Around 450 migrant workers mostly from Indonesia and the Philippines celebrated the International Migrants Day celebration in Macau through cultural presentations and speeches on Dec. 20 at the Three Lamps Park. The activity was organized by the Macau Migrants Rights Network (MMRN) and was also utilized to air out concerns against the new Migrants Law and other issues of non-resident workers in the territory.

Some of the cultural presentations included the song of the International Migrants Alliance (IMA) entitled Migrants on the March which was sung by Migrante Macau. The Association of Indonesian Migrant Workers (ATKI – Macau) had three numbers including a skit on their particular problems in Macau. This includes lack of consular services/assistance from their government and overcharging of placement fees by agencies.

And the Social Service Commission of the Filipino Migrant Ministry presented a skit called Panunuluyan. This is a Christmas tradition depicting the re-enactment of Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay in Bethlehem. This was particularized in the setting of present day Macau and how it treats its migrant workers.

It depicted the problems besetting migrant workers like the retention of anti-migrant provisions of the “New Labour Law” such as the 6 months re-entry ban and levy on employers of foreign workers. The lack of clear law on placement agencies that will curb and put a stop to different forms of abuses that had been experienced by many migrants like confiscation of passports and other documents; collection of excessive fees equivalent to 10 months salaries; and connivance with employers.

Migrante Macau also shared overseas Filipinos particular problem with its own government and how they together with other organizations plan to resolve this. This pertains to the Affidavit of Support required of them by the Philippine authorities if their loved ones, relatives and friends plan to visit them in Macau. Migrante said that this is another financial burden on overseas Filipinos and is unconstitutional.

The event highlighted the strengthening of solidarity between migrant workers of different nationalities in Macau together with a number of their advocates. As the speaker of Migrante Macau said, the Macau government is now aware that we are watching and that they need to be careful in coming up with new anti-migrant policies.

Source: APMM