Migrant Workers Struggle Reaches its Apex

"‘With as many as 130,000 migrant workers waiting to be deported to their home countries’, Korea Times wrote for its today’s edition, there are many among them not willing to wait. They just want to fight against South Korean government’s policy of planned manhunt and deportation. Members of ETU-MB promised on the last large demonstration before yesterday in Seoul that nobody will be able to stop them to fight for our rights as human being and worker. ‘Never we will give up our demands for legalization for all migrant workers in South Korea’, Kabir Uddin said recently. South Korean government should better listen to us, before they are getting a big surprise.”, ETU-MB (Equality Trade Union ­ Migrants’ Branch, a part of the umbrella union KCTU) wrote on November 14 in a statement. Short before two migrant workers, one from Sri Lanka and one from Bangladesh commit suicide, because they worried the coming days. From November 16 the South Korean government started a new policy of manhunt and deportation and many migrant workers now are hiding and worrying about their future here.

But while South Korean media only worries about the way of crackdown ­ "…labor policymakers should adopt a more reasonable attitude than planning to round up…foreign workers and detaining them at state facilities before deporting them within a few months.” Korea Herald wrote on November 14 ­ ETU-MB and their struggle alliance with KCTU, JCMK (Joint Committee for Migrant Workers in Korea) and other groups took action. True to their motto "Action, action ­ direct action!” in the night of November 15 around 170 migrant workers occupied the area around Myeongdong cathedral in downtown Seoul. Migrants from Mongolia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, the Philippines and other countries said: "Enough is enough! We were waiting enough!” With their action they just want to achieve their rights as human beings and workers here in South Korea.

Since now more than two years ETU-MB is struggling against governments plans to implement EPS (Employment Permit System) and deport so called "illegal” migrant workers. In last July 31 the bill over EPS passed the National Assembly (NA). According to this bill all migrants staying more than 4 years "illegal” in South Korea have to leave the country, otherwise they will get arrested and deported. After NA passed the bill over EPS ETU-MB started a fierce struggle to reach the masses of migrant workers in South Korea. They went to the areas where migrants mainly are living and working and started a strong propaganda campaign for the goal to organize the masses. Beside this ETU-MB also took a part in the different fight of South Korean working class, but also in issues like anti-war struggle.

During one demonstration, organized by Korean irregular workers and migrant workers, ETU ­MB activist, Muhammad Bidduth and Jamal Ali, both from Bangladesh, during a attempt of riot cops to suppress the event, got arrested in a way, you can call it without to exaggerate, torture. Later they were transferred to Hwaseong immigration detention center and facing now deportation. ETU-MB and their struggle alliance now with using the mean by occupying Myeongdong cathedral’s compound are demanding that the government immediate gives up the plans for manhunt and deportation, releasing of all migrant workers, sitting in immigration detention centers and legalization of all migrants in South Korea. ETU-MB in this current situation needs your help and solidarity!