Workers Program such as a live-in caregiver, a seasonal agriculture worker, or a temporary foreign worker in any industry  (“the Applicant”) are eligible to apply. An Applicant can nominate his/ her children, grandchildren, sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews.

The Nominee Child may be living in any country, can be of any nationality, must be between 4-25 years of age, and must be attending or hoping to attend an educational institution.

The Application Form must be fully completed to be considered and shall not be returned. The decision of UFCW Canada in awarding the Scholarships is final and not subject to review or scrutiny.

For more details: http://www.ufcw.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2058&Itemid=278&lang=en

CLICK THE LINK TO APPLY ONLINE:
http://www.ufcw.ca/index.php?option=com_chronocontact&Itemid=277&lang=en

IMA Statement on the Adoption of the ILO Convention on Domestic Workers

The International Migrants Alliance (IMA) congratulates domestic workers organizations, migrants groups and advocates for the rights of migrant workers who have advocated for the passing of an international instrument that can be used for the further advancement of domestic workers rights. Despite attempts by some governments, particularly of the European Union, to water down key provisions, the ILO Committee on Domestic Workers adopted the Convention on Domestic Workers that constituted a big step towards its passing.

Among migrant workers, an overwhelming number are in the domestic work sector. The frequent global crisis has pushed more and more people  especially women to domestic work as socio-economic and political problems in migrant-sending countries escalate. Meanwhile, the labour market in migrant-importing countries has contracted to the point where migrant workers are relegated to the 3D jobs dirty, difficult and dangerous that include domestic work.

As domestic workers, migrants experience some of the worst kind of exploitation and abuse. Severely underpaid, overworked and discriminated in all spheres, domestic workers labour rights are routinely violated with impunity. They suffer from extreme physical, mental and sexual abuse, and even brutal deaths.
Labour laws were not made to cover domestic workers. Most are in live-in employment arrangement that keeps abuse and exploitation hidden from the public. The right to file grievances and seek redress is also denied from domestic workers not only because they are excluded from national labour laws but also due to other barriers such as insecurity of livelihood and lack of access to legal services that should be provided both by the sending and receiving governments of migrant workers.

Organizations of foreign domestic workers have been consistently struggling against policies and practices that impinge on the rights of domestic workers. National movements of migrants in different countries have worked to painstakingly build the solid strength of migrants to resist anti-migrants and anti-women laws like the wage campaign in Hong Kong, the struggle against the anti-migrant provisions of the Live-in Caregiver Program in Canada, the campaign against abuses in the Middle East, resistance against the exploitation of the au pair system in Europe, and many other issues.

2nd International Assembly of International Migrants' Alliance (IMA)

Manila, Philippines
July 3-4, 2011

I. Introduction

The IMA international founding assembly was held in Hong Kong in June 15 to 16, 2008 and attended by 167 delegates representing 118 organizations from 25 countries. Among these, 102 were present as founding members (regular and associate members) while 16 came as observers.

The assembly was highlighted with panel presentations and discussions on various issues and resistance of im/migrants, refugees and displaced people. Likewise, the assembly approved its Basis of Unity, Constitution and By-Laws and the General Program of Action (GPOA) for the next three years.

This year, the 2nd international assembly will be held and it will gather representatives of its member organizations in various countries worldwide in order to look back on the past three years and assess the levels of struggle and resistance as well as the levels of capacity and developments of the IMA in relation to various major issues confronting migrants. We shall look both into the victories of our struggles as well as look into the points where the IMA and its members can further improve. This is important in order to formulate a more objective plan of action of the international alliance for the coming years.

Thus, the 2nd assembly will focus more on strengthening the organizational capacity of the IMA (both as an alliance as well as its members) in order for it to be more effective in addressing various issues as well as strengthening unities within the IMA and raising the alliance in new levels of international solidarity and people’s resistance against imperialism.

Threat of deportation: Canada’s Christmas gift to three Filipino workers

MIGRANTE Canada
December 26, 2010

THE THREE FATHERS’ FIGHT TO STAY CONTINUES

Winnipeg, Manitoba --While many families are busy preparing for Christmas, three migrant workers known as Three Amigos (or the Three Fathers) are busy preparing their documents for their immigration hearing and steeling themselves for the worse possible scenario, which could be  deportation orders. In the past weeks, the Canadian public has heard and read about the plight of Antonio Laroya, Arnisito Gaviola and Ermie Zotomayor.

The three migrant workers from the Philippines who came to Canada under the Temporary Foreign Workers Program were arrested for violation of work permit restrictions. The news of the decision to remove them from Canada saddens the three fathers, as well as the community and migrant advocates who have indefatigably worked to ask the Minister of Immigration, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney that they be allowed to stay in Canada.

Migrante Canada, a Canada-wide alliance of 16 migrant organizations from British Columbia to the Atlantic Region, expresses its support and sympathy to Antonio, Arnisito and Ermie and their respective families. We know that they want to stay here and be allowed to work so they can provide for their families back home. Their struggle to stay is similar to the struggle of numerous migrant workers who have no pathway to become permanent residents in

Under the present immigration system, there is no available recourse for these three men but to appeal to Immigration Minister Kenney and hope they be allowed to stay under humanitarian and compassionate grounds. Their lawyer, Nobel Peace Price nominee David Matas, has told them to apply for "restoration of status" and "temporary residence" permits that would allow them to work in Canada.

Migrante Canada hopes that this option is seriously considered and given to the three migrant workers.

Migrante Canada extends its sincere gratitude to all the supporters and allies who worked tirelessly in advocating for the Three Fathers to stay in Canada. Our regional chapter, Migrante Manitoba, was able to reach thousands of listeners and media readers all across Canada in knowing and understanding the plight of the Three Fathers. The Three Fathers find support and comfort from the community that has rallied behind

Unfortunately, this support  has been lacking from the Philippine Embassy. There are many more like the Three Fathers who are in the same situation and we hope that the community efforts will develop into a more cohesive network that will work for the much-needed changes (e.g. not having the work permits employer-specific permits) in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

Migrante Canada has not heard from the Philippine Embassy and consular officials on what assistance they can provide to our kababayan. We have witnessed time and again that for any assistance to be provided, the question most often asked by our officials is: “have these workers paid their OWWA fees?” instead of “how can we help?” Is it not enough that our kababayan are Filipino citizens and that the Philippine government, through the Embassy, is mandated to help

The Philippines is one of the top three sending countries for migrants to Canada; however, we see very little support, or none at all, for the Filipino migrant workers, especially those who are in need. The case of the Three Amigos is proof of this.

The struggle for the right to stay in Canada for the Three Fathers is far from over. We need to connect the struggle of the Three Fathers to the struggle to reform the TFWP and advocate for a pathway for permanent residency for all migrant workers – have this as an as an option offered to all migrant workers in the TFWP. We also need to connect the situation of migrant workers in Canada to the problems in the Philippines that have pushed thousands of migrant workers to find jobs for their families.

Migrante Canada will continue to advocate and appeal on behalf of the Three Fathers and all migrant workers.

Let us not allow more Ermies, Antonios and Arnisitos to be subjected to this kind of ordeal.

LET THE THREE FATHERS STAY!
JUSTICE TO ALL MIGRANT WORKERS!

Reference:

Christopher Sorio,
Secretary General, Migrante Canada
secgenmigrantecanada@gmail.com
migrante.ca

Read More:
http://www.philippinereporter.com/
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=474128107674&id=629822399
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/12/24/10/ofws-campaign-justice-canada

Celebrating International Migrants' Day 2010 across Canada

VANCOUVER:

December 18th is International Migrants Day!
And Migrante’s National Day of Action for the Three Fathers in Winnipeg, Manitoba

Please join us in voicing our concerns with and for migrant workers on International Migrants Day.

On 4 December 2000, the UN General Assembly, recognizing the large and increasing number of migrants in the world, proclaimed 18 December as International Migrants Day.  On 18 December 1990, the General Assembly adoptedthe International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. Canada has not signed this International Convention.

Date:   December 18th, 2010, Saturday
Time: 12 o'clock noon
Location:  corner of Homer and Georgia Streets (outside of the Vancouver Public Library)

WINNIPEG:

'Three Amigos' to go on protest fast on International Migrants Day

Children of the three migrant workers to give testimonials on their situation during prayer vigil

On December 18, 2010, just one week before Christmas, Antonio Laroya, Arnisito Gaviola and Ermie Zotomayor will go on a protest fast to highlight how their arrest and their lack of employment has affected their children. Since their arrest on June 24th the three fathers have not been allowed to work and thus have been unable to support their families.

A prayer vigil will be held at the Philippine Canadian Centre of Manitoba at 4pm to 6pm on Saturday, December 18th-- which coincides with International Migrants Day.

During the forum, recorded testimonials from the family of the three fathers will be heard.

Migrante Canada has also planned events in Vancouver, Toronto, Barrie, Ottawa and Montreal in support of the "3 Amigos" and International Migrants Day.

For more information or for interview requests please contact:
Diwa Marcelino: 204-218-7100; diwa.marcelino@gmail.com

TORONTO:

Celebrating International Migrants' Day 2010

Come and join us as we reflect on our collective struggles, shape our destiny and…
...CELEBRATE our victories as migrant workers and the International Migrant Workers Movement in protecting and advancing our rights
...AFFIRM the principle of self-empowerment of migrant workers, by migrant workers, for migrant workers
...STRENGTHEN the solidarity among all workers: unionized workers, immigrant/migrant workers, workers without jobs

CULTURAL PERFORMANCES:

Dance, Theatre, Skits, Music, Songs, Painting, Photo Exhibits!!

CONVERSATION CIRCLES ON:

* our collective experience as racialized workers/migrant workers
* causes of global migration with Canada’s immigration policy
* our unity as migrant workers from various sectors/communities
* solidarity between the migrant workers movement and labour unions

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=137021986351430

For more information see : migrante.ca

Winnipeg community aids migrant workers facing deportation

By Caros Sanders, Winnipeg Free Press, November 30, 2010

Winnipeg, Manitoba -- After being told they can no longer work in Canada, three Filipino men given shelter by a friend were given the boot by the building's superintendent who saw their photo in the Winnipeg Free Press last week.

 

"They were kicked out the day of the article," said Diwa Marcelino with the lobby group Damayan Manitoba.

 

Ermie Zotomayor, 45, Antonio Laroya, 45, and Arnel (Arnisito) Gaviola, 42, are in limbo after their passports were taken away by the authorities.

 

They were recruited in February by a desperate employer trying to staff his gas bar in Thompson, Man., located about 765 kilometres north of Winnipeg, who promised to get their paperwork in order. They were arrested this summer by the Canada Border Services Agency in Thompson and told they can no longer work.

 

They are awaiting an immigration hearing in Winnipeg on Dec. 23.

 

The trio has been relying on the kindness of the community in Thompson and Winnipeg. After being left homeless Friday, they spent a couple of nights at the home of provincial Culture, Heritage and Tourism Minister Flor Marcelino, who is Diwa Marcelino's mother. They've since taken shelter at another Winnipeg resident's place, laying low so as to not ruffle any feathers that may cause their host grief.

 

"Ermie, Arnel and Tony cannot even open an account in their name because they have no identification," said Marcelino. "They have no right to work, cannot sign a lease to an apartment" and they're not about to apply for any social services, he said.

 

It's a situation being played out across Canada in sectors from hotel and service industries, to chicken dressing plants and greenhouses, said Marcelino of Damayan Manitoba, a group affiliated with Migrante Canada pushing for the fair treatment of temporary workers from the Philippines.

 

"No Canadians are willing to do the job for price (they're paid). This is a huge business and employers are saving a lot of money and lowering wages."

 

The men from the Philippines each paid $3,000 to a recruiter in 2007 to find them service jobs in Canada. They got their work permits and shared a trailer in High Prairie, Alta., while working at a gas station and a restaurant, sending money home to their wives and children in the Philippines.

 

Following a local downturn in the economy, they were laid off and offered similar jobs in Manitoba. They went to work in February at a gas station in Thompson for $10 an hour but did not have the necessary work permits for the job.

 

© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix

 

Read more: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Community+aids+migrant+workers+facing+deportation/3903656/story.html#ixzz16kzKHCF0

IAMR3: Migrant Workers and Advocates to resist the upcoming Fourth Global Forum on Migration and Development

October 21, 2010 -- The Third International Assembly of Migrants and Refugees (IAMR3) will take place November 6-8 in Mexico City, coinciding with the Fourth Global Forum on Migration and Development  (GFMD) in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico on November 10, 2010. The IAMR3 follows the First International Assembly of Migrants and Refugees in Manila in 2008 and IAMR2 whick took place in Greece in 2009.

Convened by fifteen international organizations from Mexico, the US, Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America working towards rights and justice for migrants, a key goal of the IAMR3 is to demonstrate broad, strong resistance to the Fourth GFMD, a conference of United Nations Member States whose central theme is “Partnerships for Migration and Development: Shared Prosperity – Shared Responsibility”. The prime concern of the IAMR3 is the GFMD’s emphasis on “managing” migration for economic benefits rather than looking to address the substantial social costs.

“There is no consideration for the root causes of migration or the difficult and often abusive conditions facing migrants. Rather, migration is perceived as a tool for economic development with individual migrants valued only for the dollars they send back home,” says Julia Camagong, coordinator of the international secretariat of IAMR3.

Nearly one billion people – one in seven – are migrants. They are fleeing war, persecution, poverty and environmental disasters. In countries such as the Philippines, remittances have become the largest contributor to the country’s GDP. Rather than address the rights’ violations, poor working conditions and abuse of migrants, not to mention the closing of borders and crackdown on undocumented migrants, government stakeholders are working to extract the most possible from migrants world wide. The importance placed on remittances by financial institutions such as the World Bank can be gleaned by this statement: “remittances are expected to remain more resilient than private capital flows and will become even more important as a source of external financing in many developing countries.”

According to Eni Lestari, the chairperson of the International Migrants Alliance:
“Migrants’ remittances have surpassed Official Development Assistance by 300%!  Neoliberal globalization has not brought Third World countries any closer to the eradication of global poverty and unemployment. It looks like UN member states are trying to remedy the global financial crisis on the backs of migrant workers.”

Leading up to the IAMR3 and GFMD counter events, an International Tribunal of Conscience, will be held,a peoples’ trial which will hear testimonials of migrants, refugees and displaced peoples who have been victimized by anti-migrant policies, abusive working situations, unscrupulous employers and placement agencies, deportation and imprisonment. The first hearing of the Tribunal is taking place this week at the Fourth World Social Forum on Migration in Quito, Ecuador. The outcome of the Tribunal will be presented at the IAMR3.

That the IAMR3 will take place in Mexico is significant not only to denounce the Fourth GFMD but to draw attention to Mexico’s role in the export of people. Mexico is one of the largest senders or exporters of migrant labor in the world today, with 10% of its population working and living overseas as migrants or immigrants. Large numbers of Mexican migrants continue to be deported, particularly from the US. Many face poor treatment, including imprisonment and criminal charges, on return to Mexico.

In addition to the November 6-8 Assembly, IAMR3 events will include a People’s Caravan departing November 8 for Guadalajara en route to Puerto Vallarta for a mass action to denounce the GFMD program. This important series of actions represents the continuing struggle of migrant workers and advocates to expose the anti-people anti-migrant objectives of the GFMD and its member countries. Migration is not a solution to the global economic crisis. People fleeing poverty and war for survival should not have to pay for the failure of neo-liberal globalization.

For additional information please go to iamr3.org

To organize interviews or speak with organizers please contact:

Mexico - Dr. Camilo Pérez Bustillo, Profesor-Investigador, Posgrado para la Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos, Cel. 04455 2944 7511

Canada - Tess Tesalona, member of the International Coordinating body for the IAMR3 and – of International Migants’ Alliance. Email: tess_iwc (at) yahoo.com

USA - Julia Camagong – National Alliance of Filipino Concerns (NAFCON)Email:   juyacam (at) yahoo.com

Hongkong – Eni Lestari, Chair International Migrants’ Alliance,Email: lestarihk (at) gmail.com

We are not criminals! We are not terrorists! - Migrant workers organize in Korea

Sit-in Struggle against the crackdown in the name of the G-20

Third Report

* July 21 (Wednesday)
This morning we participated in a press conference calling for cancellation of the layoff of irregular workers by the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation (Nonghyup), which was held in front of the Nonghyup office near Seodaemun Station. As always, Nonghyup still refuses to guarantee the rights of irregular workers. In addition, they fired the Branch Leader of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation Branch of the Korean Clerical Workers Union for Solidarity, using the end of his contract as an excuse. We showed our solidarity for the workers’ struggle and raised our voices in protest.

In the afternoon, we participated in a mass rally held by KCTU in Jonggak. Despite the heat many workers gathered to protest democratic unionism and show their resolve to continue their struggle in the second half of the year. At this protest we handed out fliers criticizing the crackdown on undocumented migrants and calling for support for our sit-in protest.

* July 23 (Friday)
The President of MTU gave a solidarity speech at the Students’ Alterglobalization Forum. We also made a call for greater attention to and support for the rights of migrant workers during a session migrant workers’ human and labor rights. In the afternoon Filipino workers visited us for counseling and advice. One of the workers was pregnant and hoping to get an extension of the time allowed for finding new work. Her problem was that the Job Center refused to grant her more time because her three-year residence period would soon end. In the evening we participated in a memorial service for Samsung Electronics workers who had died due to industrial accidents and passed out leaflets.


* July 24 (Saturday)
We participated in a conference on Marxism. MTU’s President gave a lecture on the situation of migrant workers. After the lecture there was a lively discussion and participants carried out street outreach and fund-raising for our struggle against the crackdown.

In the evening we had a cultural event with MTU members. We gave a report about the sit-in and our future plans. There were also many performances. We learned a Filipino movement song and watched a dance performed by members of the sit-in protest. We also played fun games and generally had a good time.




* July 25 (Sunday)
This was the first day of the MTU President’s hunger strike. We participated in a Rally against the Crackdown on Undocumented Migrant Workers held by Daegu Migrants Solidarity Group, KCTU Northern Gyeongsan Regional Council, Norther Gyeongsan General Union and Gyeongsan Migrant Workers Center. Despite the hot weather, any migrant workers from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, the Philippines, China and Indonesia participated. The MTU President gave a solidarity speech in which he noted that we must strengthen solidarity among all workers who are oppressed if we are to win respect for our rights. At the end of the protest participants threw water balloons in a symbolic act. After the protest we had a meeting with migrant workers from the Daegu area. The Daegu migrant workers resolved to carry out various actions to protest the crackdown.
.






*July 26 (Monday)
This was the 14^thday of the sit-in protest and the second day of the President’s hunger strike. During the day roughly 15 lawyers and trainees from the organization Minbyun visited our protest sit and expressed their solidarity. They said they would continue activities to support our struggle. In the afternoon we participated in a protest held by the National Street Vendors Confederation and gave a solidarity speech.

Several officers from KCTU Seoul Regional Council also visited us, as did comrades from the National Alliance of Irregular Workers Unions and members form the “Do Something to Stop the Crackdown” group.

The Migrants Trade Union has been conducting a sit-in protest at Hyangrin Church in Myeongdong since July 13 to protest the South Korean government’s unjust crackdown against undocumented migrant workers.

MTU’s President began a hunger strike on July 25.
This act is an earnest call for an end to the criminalization of and repression against undocumented migrants’ rights. We ask for you solidarity and support.

Please send messages of solidarity to: migrant@jinbo.net*
Please post news of the sit-in protest on your website.


* On Friday, July 30 at 7pm, there is a candlelight vigil against the crackdown in front of the Myeong cathedral (every Friday)

Migrante-Australia launches first assembly

By Reyvi Mariñas

Amidst drum beats, the delegates entered the hallway holding their banners. They introduced their organisations with joyous and militant chants.

With around 60 delegates from Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia and guests from Migrante International in thePhilippines, Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants in Hong Kong and Migrante in New Zealand, Migrante-Australia launched its first national assembly on 12 June 2010 at Chapel by the Sea, Bondi, New South Wales.

Councillor Dominique Wy Kanak, an Aboriginal Elder and a Councillor for Waverly Council, welcomed the delegates and acknowledged the indigenous owners of the land. He cried: “Land Rights Now!” symbolising the aboriginal struggle on their land. He also gave a short talk on the history of indigenous struggle in Australia and indigenous history locally.

Reverend Pastor John Queripel of Chapel by the Sea also welcomed all the delegates and bid the assembly success.

Afterwards, Mr Gary Martinez, the Chairperson of Migrante International, delivered the keynote address. He discussed the worsening conditions of Filipino migrants, the impact of the global financial crisis on Filipinos abroad, and the role of migrant Filipinos in Australia. But he also mentioned about the growing movement of Filipino migrant workers in major destination countries and the establishment of the Internationakl Migrants Alliance.

He then posed a question to the audience regarding the newly elected president Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III: Will there be substantial changes under the new government of Noynoy Aquino?

“It is quite clear that the Aquino regime will not bring about real change in our country by instituting genuine agrarian reform and national industrialisation which can generate real employment. It will not qualitatively change the semicolonial and semifeudal conditions of the Philippines,” he said.

He finally urged the delegates to let the Filipino community feel Migrante-Australia’s presence and “to be creative in bringing them into the fold of the progressive movement of overseas Filipinos under the flag of Migrante-Australia.”

The keynote address was followed by workshops commenting on the draft General Program of Action (GPOA). The participants suggested concrete demands and resolutions as well as future campaigns of the alliance.

One pressing issue was the situation of Filipino migrants and temporary workers in Australia and the erosion of their rights amidst anti-migrant policies of both the Australian and Philippine governments.

Another important issue raised was the continuing human rights situation in the Philippines, and related issues including Australian military aid to the Philippines and the possible prosecution of the then president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for her crimes committed against the Filipino people.

Mr Jun Tellez, member of the Global Council of Migrante International, gave a short talk on the importance of leadership principles and practices.

In the afternoon, other workshops were held finalising the alliance’s constitution, followed by a solidarity cultural presentation in the evening. As different organisations preformed, it heightened the atmosphere of solidarity and camaraderie of the delegates.

On the second day, the delegates ratified the alliance’s constitution and also finalised the alliance’s GPOA to provide a roadmap of what the alliance wish to achieve in the next three years.

Several resolutions were passed and different committees were formed including research/education, campaign, solidarity and finance. These committees will focus on different areas of the alliance’s work as agreed in the GPOA.

To lead the alliance, members of the Executive Committee were elected at large by the voting delegates.

Elected members of the Executive Committee are : George Kotsakis of Migrante Melbourne as Chairperson; Mario Royeca of Lingap Migrante as Deputy Chairperson, Onofre ‘Bong’ Andres of Lingap Migrante as Secretary General, Reyvi Mariñas of Migrante Melbourne as Deputy Secretary General; and Stephanie Rabusa of Migrante Melbourne as Treasurer.

The formation of Migrante-Australia marked a remarkable episode in the movement of progressive Filipino migrants and workers in Australia.

It was a timely effort to forge a stronger and higher unity in the midst of imperialist globalisation which aggravates the abuse and exploitation of Filipino migrants in Australia.

Indeed, Migrante-Australia will have ‘one voice’ to “unite and advance the rights of migrants in Australia”. #

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: Strengthening the Voices of Migrant Women

March 1, 2010

By Pet Cleto

Participants in the Migrant Women’s Coordinating Body for International Women’s Day education session on women’s struggles in Toronto.

TORONTO — Awakened and courageous hearts were beating loud last February 21, 2010, as the Migrant Women’s Coordinating Body for International Women’s Day opened its second education day for 2010 with a drum-beating by Cherokee and Ojibway activist Amber O’Hara (Waabnong Kwe). The women were around 60-strong but there were some male supporters in the audience. They represented various community organizations and unions from different migrant workers’ communities, desiring to share with others and learn from each other.

The Migrant Women’s Coordinating Body was organized three years ago by women who aimed to strengthen the voices of migrant women and make them an important force for change in Canadian society. Its member organizations are: GABRIELA, Migrante-Ontario, BASICS Free Community Newsletter, Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office, Justice 4 Migrant Workers, METRAC, Canadian HART, SAWRO, and CUPE Local 4308.

While the first education day (January 21, 2010) focused on international and liberation struggles of the various countries from which migrant women workers come from, the February education day highlighted women’s struggles in Toronto and Canada.

Xolisiwe (Connie) Ndlovu, now the Vice-president of CUPE Local 4308 and a personal support worker, is a refugee from Zimbabwe. She spoke of her fight, since 2002, against the obstacles put on the path of many newcomers by class conflict, racism, and imperialism. Her story starts, like most newcomer stories start, with the demeaning of her previous education and work experience. In her union work, she now challenges issues produced by racism and class-conflict: low wages, lack of benefits and inadequate sick leaves. A strong advocate for equality and equity in our society, she sees the oppression inflicted on women and children today as a violence that is done in the name of “capitalism”.

Amber O’Hara spoke about Canada’s missing or murdered aboriginal women, in whose honour she has dedicated her 18-year long work of research and documentation. The women victims now total 800 in her list, and most of their cases remain unresolved. In 1993 she formed Manitou Kwe singers, a women’s hand drum group which performs specifically these aboriginal women and as well, for justice for people in prisons. Her activism is also driven by a personal loss: the murder of her cousin Carolyn Connolly on August 2, 2008.

Nine organizations were represented in the education day of International Women’s Day held in Toronto on Feb. 21, 2010.

For Migrante-Canada, former live-in caregiver Maria Sol Pajadura spoke about the various issues on which Migrante and the various organizations within its coalition has undertaken dynamic organizing in order to raise awareness and sharpen the urgent need to make changes in the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP). Pointing out that the oppression and exploitation of LCP workers had been locked into place by the tandem of the Philippine government’s Labour Export Policy and the flawed government regulations and policies related to the LCP, she said that Migrante’s recent campaigns have recently created some impact on the Canadian government, and some favourable changes have been made.

However, the fundamental changes that Migrante has raised and brought to the attention of politicians still await some government action. Among them: permanent residency upon arrival, the un-locking of LCP workers from the two-year live-in requirement, and the ratification of the ILO Convention for Migrant Workers and their Families (which would give migrant workers equal rights as workers who are native to the migrant workers’ “host countries”).

The South Asian Women’s Rights Organization (SAWRO) was represented by Sultana Jahangir, who very vividly described the different specific forms that imperialism and capitalism take in the lives of migrant and newcomer women. She called upon everyone to continue sharing their experiences, and to join their hands together in order to advance their common objectives.

Speaking about her work at the Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office, Ambreen Akbar also gave testimony to the numerous instances when exploitation and oppression have made, and continue to make, the lives of women almost unbearable.

The Migrant Women’s Coordinating Body welcomes the public to its cultural celebration on Friday evening, March 5, Friday, at the Steelworkers’ Hall, in honour of women’s struggles and victories. On International Women’s Day this year, on Saturday, March 6, it will lead a contingent of workers’ groups, grouping together in front of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at 252 Bloor Street West, to join the IWD march as a valiant voice of migrant women workers in Canada. A potent voice for the liberation of Canada’s migrant women has risen.##

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: Strengthening the Voices of Migrant Women

IMA calls Thai Government to withdraw crackdown plan on migrants

Press Release
February 26, 2010

The International Migrants Alliance (IMA) expressed grave concern over the possible impact of a planned crackdown by the Thai Royal Government on more than 1.4 million migrant workers, mostly from Laos, Cambodia and Burma.

According to the IMA, the crackdown is a wishy-washy move of the Thai government to target migrant workers who have failed to submit to the national verification scheme it has recently implemented. The said national verification scheme requires all migrant workers with a two-year work permit to complete a difficult 13-step application process for visa extension.

While the scheme’s deadline was reportedly moved a month earlier (on March 31), the crackdown will still be immediately implemented thereafter.

“Physical abuse, maltreatment and subhuman conditions these are but a few of bad things to come to migrant workers who will be arrested and detained once the Thai government pursues its crackdown,“ said Eni Lestari, chairperson of the IMA. “The Thai government should rethink this plan as it does not only violate a number of regional and international conventions but tramples upon the basic rights of migrant workers.”

Lestari likewise lamented the possible threat the crackdown will have on the Burmese refugees, who make up 80% of the targeted migrants. She said: “Should the crackdown push through, Burmese refugees will not only be subjected to arrest and detention but forced back into a country where they fear for their lives – the very reason they left.”

The crackdown, said Lestari, shall violate the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers which the Thai government recently signed. “With a tarnished human rights record after its maltreatment of the Rohingyas in early 2009, the Thai government could never assure anyone that it shall protect migrant workers,” added Lestari.

The IMA likewise sounded the alarm over the apparently calibrated attack on migrant workers at a global scale. Thailand is the latest government to impose a crackdown on migrant workers following Australia (who recently imposed a crackdown on skilled migrants), Italy and Malaysia.

“It is the most despicable display of hypocrisy on the part of governments who mouth promises to uphold migrants rights but do otherwise,” said Lestari, “Migrant workers, especially the undocumented, are being subjected to criminalization and outright denial of their fundamental rights in countries where more stringent immigration policies are being imposed and racial hatred being fanned”

She retorted further that sending governments should ensure the protection of their citizens and push for agreements with receiving governments to uphold and promote the latter’s rights.

The IMA, the first ever global alliance of grassroots migrant organizations and their advocates, calls on its more than 120 member organizations, friends and the rest of the international community to actively build up the campaign against any crackdown on migrant workers.

“International human rights conventions and laws will remain meaningless in paper if they are not recognized, ratified and actively championed. We call on all migrant workers and refugees to remain vigilant, organize themselves and work with local organizations and movements in stopping this crackdown,” concluded Lestari.

For reference: Eni Lestari
Chairperson, International Migrants Alliance
+852 9608-1475

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

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/g111257i/petition.html

Global Day of Action for the 254 Tamil Asylum Seekers stranded on a boat in Merak Indonesia

+Please circulate widely+

Global Day of Action for the 254 Tamil Asylum Seekers stranded on a boat in Merak Indonesia

Date:Friday February 19, 2010

Time: 4:00pm - 7:00 pm

Location: Indonesian Consulate - 129 Jarvis street Toronto, Canada

Remember:
There are 31 children and a pregnant women who is due on March 5, 2010 on this boat. Over 254 people have been living on this vessel made to hold 50 people for over four months. Under poor sanitary conditions illnesses have been spreading fast, and they have been denied access to medical assistance.

The situation is only getting worse by the minute!

Come out on this Friday February 19th determined to make a difference. Determination and will power is the strongest of all tools.

Below is a link to the facebook event:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/event.php?eid=320547412497

Thank you,

Canadian HART Team

Relief initiatives for typhoon victims - Migrante Canada

The Philippine Reporter
December 1, 2009

TORONTO–As early as the day after the typhoon Ondoy unleashed death and destruction in the surrounding areas of Metro Manila, Migrante Canada in coordination with Bayan Canada and United Church of Canada already issued callouts to the Filipino community in all cities and provinces. On its part, Migrante-Ontario issued an appeal to everyone to help with the emergency situation.

We are very proud to say that we garnered substantial support - in cash and in kind, from our community from all over Canada - that we have sent through our partners in the Philippines to the intended beneficiaries, to the most affected. We have proven that the spirit of bayanihan or community/cooperation/collectivism, which we inherited from our ancestors, indeed lives on.


FMWM members sorting out relief goods for typhoon victims.

The Filipino Migrant Workers’ Movement (FMWM) donated $200 from its funds, and was able to collect another $270 mainly donations from the residents and staff of Valleyview Residence. Four Balikbayan boxes full of clothes and canned goods courtesy of the Highpark-Bloorwest Physiotherapy Clinic were already sent to the office of Migrante International in Manila.

“It’s always heartwarming to know that there are people who really care for others in dire needs,” said FMWM chair Jonathan Canchela, who is also the coordinator of Migrante Sectoral Partylist in Canada. “We are very grateful to everyone who supported our initiative to help fellow Filipinos affected by recent typhoons back home.”

Benefit concert in Barrie a success

A mini-concert held in Barrie October 24 by the Painswick United Church community together with the Pilipinong Migrante sa Barrie (PMB) raised some $1,262 in relief funds for the survivors of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng in the Philippines.

Bon Accord, a quartet popular for their Scottish folk music in the community, wooed the crowd that filled the Oasis Church. Panyolito performed songs related to the environment, how it has been abused by landed and corporate entities, and the need to work together for its protection, preservation and sustenance.


Wilma Delo, president of Pilipinong Migrante sa Barrie (PMB), Pamela Pisco, finance officer, and Alma Bermoy, who took charge of donations for survivors of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, turn over relief funds to Josie Forcadilla of the Justice, Global and Ecumenical Relations Unit of the United Church of Canada (UCC). The UCC channels donations from Canada to National Council of Churches of the Philippines (NCCP) flood relief effort and issues tax receipts for donations $20 and above. The NCCP has been consistent in ensuring that help gets to those who need it the most.

Sharon and Alex Constable from the community came up with the idea of the relief effort and got in touch with PMB leaders. This was given support by the church members and Pastor Glen Butler himself.

Wilma Delo, PMB president, in her opening remarks said, “We especially wish to express our profoundest gratitude to the community of the Painswick United Church for having taken on this very generous initiative.”

Delo further goes, “A song composed by our good friend Levy Abad, Jr. entitled Graveyard of the Future puts the message so well: “If we don’t care for Mother Nature now and let greed have its way, then tomorrow Mother Nature will surely sweep us all away.”

“For global warming, climate change is not simply natural phenomena but is the result of people’s abuse of Mother Nature - people in positions of power, local and foreign, engaging in destructive mining practices, denuding the forests, trampling upon land, aquatic resources, and other natural wealth for their own selfish ends. These have caused soil erosion, the destruction of valuable watersheds, bringing about flooding and landslides. These same elements - bureaucratic corruption, foreign domination and corporate greed - are at the root of our people’s sufferings from poverty, landlessness, unemployment and hunger; the very same reasons why we are here as migrants.”

“And so we come together, we build and strengthen bonds of cooperation, solidarity with sisters and brothers of other nationalities. What we have raised in terms of material and financial support provides immediate relief to our kababayans (compatriots) in need. But beyond immediate relief, we look further on to rehabilitation and eventually empowerment of our people towards collective self-reliance, and the rebuilding and building not only of individual homes and communities but of the larger society founded on social justice, prosperity for all and a truly lasting peace.”

Meanwhile, AWARE-Pilipino Family Services held a Halloween Fundraiser October 31 at the Holy Rosary Parish Hall, netting $600 in funds and boxes of relief goods being prepared to go to the Operation Sagip Migrante disaster relief effort.

The Operation Sagip Migrante relief initiative is administered by the Migrante Sectoral Partylist [MSP].
--
Visit: migrante.ca

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Migrante-Ontario member organizations:
Filipino Migrant Workers' Movement; AWARE; Philippine Advocacy Through Arts and Culture (PATAC); Damayan Migrant Education and Resource Center; Migrante Youth; Migrant Workers and Family Resource Center - Hamilton; Pilipinong Migrante sa Canada (PMSC) - Ottawa; Pilipinong Migrante sa Barrie (PMB) - Barrie

Second International Assembly of Migrants and Refugees successfully held as a counter-GFMD conference

More than 100 delegates and guests representing 45 organizations of migrants, refugees and advocates from 20 countries, participated in the successful holding of the second International Assembly of Migrants and Refugees (IAMR) held November 1-4, 2009, in Athens, Greece. The assembly, held at the Athens University of Economics and Business, and the Polytechnic University of Athens, was held as a counter-assembly to the government-led Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) that also convened in Athens November 5, 2009.



Following the success of the first IAMR held in Manila in 2008, the second IAMR attracted participants from all global regions, North and South America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Delegates came from as far as Senegal in Africa, Bangladesh in the Asia-Pacific, to Israel in the Middle East.

In a unique ceremony on the opening of the second IAMR on Nov. 1, delegates and guests were treated to a display of different banners, and a chorus of slogans translated into several languages. Delegates themselves participated in the ceremony by rhythmically banging sticks on the tables and walls and shouting slogans, to create noise, an artfully created metaphor - for migrants and refugees wanting to heard, and speaking for themselves.

The Second IAMR was convened by the International Migrants' Alliance (IMA), Migrante International, Asia-Pacific Mission for Migrants, IBON International, Union of Working People of Greece and Migrante Europe, and was firmly supported by the Network of Migrants and Refugees Social Support.

The meaningful and productive discussions, exchanges, workshops, resolutions, side events and mobilizations during the second IAMR faithfully revolved around and upheld its theme: “Uphold and Defend the Rights of Migrants and Refugees Against Exploitation, War and Discriminatory Laws, Amidst the Global Economic Crisis. Oppose 'Fortress Europe' Policies and the EU Return Directive!”

Prof. Jose Ma. Sison, chair of the International League of People's Struggle (ILPS), a global anti-imperialist alliance that supported the IAMR, in his inspirational message to the assembly, fittingly urged the delegates, to expose migration as the result and furtherance of super-exploitation and underdevelopment in impoverished countries and to oppose the prettification of migration as an instrument of development under the auspices of the US-dictated policy of “neoliberal globalization.



Eni Lestari, an Indonesian domestic worker in Hong Kong, and chair of the IMA, in her keynote speech stressed the need for migrants and refugees to speak and act for themselves. She said the unity that was forged with the founding of the IMA was a historical decisive move of migrants and refugees all over the world that needs to be replicated in areas where the IMA member organizations work and do organizing. She called on the need to establish alliances on the country level, to do more coordinative supportive actions to ensure victories in campaigns, to unite and fight against the enforcement of the EU Return Directive, to forge strong unity and solidarity with the local workers and progressive peoples’ organizations to strengthen the unity of the working people, and to continuously expose and oppose GFMD and all other designs by imperialism.

The succeeding three plenary inputs deepened further the insights into the issues of migration and development from the perspective of migrants, refugees and progressive advocates.



Tony Tujan Jr, director of IBON International, tackling the first topic of the plenary on the global capitalist crisis and migrant labor, stressed that labor migration, as a specific means of exploiting international surplus population by imperialism to depress wages and manage falling rates of profit in their homefront, implies that migrant labour issues must be addressed in the full context of imperialism, both in the sending country and the host country. Specific migrant issues and national policies, he further argued, must be put in the context of fundamental relations of trafficking in systemically cheap migrant labour, in solidarity to workers and people’s issues in the colonies and semicolonies and the workers issues in the imperialist home front.

Errikos Finalis of the Union of Working People of Greece, tackled the reality behind 'fortress Europe' and the various actions and resistance being waged by migrants and refugees themselves with the support of progressive European advocates and labor groups.

Teresa Gutierrez of the US-based May 1 Coalition for Immigrants and Workers' Rights, delivered in plenary input no. 3, a critique of sending countries' migration and development policies and strategies.

Nine workshop groups went to work to tackle a broad range of issues related to migrants and refugees, namely: 1) impact of the global crisis on migrants and refugees and people's responses, 2) situation of women migrant workers, 3) marginalization of migrant labor and relations with trade unions and social movements, 4) state repression of migrants, denial of rights to asylum, and the attacks on political refugees under the so-called “war on terror”, 5) urgent issues of the undocumented, their criminalization and 'fortress europe', 6) fighting racism, discrimination, xenophobia and fascism, 7) political empowerment and participation for successive generations of migrants and confronting policies and problems in integration, 8) engaging the UN and other international bodies in upholding and advancing the rights and welfare of migrants and refugees, 9) drawing lessons from campaigns on rights, welfare and resistance, and developing an education campaign on arousing, organizing and mobilizing migrants, refugees and advocates. The reports of the workshops were eagerly listened to and later, the approval of the proposed resolutions animated the delegates into enlightening debates, discussions and clarifications.

The IAMR2 declaration was approved without much controversial debates, and which in essence echoed the following, among others: that the fundamental solution to the problem of forced migration in the poverty-stricken semi-colonial countries is all-rounded development; that his development must be mainly a self-reliant development making use of the local human and material resources; that foreign aid from the wealthy countries is only supplementary and considered as payment of historical debt; that such kind of development can only happen through a radical and fundamental change of the present world order and calls no less for the dismantling of political and economic structures that perpetuate the iniquitous relations between the exploited and exploiting countries.



Before closing, the second IAMR approved the resolution for the IAMR2 participants and IMA member organizations to join and actively participate in the third IAMR in Mexico, again in conjunction with the GFMD meeting in that country. IAMR2 delegates also urged the IMA to lead in the preparations for that next assembly.

The solidarity affair during the last day of IAMR2 on November 3 was very warm and uplifting, amidst the strong rains that drenched Athens the whole day. The cultural performances, done spontaneously but very much engulfed by the spirit of international solidarity, exuded the determination of all delegates to continue the fight of migrants and refugees. Heartwarming poetry was recited, songs were sang, speeches delivered and messages of solidarity shared and read, not one seeking any need for translation despite the language barriers as the solidarity spirit became the medium of expression. It was IAMR2's cultural swan lake, so to speak.

The highlight of the second IAMR was the big demonstration held on November 4. It was organized mainly by the Network of Migrants and Refugees Social Support, with the cooperation of other progressive Greek groups. More than 5,000 people joined the demonstration, with the IAMR2 delegation at the forefront of the march that was determined to reach the site where the official government-led GFMD was being held. From Syntagma Square in downtown Athens, the demonstrators peacefully but militantly shouting slogans against imperialism and the GFMD, marched towards the site of the GFMD, but was eventually stopped from proceeding by a phalanx of Greek anti-riot police.



Teresa Gutierrez, spokersperson of IAMR2 said that governments in receiving countries following the dictates of their principals – the capitalist class, have sought to isolate the migrants and refugees from their natural ally – the working class of these countries. She stressed that the 5000 strong political demonstration showed the unity of the workers and the progressive people of Greece with the migrants and refugees. And thus, Gutierrez declared, we are building a progressive movement of migrants and refugees that stands united and strong and that will not allow the capitalist class to divide us again.

Making their presence felt and the point of their protest march noted and well-covered by the Greek and international media, the demonstrators marched back to where they gathered and dispersed peacefully, after holding a brief program at the site where they were stopped by the Greek police.

Adding further to the success of the second IAMR were four side events, namely: 1) the common forum hosted by the Network of Migrants and Refugees Social Support, held November 1 at the Athens University of Economics and Business, where IMA chairperson Eni Lestari spoke on behalf of the IAMR2, 2) the Migrants-Faith Communities Dialogue on: Strengthening Programs for the Care, Empowerment and Upholding Rights of Migrants and their Families on November 3, 3) the Dialogue and Strategy Meeting between Grassroots Migrants and Trade Unions on the Proposed ILO Convention on Domestic Workers, held November 4, and, 4) the 4th Europewide Conference of Organizations of Filipinos (ECOFIL), that assembled all Filipino delegates based in Europe to discuss the Philippine situation and to define action points on the issues of migration and human rights, transparency and the electoral challenge in 2010.

*This communiqué is prepared by the IAMR2 Secretariat (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) and released on 26th of November, 2009. The IAMR2 secretariat can be contacted at mig_europe@yahoo.com