Welcome to BASE21

Meanwhile, some 30 religious members of Roman Catholic, Presbyterian Churches, and Buddhism held a hunger prayer meeting asserting that the government should scrap the 'improved policy of alien work power system’.
At the prayers meeting, they pointed out that the government’s new policy perfectly disregards the demands to protect human rights of migrant workers, and they decided to start the hunger pray meeting confessing that the ministers in this stage can’t leave the historical sin.
At the beginning of the pray, the ministers asserted to the government that the new system by the government is nothing but to extend the alien industrial trainee system which has brought denouncement as the modern slavery system from both domestically and internationally, so the system should be revised as soon as possible because the new system will fall the migrant workers into deep pains. Additionally, they spoke out that the government’s action to organize the joint checking band on August 1 for deporting undocumented migrant workers is inhumane..
The ministers at the hunger prayers meeting, stating that the voluntary reporting period upon undocumented migrant workers last March~May was a decisive policy to deport undocumented workers finally, expressed their opinions that they disagree to the policy deporting migrant workers. Their position is that the policy that current undocumented workers in Korea will be deported is unfair because most of them are victims of wrong-made systems of Overseas Korean Law and Alien Industrial Trainee Plan.

CAB Start Action for MWs' Basic Rights
Migrant workers support organizations, religious organizations, and, labor and civic organizations also organized the‘Common Committee For Abolition of Trainee System & Basic Rights of Migrant Workers(CAB) in Busan and Gyeongnam area. CAB criticized the government stating,“Even if it is obvious that the industrial trainee system failed, the government is maintaining and extending the system, source of human rights violation and corruption of entrance'. Also,‘we don't think the government's plan is an improved policy as it stakes to maintain the system without inherent improvement of alien labor power system, but to check and deport them.'
CAB plans to struggle against the government with aims of; the government's improvement policy should be scrapped, alien trainee system should be abolished, migrant workers' labor right should be secured, and any discrimination against nationality and race may be prohibited.
CAB plans to have a launch event by press conference on August 6, and then deliver its protest letter to Cheong Wa Dae (Presidential House), and Prime Minister. And, it plans to have a rally asking that the government may have a reasonable alien labor power policy on August 11 and 25, and to hold a public hearing with trade unions and civic organizations in Busan on September 5.

Interview with Mr. Tura, Myanmar Association

▶ How you became to join the rally?
I am taking charge of general affairs at Myanmar Association. The association has founded 1994 and now operating about 400 members with support of Bucheon Migrant Worker's House: BMWH. Because we were deeply concerned about unregistered migrant worker issue and industrial trainee system and have been looking for solution, we joined rally that was proposed by JCMK without hesitation.

▶ How is your feeling after joining the rally?
I feel like I have done what I suppose to done as a migrant worker. It was good that we gathered our voice in one with pride. While preparing for the slogan cards and 5 days sit down strike, I thought it was my duty.

▶ What brought you to Korea?
I came to Korea as a industrial trainee in 994. It has been 8 years since I arrived here. When I first started my trainee days, factory owner or other Korean often curse or abused. Of course, many of us couldn't get monthly salary exact day but they never apologized for late payment. Due to various improper treatment at the factory, I began to live as a illegal resident. Currently I am working at shelf company in Bucheon.

▶ What do you think is most serious problem for migrant workers in Korea?
Name of "Illegal" is. People considers every behavior of us are 'illegal'. With no proper labour right, statue of illegal residents nurtures discrimination and dehumanized live.

▶ Do you have anything to say to Korean government?
When I was in Korea first time, I had many conflicts with people and mistreatment because I wasn't was not aware of Korean and its culture. But things are different now. I can speak Korean very much after living for 8 years and knows Korean culture. But Korean government request to return to motherland now after all those years of spending. I wish they give us a chance to work legally.

▶ How is Korean attitude toward migrant workers?
I guess they regards Asian migrant workers are not well educated and poor. We have dark skin and different appearance but lots of us are smart and kind. Of course there might be some bad willing people but most of us are sincere workers. I wish to ask them to see us with no prejudice or misunderstanding and with warm treatment.

▶ Do you have any word to say to migrant workers who didn't join the rally?
It's time to leave our greedy one by one. Though we can not earn money for few days, it is important to keep pace with others because it is not somebody else's problem but us. If you stay calmly with no single word, there will be left forceful deportation.