Background:
\nOn the evening of 9th April 2008 in Southern Thailand, 54 migrant workers from Burma suffocated in a 6m x 2.2m refrigerated truck routinely used for carrying frozen seafood. These workers were being smuggled to the resort island of Phuket. Of the dead, 37 were female (including one eight-year-old girl) and 17 were male (including one boy). An additional 67 workers (14 of them under 18 years old and one pregnant woman) survived the incident. The 14 child survivors were separated from the adult survivors and have been kept in immigration detention in Ranong. All 53 adult survivors were sentenced by a local court for illegal entry and to a 2,000 baht (US$63) fine. As all but 4 of the adult survivors were unable to pay this fine, they were sentenced to imprisonment for 10 days. Now these 10 days have passed, the adult survivors, alongside the child survivors, are being kept in an immigration jail and have limited access to lawyers and other non-governmental assistance. The location of the 4 adult survivors who paid the court imposed fine is not known. Future arrangements for all other survivors, both adults and children, are also currently unclear.
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\nThe Asian Network for the Rights of Accident Victims (ANROAV), which is affiliated with the United Nations through its membership of the International Commission of Social Welfare, strongly condemns the globally reported manslaughter of Burmese migrant workers trying to find work in Thailand.<\/p>\n
We abhor the economic social and political environment in Burma that makes such illegal migration necessary. While ANROAV expresses profound sadness at the loss of so many young lives and grieves with the families of the deceased, we will raise this matter at the highest level to ensure that those traveling to seek work and freedom from oppression can do so safely and with due process.<\/p>\n
We insist that this incident be investigated thoroughly and transparently and urge the global media to continue its comprehensive reporting on the incident to closely follow up on all aspects of the story. We urge both the Royal Thai Government and the SPDC of Burma to ensure that the perpetrators of this crime are brought to justice – not merely the truck driver whose culpable behaviour could be interpreted as manslaughter, but the heads of such human trafficking gangs which we understand are linked to both Thai and Burmese officials and private business interests. We also urge that all victims immediately be provided with independent lawyers such as those from the Lawyers Council of Thailand.<\/p>\n
We believe that a court-imposed charge that leads to the fining of traumatized workers is an act of abject inhumanity and inconsistent with the Buddhist values that Thailand espouses. This is a matter of national shame and we hope that Thailand uses this opportunity to clean up the well-known trafficking routes and gangs responsible.<\/p>\n
These deaths were not unique although the scale of the tragedy was enough to draw the world\u2019s attention. These deaths should be directly attributed to profound failings of officials of the Royal Thai Government and also the Burmese military junta.<\/p>\n
The Burmese military junta has created a situation in Burma where large swathes of its population must flee for personal safety or in search of more prosperous economies to support themselves and their families. The junta has a profound lack of respect for human dignity and basic human rights that is well documented and known throughout the world. The junta continually refuses to acknowledge the crisis within its own borders and therefore refuses to regulate the mass migration of its citizens overseas. The junta stands knowingly by with closed eyes whilst others, including its own officials, organise for the trafficking, smuggling and illegal transportation of its citizens overseas in conditions such as evidenced on 9th April.<\/p>\n
The Royal Thai Government must also be strongly condemned. Thailand has an economy dependent on the cheap labour of at least two million migrant workers, of which approximately 85% are from Burma. Migrant workers make up approximately 5% of the Thai workforce, toiling in the most dangerous, dirty and demeaning jobs within the seafood, construction, agriculture and garment industries. Thailand as a receiving country of so many migrants has an obligation to promote and protect the rights of these workers, both in terms of their working conditions, but more importantly their right to life.
\nThe Thai State has failed in its obligation to protect the right to life of migrant workers as a result of the 9th April incident and the death of these 54 migrant workers. The Thai Government has acknowledged that as few as 25% of all migrants currently within its borders are registered because of a failed, complex and inflexible migrant registration system. An economy that relies so heavily on a continuous import of foreign labour from its neighbouring countries but yet creates a situation where these workers cannot legally register to work can rightfully be seen as a nation failing to address the illegal trafficking, smuggling and transportation of workers into and within its border.<\/p>\n
ANROAV recommends both short-term and long-term measures the Royal Thai Government should undertake to seek to address root causes of the 9th April tragedy as follows:
\n1. The deportation of all surviving victims must immediately be halted until an inquiry into the incident is complete, to ensure perpetrators of this incident are brought to justice;
\n2. Surviving victims of this incident and dependents of the deceased should be provided with immediate access to independent lawyers and adequate compensation for deaths and injuries;
\n3. The Thai Government should immediately initiate an open and transparent inquiry into this incident in which the involvement of private companies as well as related State agencies in trafficking, smuggling and illegal transportation activities should in particular be explored;
\n4. The government\u2019s registration system for migrant workers must immediately be overhauled to make it more effective and transparent. In association with civil society and employers, the government must create a system that accepts the economic necessity and benefit of migrant workers for Thailand. The government must therefore cease to shortsightedly consider only national security aspects of migration and seek to limit opportunities for both its own officials, private individuals and the Burmese military junta\u2019s to engage in trafficking, smuggling and illegal transportation operations.<\/p>\n
The Thai State and its neighbours must work hand in hand with civil society, employers and related international agencies to ensure a repeat of the horrific 9th April incident can never occur again. The successful management of migrant workers will bring greater benefits for the Thai economy and at the same time respect the basic human rights of all migrant workers.
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Signatories
\n1. Asian Network for the Rights of Occupational Accident Victims (ANROAV) \u2013 Hong Kong, China
\n2. Asia Monitoring Resource Centre (AMRC) – Hong Kong, China
\n3. Migrant Working Group (MWG) \u2013 Bangkok, Thailand
\n4. Federation of Trade Unions Burma (FTUB)
\n5. Seafarers Union of Burma (SUB)
\n6. Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions \u2013 Hong Kong, Thailand
\n7. Globalization Monitor – May Wong, Hong Kong, China
\n8. ITUC\/GUF\/HKCTU Hong Kong Liaison Office (IHLO), China
\n9. Ziteng – Hong Kong, China
\n10. Rohit Prajapati, Swati Desai and Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti – Gujarat, India
\n11. Youth for Social Change – Jeny Dolly , Chennai
\n12. Labour Rights Promotion Network (LPN) – Thailand
\n13. Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma (TACDB) – Thailand
\n14. Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI) – Gopal Krishna, India
\n15. OSHAID International – John Ninness, Australia
\n16. Dr Sean Foley: Environmental and Land Use Adviser – Vientiane Lao PDR
\n17. Melody Kemp: Labour Educator and Journalist – Vientiane Lao PDR
\n18. Action Network for Migrants – Thailand
\n19. Thai Labour Solidarity Committee – Thailand
\n20. State Enterprise Workers Relation Confederation Committee (SERC) \u2013 Sawit Kaewan, Secretary General, Bangkok, Thailand
\n21. Om Noi\/Om Yai Workers Area Group – Sangun Khunsont, Bangkok, Thailand
\n22. Women Workers Unity Group \u2013 Bangkok, Thailand
\n23. International Transport Workers\u2019 Federation (ITF) \u2013 Bangkok, Thailand
\n24. Corporate Accountability Desk of The Other Media – Madhumita Dutta, India
\n25. Collective for Environmental, Social and Economic Justice – Nityanand Jayaraman, India
\n26. Occupational Health and Safety Centre – Dr Murlidhar V, Mumbai, India
\n27. Workright Union Hong Kong Trade Union for Rights-Based NGO Workers \u2013 Hong Kong, China
\n28. Japan Occupational Safety and Health Resource Center (JOSHRC) – Japan
\n29. Australia Asia Workers Links – Gwynnyth Evans and Cathy Butcher, Australia
\n30. Hazards UK – Rory O\u2019Neill, Professor Occupational and Environmental Health Research Group University of Stirling Scotland, London UK
\n31. London Hazards Centre (LHC) \u2013 London, UK
\n32. Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia (UATUC), Croatia
\n33. Solidarity for Worker’s Health – Seoul, Korea
\n34. Sheffield And Rotherham Asbestos Group (SARAG) – Paula Walker, UK
\n35. Unison – Dave Knight, UK
\n36. Hazards Centre – Danu Roy, Delhi, India
\n37. Building and Wood Workers International (BWI) – Jin Sook Lee, South Korea
\n38. Building and Wood Workers International (BWI) – Anup Srivastava, Delhi, India
\n39. Celeste Monforton MPH, Professor, The George Washington University – United States
\n40. Herbert Docena – Phillipines
\n41. International Federation of Journalists
\n42. International Council on Social Welfare – Denys Correll (Executive Director), Netherlands
\n43. Foundation for Labour and Employment Promotion – Poonsap S. Tulaphan, Thailand
\n44. Paul Jobin, Assistant Professor University of Paris Diderot – France
\n45. Campaign Committee for Human Rights – Thailand
\n46. Worker Assistance Center – Philippines
\n47. Global Alliance Against Trafficking in Women (GAATW) – Thailand
\n48. The Irrawaddy – Sai Silp, Thailand
\n49. Building and Wood Workers International (BWI) \u2013 Anita Normark, General Secretary, Global
\n50. Building and Wood Workers International (BWI) \u2013 Fiona Murie, Director OHS, Global
\n51. Network Labour North \u2013 Chiangmai, Thailand
\n52. PAO Magazine \u2013 Mr. Thomas, Bangkok, Thailand
\n53. R. A. L. G. Thailand \u2013 Sugarnta Sookpaita, Prathum Thani, Thailand
\n54. Human Rights and Development Foundation, Thailand
\n55. Northern Informal Worker Network c\/o The Sustainable Alternative Development Association – Chiang Mai, Thailand
\n56. Kevin Hewison, Professor, Department of Asian Studies\/Director Carolina Asia Center University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill USA
\n57. Maquiladora Health & Safety Support Network – Garrett Brown (MPH, CIH), Coordinator, Berkeley, CA USA
\n58. Scottish Hazards Campaign \u2013 Scotland, UK
\n59. Joan S. Geiger PT MOccH, Ergonomic Consultant ErgoCare – Tel Aviv, Israel
\n60. Dennis Arnold, PhD Student University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill \u2013 Chapel Hill, USA
\n61. Jim Glassman \u2013 Vancouver, Canada
\n62. Tyrell Haberkorn \u2013 Hamilton, New York, USA
\n63. Hathairat Suda \u2013 Bangkok, Thailand
\n64. Anoop Sukumaran \u2013 Bangkok, Thailand
\n65. Van Thu Ha – Hanoi, Vietnam
\n66. Canadian Autoworkers Union (CAW) \u2013 Toronto, Canada
\n67. Thai Regional Alliance in Hong Kong \u2013 Bungon Tamasorn, Hong Kong, China
\n68. Thai Volunteer Service – Jon Ungphakorn, Bangkok, Thailand
\n69. Environmental Litigation and Advocacy for the Wants (EnLAW) – Thailand
\n70. Centre for Aids Rights – Thailand
\n71. Friends of Women Foundation – Thailand
\n72. International Campaign for Responsible Technology \u2013 Ted Smith, San Jose, California, USA
\n73. Mahidol University \u2013 Sriprapha Petchararmesree, Bangkok, Thailand
\n74. Labour Action China – China
\n75. Cross Cultural Foundation – Thailand
\n76. Hong Kong Coalition for a Free Burma \u2013 Hong Kong, China
\n77. Christian Solidarity Worldwide \u2013 Hong Kong, China
\n78. Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants, Hong Kong
\n79. Herbert Docena \u2013 Manila, Philippines<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Background: On the evening of 9th April 2008 in Southern Thailand, 54 migrant workers from Burma suffocated in a 6m x 2.2m refrigerated truck routinely used for carrying frozen seafood. These workers were being smuggled to the resort island of Phuket. Of the dead, 37 were female (including one eight-year-old girl) and 17 were male […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"","ocean_second_sidebar":"","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"","ocean_custom_header_template":"","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"","ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"on","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[107,149],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6492","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-press-release","category-press-release_english","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n