Non arrival of a batch of 400 deportees from Sabah cast doubts on migrant group
Some of the deportees from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia who arrived in Zamboanga City on Saturday.The non-arrival of Filipino deportees from Malaysia to Zamboanga City on Saturday has cast doubts on a women’s and migrant groups’ fact-finding mission.
Migrante chairperson Connie Regalado said about 400 deportees from Sabah were scheduled to arrive in Zamboanga City, but for unknown reason this was canceled.
The group, which is looking into the plight of deportees from Sabah, was supposed to conduct an actual investigation with the deportees in the pier.
“We expected for their (deportees) arrival aboard Weesam fastcraft but there were conflicting statements of the RP-Malaysia inter-agencies committee officials,” said Regalado.
“It seems to me they are (inter-agencies committee officials) trying to mislead us so we can’t talk with the deportees,” she added.
With this, Regalado said the government has exposed further its insufficiency in terms of giving assistance or support to Sabah deportees.
“What happened on the supposed arrival of deportees It cast serious doubts on us that they directly transport the people to Bongao or other places,” she added.
The port of Zamboanga City serves as the transit point for deportees since Malaysian government began its crackdown in 2000.
Thousands of Filipinos who have illegally worked in Sabah, Kuala Lumpur, Sandakan and other states in Malaysia were arrested and incarcerated.
But they are being deported every week from Sabah to Zamboanga City.
The first two fact-finding mission of Migrante held in 2002 and in 2005 found out that deportees suffered inhumane treatment while inside jam-packed detention centers.
Worst is that Filipinos deported to Philippines remained homeless and lacked livelihood support from the government.
Also women became victims of sexual harassment and sex trafficking and there were a high number of migrants’ children born without documents.
Migrant group urged the government to welcome non-government organizations to help the plight of deportees if it’s really committed addressing the plight of migrant workers.
“They’re the one saying that NGO’s are their partners but in this case they are hiding us the truth about the deportees from Sabah,” Regalado said.
Regalado said the government’s uncooperative stance with the fact-finding mission only showed that it’s not concerned with the plight of Filipino workers in Sabah.
Despite this, she vowed to pursue the fact-finding mission to give justice and relief to deportees who have been neglected by the government.
“We are united and determined to pressure the government to take appropriate action on the cases of deportees from Sabah,” she concluded. (HG)
Migrante chairperson Connie Regalado said about 400 deportees from Sabah were scheduled to arrive in Zamboanga City, but for unknown reason this was canceled.
The group, which is looking into the plight of deportees from Sabah, was supposed to conduct an actual investigation with the deportees in the pier.
“We expected for their (deportees) arrival aboard Weesam fastcraft but there were conflicting statements of the RP-Malaysia inter-agencies committee officials,” said Regalado.
“It seems to me they are (inter-agencies committee officials) trying to mislead us so we can’t talk with the deportees,” she added.
With this, Regalado said the government has exposed further its insufficiency in terms of giving assistance or support to Sabah deportees.
“What happened on the supposed arrival of deportees It cast serious doubts on us that they directly transport the people to Bongao or other places,” she added.
The port of Zamboanga City serves as the transit point for deportees since Malaysian government began its crackdown in 2000.
Thousands of Filipinos who have illegally worked in Sabah, Kuala Lumpur, Sandakan and other states in Malaysia were arrested and incarcerated.
But they are being deported every week from Sabah to Zamboanga City.
The first two fact-finding mission of Migrante held in 2002 and in 2005 found out that deportees suffered inhumane treatment while inside jam-packed detention centers.
Worst is that Filipinos deported to Philippines remained homeless and lacked livelihood support from the government.
Also women became victims of sexual harassment and sex trafficking and there were a high number of migrants’ children born without documents.
Migrant group urged the government to welcome non-government organizations to help the plight of deportees if it’s really committed addressing the plight of migrant workers.
“They’re the one saying that NGO’s are their partners but in this case they are hiding us the truth about the deportees from Sabah,” Regalado said.
Regalado said the government’s uncooperative stance with the fact-finding mission only showed that it’s not concerned with the plight of Filipino workers in Sabah.
Despite this, she vowed to pursue the fact-finding mission to give justice and relief to deportees who have been neglected by the government.
“We are united and determined to pressure the government to take appropriate action on the cases of deportees from Sabah,” she concluded. (HG)
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