The recently concluded Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) held in Manila, Philippines last October 27-30, 2008 aims to link migration policies with development policies which would result to gains in both the host and sending countries. These include: (1) maximum utilization of remittances by the governments; (2) utilizing the skills and resources of the immigrants in their host countries; (3) protecting the rights of legal immigrants so they could be more productive in the host county; and (4) encouraging bilateral agreements between hosts and sending countries.
However, the Asian Peasant Coalition (APC), with 15 million members in nine (9) countries in Asia , says otherwise and believes that migration actually exploits the immigrants and forums such as these only pave the way for capitalist countries to profit from developing countries.
“Take our country, for example”, began APC Secretary-General Danilo Ramos in his statement made today. “10% of the Philippine population works abroad and distributed in 182 countries. This is due to the worsening conditions of unemployment and underemployment, and the inability of the government to provide secure jobs for the millions of workers.”
Ramos also concurrent secretary general of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), added that the issue of migration affects different sectors of our society as well, not just the immigrants. “In rural areas, poverty and hunger pushes peasant families to encourage their children to work in other countries, in the hope that they will earn bigger wages that they can send back here. What usually happens is that parents are forced to sell their carabao or mortgage their land in order to have money to help finance their children’s immigration overseas. In the long run, this practice greatly contributes to the food insecurity of the country.”
Clearly, the question of development in the context of migration only entails further advancement of the globalization in most capitalist countries. They are the only ones profiting from the continued perpetration of maldevelopment in Third World countries as the migrants become their source of cheap labor.
Erpan Faryadi, APC vice-chairperson for internal affairs and secretary general of AGRA (Alliansi Gerakan Reformia Agraria) from Indonesia , added that “In 2004, the number of registered Indonesian migrant workers was 380,688 persons. Of this number, 83% are women. More than 90% of female migrant workers work in the informal sector as housemaids. The rest works in the agricultural and industrial sectors as daily labours, as caregivers to the elderly, shop assistants, and as waitresses. The major destination countries for migrant workers are: Saudi Arabia , Malaysia , Kuwait , Singapore , Hong Kong, and Taiwan . In most cases where they borrow money from sponsor or local moneylenders, payment may be 3 times higher than the loan.”
“Moreover, immigrants are not the only ones exploited but their defenders as well. A renowned advocate for migrants also APC Vice-Chairperson for External Affairs, Irene Fernandez (and concurrent Executive Director of Tenaganita or Women Force) was sued by the Malaysian government for “maliciously publishing false news” in her expose on the maltreatment of undocumented migrant workers in detention centers. Defenders of migrants must likewise be protected by laws in order for them to be able to further promote the rights of immigrants,” APC said in the statement.
Meanwhile, APC commends at least 5,000 migrant workers from different parts of the globe under the banner of the International Migrants Alliance (IMA) that held a rally in Manila on October 29 to protest the opening of the GFMD. Filipino peasants, peasant women, fisherfolks and agricultural workers joined the rally in protesting against the imperialistic agenda of the forum - among them is KMP, PAMALAKAYA (National Federation of Small Fisherfolks in the Philippines ), AMIHAN (National Federation of Peasant Women), UMA (National Union of Agricultural Workers) - all are member organizations of APC in the Philippines . #
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