Welcome to BASE21

By Jeong Gue-sun, President of FWR

Voluntary reporting, is one of the policies "special policy for protect overstay" of Korean government will be finished on this coming May 25th. This Korean government policy has been the target of criticism from JCMK and Seoul-Kyeonggi Equal Trade Union and other NGOs because it is only for 'departure policy of undocumented migrant workers' without any fundamental improvement, abolishment of trainee system and enact new system which NGOs have been insisting for several years continually. Nevertheless most of all undocumented migrant workers are registering because even if the device is limited up to March 31th 2002, they can get legal status without heavy burdening such as arresting and deporting. But they decided their opinion, also, after register, they will struggle for new system continually.

In early this year, I worried about the situation of migrant workers because the big events of local autonomy body election in June and Presidential election in December will look away the migrant workers problems, and also international events ; World-Cup in June and Asian game in October will also ignore the problem of migrants. But for this voluntary reporting policy of Korean government gave us new chance to inform and get sympathy to Koreans about the violence of migrant workers' human rights. Specially it was meaningful during this time that

undocumented migrant workers discuss and have meetings active for their important registry issues.
Already 12 representative members from 6 countries have been sitting down in front of Myeong-dong Cathedral Church since April 28th, with the slogan "For the Freedom of Meeting and Organization, Abolish Arresting & Deporting, For Working Visa", and they started "Joint Counter Committee for Against oppression of migrant workers & For working visa". And "Joint Counter Committee for doing away discrimination & For basic rights" was started in May 7th and is working actively.

First of all, ourselves have to be strong. Even if migrant workers had to register, migrant workers have to discuss about next situation ; the expecting problems of violence of human rights at their register companies and against the air which Ministry of Justice strongly announces to arrest after May 25th. Also migrant workers have to develop their meetings to organization.
And next, all migrant workers and NGOs have to gather our opinions and power. This time wisdom is needed for creating an advantageous situation from bad atmosphere. Then, we should make a good law for migrant workers within this year, and to make all undocumented migrant workers will get labor status legally!