Migrant Workers and Ecumenical Response: Asian Experience

Sisters and brothers in Christ

Ladies and Gentlemen

Let me first extend to you warm greetings on behalf of Christian Conference of Asia (CCA). I thank the World Council of Churches for providing me this opportunity to be with you for this public hearing. I also thank the Middle East Council of Churches and all staff for your warm welcome and friendly hospitality. I am sure that this public hearing and annual global ecumenical network (GEN) meetings focused on labour migration will be a great contribution in our ecumenical journey.

Talking about migration is not a recent phenomenon. It radically affects all countries. Migration is a courageous expression of an individual's will to overcome adversity and live a better life. On every continent, people are being forced to leave their communities as a consequence of the changing needs in both the home countries and the countries of destination. There are "push" and "pull" factors of migration. Some are leaving because of war, persecution and widespread of violence and human rights violation. Others are fleeing dire poverty and environmental destruction or because they can no longer support themselves.

The recruitment and placement of migrant workers has become a large industry in many countries and remittances from nationals overseas earn billions of dollars in foreign exchange for several countries. The annual sum of remittances exceeds $10 billion in India, $6 billion in the Philippines and $1.5 billion in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Thailand. These totals are often greater than official development assistance or foreign direct investment received by the countries.

More and more people are excited about the ways in which migrants can help transform their adopted and their native countries.  More and more people understand that governments can cooperate to create triple wins—for migrants, for their countries of origin, and for the societies that receive them.

As we begin our conversation, let me share three reasons why this is the right moment for it.

First, they are no longer so easily divided into "countries of origin" and "countries of destination".  Many are now both.  Countries that are very different in other respects face surprisingly similar migration challenges. 

Second, the evidence on migration's potential benefits is mounting. With their remittances reaching an estimated 167 billion dollars last year, the amount of money migrants send back to their families exceeds the total of all international aid combined.

Third, Governments are now beginning to see international migration through the prism of opportunity, rather than of fear.  Migrant workers also use their cultures, skills and know- how to transfer technology, sharing of experiences, developing practical ideas and building partnerships. 

Nevertheless, no one can deny that international migration also has negative aspects- human trafficking and smuggling. The 54 Burmese migrants suffocated in the back of a sealed truck as they were being smuggled to work as illegal labourers in to Thailand last week (April 10, 2008). The tragedy was further proof of the government's failure to deal with the longstanding problem of illegal foreign labour. It is high time that tough legal action must be taken against human trafficking gangs and corrupt government officials who live off the backs of migrant workers.

Like this case, the government cannot get off the hook by shifting its own blame to others. All governments all over the world, both sending and receiving countries, must look into the recruitment of migrant workers and ensure that they are fairly treated. The rights of migrant workers must be protected in our society.

I would like to elaborate a bit more on the experiences from Asia.

Asian countries now regularly deploy over two million migrant workers per year, while an unknown number of workers migrate outside of government programs. Economies in East and Southeast Asia currently host more than four million migrant workers in a regular status and several hundred thousand undocumented migrants and workers. Women constitute a significant share of the volume of regional migration and the number of women exceeds the number of men officially deployed as migrant workers by Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.

Since the end of the Second World War, Asian countries have gradually undergone a process of economic development. Major Asian countries of destination for labour migration are Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, India and of course, countries in the Middle East like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates. The major sending countries are Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and also Thailand.

The number of international migrants has increased to more than 200 million in 2005, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Today, one in fifty people on earth are living outside their home countries, while an estimated 25 million have been forcibly displaced within their own countries.

Today, there are about 1.8 million registered (or documented) migrant workers in Malaysia. 15 countries now supply workers in various employment sectors in Malaysia with the largest number coming from Indonesia (1.2 million) followed by Nepal which provides 170,000 workers. Other sending countries include India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Timor Leste and the Philippines.

In Thailand, in 2004, there was 1, 2269,074 undocumented migrant workers and their dependents: 72 % from Myanmar, 14 % from the Lao PDR and 14 % from Cambodia. The increasing violence in Sri Lanka is creating new waves of displaced people and adding to the fear and insecurity felt by the hundreds of thousands of people who already have been forced from their homes by the conflict and the tsunami. In 2006, More than 639,400 people are estimated to remain displaced in Sri Lanka. Latest UN figures state that 314,378 people were displaced by the conflict. Around 325,000 people are estimated to remain displaced by the tsunami.

Manikkam Maniyam, a 62-year-old Tamil man, is one of the many Sri Lankans who has had to move between several temporary homes within the country and abroad over the last 25 years. He first fled his home in Trincomalee in 1990 because of fighting and because his thatched house was burned down. He and his family paid a local fisherman to take them to India, where they lived in various refugee camps. In 1992 they were advised that the security situation was improving and moved back to Sri Lanka, living in a welfare centre in Alles Garden. Their shelter at the welfare centre was then destroyed by the 2004 tsunami. There are many other thousands of displaced people who are still waiting to return home.

For all these situations, international migration today cries out for a global discussion.

Of course, it also deprives countries of their best and brightest.  It divides families.  It generates social tensions.  But the answers to these problems can be found through constructive engagement and openly debate. For this, I am grateful to the WCC and MECC for providing this opportunity.

The Public Hearing and the Global Ecumenical Network meetings here today would allow us to build relationships of trust, and to bring together the best ideas that we can take home.

Ladies and gentlemen,

These are some difficult situations the migrants face in our time.

First: Be reminded that half of all international migrants are women leaving their children and families behind, and mostly engaged as domestic labour. Since the beginning of the 1980s, there has been a change in trend; women are in greater demand in certain sectors in their countries of destination meaning that they are pushed to go abroad to find a job. A significant number of these women are undocumented migrants. Often hidden within private households, these migrant workers are even more vulnerable. Sexual abuse, rape, slavery-like labour conditions, and discrimination of all kinds are very common.

Second: Although the protection of migrant workers is first of all the duty of both the country of origin and the receiving country, limits of jurisdiction severely curtail the possibility for the state of origin to ensure that its nationals are protected while working abroad. The receiving state, on the other hand, often extends only minimum protection to allow for a flexible labour supply and to avoid social costs.

The International labour Organization (ILO) has established a series of standards for the protection of migrants. In addition, the United Nations adopted in 1990 the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, also known as the Migrant Worker's Convention, which entered into force in June 2003.

Churches' Response and Challenges

Now let me bring it closer to churches' involvement.

Uprooting or migration is not a new phenomenon. The Christian Bible is a story of the whole people on the move. The Book of Exodus, which gives a central theme of the Old Testament, is a vivid account of the Israelite migrant workers in Egypt who had fled from famine. They were then made slaves by Egypt's rulers. 

Because of drought, Naomi, a Moabite, goes to another land;

Because of famine, Joseph's family eventually migrates to Egypt.

Because of systematic persecution of 2-year-old children by Herod, Mary and Joseph and Jesus fled to Egypt.

The stories of flight, of exile, of famine and of persecution are central to our Christian tradition. The biblical mandate is clear: to welcome the stranger, to treat the foreigner as one of you, to extend kindness to the sojourner.

In response to the plight of the migrants, churches are challenged that first of all, people are no longer remaining passive, accepting their plight and destiny. They are not sitting back and waiting for some agent of mercy. Instead, they get up and move. Also people today have better access to information about the world situation than a generation ago and they are better able to choose their destination.

Secondly, the border of the nation-state has been lowered in recent decades. Development in transportation and communication have enhanced the movement of people and make possible more frequent contacts with each other beyond national borders.

And thirdly, the civil conflicts in many countries have made   people hostages of the disputing parties.

The churches in Asia, like other parts of the world, have been challenged to develop strategic interventions to ensure respect for their rights at every stage of their journey, and strengthen social cohesion in the receiving countries.

I remember, representatives of churches, church-related organizations and ecumenical bodies associated with the Global Ecumenical Network (GEN) from Africa, Asia (CCA), Europe and the Middle East gathered in Nairobi in June 6-8, 2007. The meeting developed advocacy strategies to be implemented in the regions with a particular emphasis on "being church together". I am sure you will hear reports from each of the partners in the coming days.

What I would like to say is that churches in Asia steadfastly stand by migrant workers in defence of their rights and in promoting their dignity, especially in Asia. Moved and inspired by the Christ's message we urge host societies to be more welcoming to migrant workers. This means facing the social challenges migration brings such as inadequate housing, food, and social assistance; difficulty in getting or living without residence permits; the sex trade and exploitation of women and children.

The Church must be at the centre of the Church's action in favour of migrant workers, to become the "second home" for them, to serve as a place where they feel at home irrespective of their religion, race and colour. Such a prophetic suggestion is a key to opening new venues for missionary action. Christians have to turn the Church into "everyone's home" and make it part of their own mission towards migrants.

For Asian churches, Asia is diverse with diverse histories, cultures and colours. The task of the Church is to participate in the process of reshaping our communities, societies and countries in Asia, and how to live with people who are different.

Since 1970s Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) provided platforms for churches to be more actively involved on migrant issues. The CCA adopted in 1993 an important recommendation of three-areas:

Awareness-Building

1        that churches be made aware of the unjust structures of exploitation and of the suffering of migrant workers

2        that clergy and lay leaders  are enabled to understand that in solidarity with the poor especially migrant workers is  central  to Asian church's mission;

3        that churches evolve a holistic concept of human rights taking account of women and children, migrant workers, refugees and internally displaced communities, indigenous people and stateless people;

4        that a special effort be made to train church workers in pastoral support and political advocacy;

5        that theological exchange among experts to develop their respective religious heritage and learn each others religious values;

6        that educational resources and awareness –building method be appropriate to each cultural and political contexts.

Pastoral Support: That the churches

1        increase their pastoral and welfare services to migrant workers;

2        coordinate ecumenically their pastoral support and other services with each other and other agencies;

3        offer the protection of refuge and sanctuary;

4        That migrant workers   be enabled to develop their own organizations and activities.

Advocacy: That the churches and ecumenical organizations:

1        condemn violence and discrimination, especially against migrant workers;

2        promote the right of people to remain in their homeland and also to choose where they live;

3        promote the ratification of the 1990 international convention on the protection of migrant workers and their families;

Conclusion

Too often we don't welcome the strangers, i.e. migrant workers among us. One of the hallmarks of modern society is a retreat into individualism- coupled with a fear of the unknown, a fear of strangers- that we often see in our own congregations.

The Bible shows us a different side of hospitality. For example, on the road to Emmaus, Christ approaches two strangers and chats with them. They invite him home for supper, and as they are eating, Christ reveals himself to his hosts.

Think about this story for a moment. Christ reveals himself to strangers/ the migrants-after they have eaten together. If they hadn't invited him home with them, he probably wouldn't have told him who he really was.

Emigration in Asia is the new frontier of missionary action. Migrant workers not only seek to escape poverty, but also desire to share their culture and faith. For this reason, emigration is nourishing a new missionary trend. In light of it, the Parish must become a "second home" for migrant workers, a place where they are welcomed with open arms in a spirit of hospitality irrespective of their religion.

Accompanying uprooted people means sharing their suffering and their joys while they are in exile, and where possible, when they return home. It is now time for churches to cooperate with one another and with ecumenical partners, including the United Nations and other intergovernmental bodies, to go beyond agreements on trafficking in persons to cooperation on all forms of migration but especially labour migration. Such agreements should cover the rights and obligations of employers and migrant workers. The most effective way to prevent trafficking is to provide legal channels for migration and employment that meets national standards.

Working to create a world where people can live in justice and dignity is our ultimate goal. But as long as people are forced to flee their homes in terror and despair, churches and individual Christians are challenged to reach out to the migrant workers among us.

I earnestly hope that churches and ecumenical movements of today will grow up knowing that mission for better life development of fellow country workers is God's mandate. I am sure that churches will embrace their hopes and hear their appeals. I am an optimist, and I am full of hope about the future of our global ecumenical journey.  

Thank you very much.