Manila: A
rights group today condemned a reported recent crackdown against migrants and
refugees in Malaysia.
“We are very concerned for the well-being of Filipino migrants and
migrants of other nationalities in Malaysia right now,” said Gary Martinez,
head of Migrante International, speaking in Manila.
Arrests and detention of migrants reportedly started
as Malaysia entered into the final phase of the implementation of its Illegal
Immigrant Comprehensive Settlement Programme.
Martinez said Malaysia is a popular destination of
Filipino workers. The
country is also a “transit point” of trafficked Filipinos on their way to other
parts of Asia.
Tenaganita, a Malaysian migrant organization, reported
at least 100 migrants and refugees were arrested by authorities during a raid
on February 11.
Migrante International’s data show that the number of
undocumented Filipino workers in different countries was around 900,000 in
2007.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference, which will mark
National Migrants’ Sunday this weekend, said an average of 4,000 Filipinos
leave the country to work abroad every day.
Source: ucanews.com
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