공지사항
-
- '노란봉투'캠페인/국제연대..
- no chr.!
22개의 게시물을 찾았습니다.
Last Saturday at least 200 people, incl. some "foreigners"(although only few of them were knowing about the background...) celebrated DURIBAN's victory against the Construction Mafia and Mapo-gu District Office...
Here just some impressions from last Saturday's event:
Just one hour ago I got the information that our comrade, video activist Lee Sang-Hyeon (aka "Hong Gil-dong in the Forest") commited suicide four days ago.
Nodong-ui Sori released y'day the following statement:
오늘(6.25)일 오전 인천연수동에서 자취하던 이상현(숲속홍길동)동지가 집에서 목을 매 자살한 상태로 경찰에 발견되었습니다. 경찰이 주변의 신고로 이상현동지의 집에 들어갔을 때 목을 맨 상태였다고 합니다. 이상현동지의 유품에 적힌 영상운동을 하는 동지의 전화번호로 경찰이 전화를 했고, 이 후 동지들에게 소식을 알리게 되었습니다. 인천 연수경찰서로 급히 방문한 노동가수 박준동지에 의하면 이상현동지는 목을 매 숨진 상태로 발견되었고 시간이 며칠 지난상태였다고 합니다. 유서도 발견되지 않았다고 하구요.. 현재 경찰은 이상현동지의 가족을 찾고 있다고 합니다. 월요일 동사무소와 연계하여 가족을 찾아보겠다고 했답니다. 평상시 이상현동지는 누구에게도 가족이야기를 하지 않았다고합니다. 혹시 글 읽으시는 분들중에 이상현동지의 가족을 아시는 분 있으시면 꼭 연락바랍니다.(011-211-8966) 가족이 나타나는대로 가족과 상의하여 이후의 장례일정을 논의할 것입니다. 혹여 가족이 없는 경우엔 빠른 시간내에 지인들과 함께 장례위를 구성할 예정입니다. 안타까운 소식을 전하게 되어 참으로 참담합니다. 고인의 명복을 빕니다.
*6월 25일 토요일 '두리반 마지막 음악회' 출연진 및 공연 시간표
하헌진 (17:00-17:30) 아홉번째 (17:30-18:00) 멍구밴드 (18:00-18:30) 악어들 (18:30-19:00) 밤섬해적단 (19:00-19:30) 조한석 밴드 (19:30-20:00) 쏭의 빅밴드 (20:00-20:30) 스팀보이즈 (20:30-21:00) 적적해서 그런지 (21:00-21:30) 앵클어택 (21:30-22:00) 다큐멘터리 상영(오후 10시-11시) 두리반과 연대한 사람들이 모두 모이는 뒷풀이 (오후 11시부터)
*6월 26일 일요일 '두리반과 명동의 연대' (명동 향린교회 주차장)
벼룩시장과 바자회 (오후 4시부터 공연이 끝날 때까지 계속됩니다. 누구든 나누고 싶은 물건을 가져오세요!)
연대 공연 출연진 및 시간표 (밴드가 추가될 수 있습니다)
얌얌 (19:00-19:30) 섭섭해서 그런지 (19:30-20:00) 회기동 단편선 (20:00-20:30) 야마가타 트윅스터 (20:30-21:00) 무키무키만만수 (21:00-21:30) 노컨트롤 (21:30-22:00) 머머스룸 (22:00-22:30)
Well, at least since y'day the conflict at Yoosung Co. in Asan is (once again) escalating... Resulted by the onging massive attacks against the unionized workers:
6.22: Organized thugs, hired by Hanjin management on the way to attack protesting workers...
...and as usual, the thugs were backed by the riot police
Today's (bourgeois) Korea Times reported the following:
Labor, management clash at Yoosung
Unionized workers’ illegal occupation of a key auto parts maker, which had disrupted the production of local automakers, came to an end a month ago. But the labor-management strife continues, making it difficult for the company to normalize its operations.
About 11,000 unionized workers of Yoosung Enterprise attempted to enter its main plant in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, wielding iron pipes and other blunt objects at 18 companies of riot police guarding the factory’s main gate. The workers clashed with police but failed to make their way into the plant.
During the violent clash, 108 riot police and about 10 unionists sustained injuries and were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
A union official argued that riot police exerted excessive force against the workers, saying several workers sustained serious injuries and many others suffered cuts and bruises.
But a police officer refuted the union’s claim, saying that riot police had to fight back as the unionized workers used force against them.
He said a dozen riot police members sustained various injuries.
Kim Ki-yong, head of Chungnam Provincial Police Agency, said police will set up a special investigation unit to track down those responsible for using violence against police. Kim also said police will not allow unionized Yoosung workers to hold a rally near the Asan plant.
Earlier, unionists also clashed with employees friendly toward management at the factory’s main gate, with 24 individuals from both sides taken to hospitals.
The unionized employees have been trying to enter the plant en masse since June 15, insisting that all of them should be given their jobs back.
However, Yoosung management has been preventing them from doing so, demanding unionists return to work on an individual basis in order to screen out union leaders and other hardliners.
The plant has been operated by non-unionized workers since May 24 when thousands of riot police raided the plant, where hundreds of unionized workers were holed up, to put an end to a week-long strike.
At the time, police met little resistance from the workers while dispersing them. About 500 unionists were apprehended.
The unionized workers began occupying the factory on May 18 after they failed to reach a compromise with their management on working conditions and salaries.
Following the walkout, the management of Yoosung, which specializes in piston rings, cylinder liners and other key components of car engines, imposed a lockout at the plant. The strike disrupted production of all five automakers operating here as the company supplies key engine components.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/06/113_89497.html
Well, here you can check out several more impartial reports(incl. many pictures) about the current struggle there:
☞ 22일 유성기업 충돌 원인은 용역의 무차별 폭력 (VoP, 6.23)
☞ 유성기업 노동자 연대...경찰, 밀려나 (C-Media, 6.23)
☞ 경찰, 유성기업 노조 ‘집회 원천 금지’ 왜? (NewsCham, 6.23)
☞ CJ시큐리티 용역, 유성기업 노동자 폭행...22명 부상 (NewsCham, 6.22)
☞ Workers resist lockout, violence (GreenLeft, 6.16)
☞ [6.10] Hanjin Strike Escaleted by Thugs, Hired by the Management (video)
The first organized Myeong-dong sit-in struggle group/collective (now, since Monday morning they're united with almost all the other affected tenants in the area) released recently the following statement about their struggle, objectives and the background:
"Redevelopment", the Death-knell of the Tenants
We will fight to the end for the people’s fundamental rights
and against unjust "redevelopment" laws!
Hello dear neighbors, Seoul citizens and foreign visitors,
We are business people and merchants installed for the past few years in the Meok-ja alley in front of the Seoul Myeong-dong cathedral.
However Seoul city has plans for the redevelopment of our area of trade into a financial district. As such we are now engaged in a fight for our lives, under pressure of forced eviction.
The Myeong-dong district is divided into four separate districts. In the early hours of the 8th of April and the 4th of June last, with no passersby as witnesses, some 400 privately hired thugs came down upon us and forcibly evicted people from 11 different houses. In this process several tenant fainted and had to be hospitalized; there were also reports of sexual assault. It was made known that 16 houses in the 4th district would be forcibly taken over, as well as several houses in the 2nd district. These moves, claiming to draw legitimacy from ownership of the properties in question, fly in the face of the laws set up to protect tenants.
In the face of this danger, we tenants have banded together to fight this injustice. However the district government and the police are simply ploughing through, with on their side the money and the hired thugs. The Lee Myungbak administration has made the violent treatment of people in our situation all the more possible. It has also ‘streamlined’ safety policies, contributing to more exposure to carcinogenic materials for the laborers in Myeong-dong.
With the situation as it is, Seoul city and the Chung-gu local authorities, hand-in-hand in their desire to proceed with the reconstruction, are getting antsy. They have been quick to give approval to the project, without providing any measures for the tenants and without getting proper approval of the original building owners. They have not intervened even as we were subject to illegal expulsion attempts, and have done nothing to prevent our very livelihoods being taken away from us. How are we to stand this horrible situation?
And for what, for whom are we being trampled upon? For what is our right to survival being infringed upon? For who is this ‘development’? Why are we being stepped over and dragged out of our homes and businesses?
Behind the outlaw thugs are hidden IBK Bank, Daewoo Construction, and the BK Bank, driven primarily by IBK Bank. But IBK Bank is a government-run bank, meaning that the government itself is controlling this project.
They tell the people to save, they tell them to invest, and then they take that money and step all over us! This redevelopment plan shows how desperate they are to deprive tenants of their civil rights.
We remember the Yongsan incident. Thinking of those who burned in the makeshift watchtower brings tears to our eyes. So many tenants went down before the violence of the hired thugs and mercenaries, a phenomenon that started in the 1980s. We can hear even now the echoes of those who stood against the injustices in this society, who decried its fundamental double standard.
This is not just in Seoul. In the whole country, be it the ‘Four Rivers Project’, the ‘new town’ phenomenon or the old-fashioned ‘redevelopment’, the rights of tenants and the rights to housing are being flagrantly infringed. The weak and the marginalized are not mere insects to be trampled upon! People such as us will not allow our hopes to be shattered with the sway of the fork crane or the rumble of the bulldozer. If these inhumane and ruthlessly greedy practices keep on, there will be a second, and a third Yongsan!
We must absolutely win against those who would take away our civil rights and infringe upon the law, and keep alive our struggle until our rights as tenants and as humans are respected. We, the tenants of Myeong-dong, ask for your help and support in our struggle!
First of all the latest news about the sit-in struggle in Myeong-dong:
Sunday(!!) morning about 40 thugs, hired by Daewoo Construction Mafia attacked the sit-in struggle collective, smashed/destroyed the entrance door of the struggle center (before it was "Mari" coffee shop) and injured four of our comrades.
But as Chairman Mao said: "If our enemy is fighting us, it's good and not bad!"(^^)
Well, the attack resulted in a massive wave of solidarity and the S. Korean media became now also very interested in the issue of the struggle.
Here just some impressions from our yesterday's(last night) solidarity visit in Myeong-dong:
Migrants' Trade Union (MTU) recently published its newsletter(June edition). Until today it was only as printed version available, but now you can read it also here:
Migrant Workers' Voice
The Migrant Workers Petition
MTU have officially launched a petition for the migrants workers since early March. What started out as a legalization campaign for MTU quickly evolved into a much wider campaign for all the migrant workers demands.
We have stated three demands from the petition. First is a call for the recognition of Migrants' Trade Union as a legal trade union for migrants. The registration of MTU as a legal union would allow us to be involved in the policy formation that involves migrants. Primarily to protect our rights as workers, to define a much better system of employment wherein we could be free from exploitation and where we could be given an opportunity to truly develop our skills and use these expertise and experience in contributing not only to the Korean economy but contribute to the development of our countries of origin as well. Secondly, we call for the legalization of all undocumented workers. With the on-going registration process for legalization of the Chinese-Koreans who have been here for more than 10 years, it shows that legalization is seen as one of the safest, more practical solution in solving the problems of undocumented stay in Korea. The exclusion of other nationalities from the legalization program is also another manifestation of racism in Korea as a national policy. Third and last would be the call for an introduction of the Working Permit System(WPS) instead of the Employment Permit System(EPS). The WPS aims to remove the restrictions of the current system (EPS) that systematically limits the freedom of migrant workers and reduces their rights as workers in Korea. The restriction on changing work places, changing industries, limitations in finding and applying for work, short working period and the lack in the proper enforcement of labor and safety laws are basically the reason why migrant workers are allowing themselves to be exploited or choose to become undocumented workers. We either aim to collect 500,000 signatures to represent half of the population of all migrants here in Korea, or we would be submitting this petition on December 18, 2011 to represent the call of migrant workers on the International Migrants' Day. We call on all migrant workers, immigrants, students, as well as Korean workers and the society to participate in this endeavor. We hope that one day we will achieve what we have dreamed of ever since, to be treated with dignity, with equal labor and equal rights.
*****
Greetings everyone!
We are happy to inform you about the recent success of The MTU Solidarity Night last May 14 at the Kyunhyang Shinmun Building. The event was attended by approximately more than 300 friends and comrades. They have come from various sectors of the society. The migrants from different communities like Filipino, Nepal, Bangladesh, etc; the union groups, social movement groups, human rights groups, churches specially 향린교회, students, expats and supporters.
The event was a success in part because of our close cooperation specially with the Rainbow School student-teachers, KCTU Seoul Regional Council representatives 조정미, KCTU Legal Counseling Center from KCTU Seoul Regional Council, MTU staff, leaders and member and our guest volunteer Christian Karl dongji. We also thank our Hosts, 김호정위원장님and Luna Park, our translator from PSSP Wol-san Liem and our performers Gandiv Subedi, Shanti Adhikari, Rainbow Shool dancers and our very good friend from Stop Crackdown Band, Soe Moe Thu.
Thank you all for your support and we hope that you liked our surprise gift awarding, theprogram and performances, the food and most especially, the true warmth of Solidarity and friendship!
We hope to be together with you again in good times and in struggle. Thank you so much!
*****
The Migrants' Mayday Rally
Just like last year, we have done a separate Mayday rally for us migrants. What is different and exciting for this year was that we were able to march from Bosingak Square to the Seoul City Hall, joining the main rally of KCTU or the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, one of the two biggest confederation of trade unions.
Managing the program proved to be a challenge because of the limitation on the time we have available to us. Although it was not possible to hold a longer program, it was still a very successful event for all of the organizers including MTU. Participation of the migrants were significant in this particular event since majority of the program evolved around the proposals of the migrants. The Migrants' Declaration itself was done by a migrant worker unlike in the past where the declaration was made for the migrants and not by the migrants.
The program was attended mostly by Korean solidarity groups like Amnesty International Korea, KCTU, All-Together, PSSP, student groups, migrant rights groups, LGBT groups, friends, and migrant communities and individuals from the Philippines, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, India, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, and many other nationalities. Around 600 people attended the event.
The program started from 1pm and we proceeded to march towards city hall to join the main KCTU rally at 3pm. There we were met with more than 20,000 people from different union and social movement groups.
*****
Migrant Workers Mayday Rally Declaration
125 years ago, the workers of the first Mayday protest action in Chicago fought for an 8-hour work day. They have not only sacrificed their liberties, they have also lost their lives in the process. The local workers, the immigrants and the women who have followed them in the struggle, have fought hard for their DIGNITY and we have enjoyed the fruits of those sacrifices.
But after fighting a long and hard fought battle, we have failed to defend that victory. The victories that has been achieved are slowly disintegrating because we have allowed ourselves to be divided by those who rule over us. Because of this failure many workers continue to suffer and lose their lives in the workplace. Up to this day, workers have sacrificed and lost their lives to fight for our DIGNITY as human beings.
They have created divisions among us by dividing the regular workers from the irregular workers, locals from migrants, men from women. They have created divisions among nationalities, religion, skin color and gender.
Today, in commemoration of the 121th anniversary of Mayday's establishment, we declare that we will move start to put an end to this oppression.
●Today, like the immigrants who have joined and lead the workers movement in the US during the first Mayday, we declare that we, the migrants, will build ourselves from the ground up. We will organize ourselves and we will work hard to arm ourselves with the knowledge of our rights. We will rise up and raise our voices so that we may be heard. We will represent ourselves, and we will work to be recognized not as "outsiders or foreigners" but as "workers" and human beings.
●We declare that we, the migrant workers have contributed and continue to contribute so much to the economy and society and that we will no longer allow ourselves to only be seen as disposable labor. We vehemently refuse to be called criminals or job-stealers and we condemn those who accuse us as such. We condemn the crackdown that has caused death and misery to the migrant workers and our families and we condemn the institutions that murder innocent workers for a piece of paper. We will continue to push for the legalization of ALL undocumented workers because it is not only humane, it is also a practical solution to fill in the labor shortage in the industries.
●We declare that our contributions to the country of destination is not measured by where we come from or on projected investments alone, but on how we invest our skills and labor to build up the economy. We stand up to end all forms of discrimination and end unequal treatment among different ethnic groups. We wish to end a system that blatantly gives preferential treatment to Korean ethnic groups from rich nations while at the same time restricting and depriving those who come from poor nations.
●We recognize the contribution of women like Mary Harris Jones and Yi So-sun in achieving past victories and we believe in the power of women and their motivation. The woman's empowerment is essential to achieve our victory as workers. Hand in hand, we will fight against all forms of violence and discrimination towards women. And as workers, men and women will remain equals.
●We declare that the Employment Permit System that restricts the freedom of workers to improve our working conditions, that binds us to our employers, that makes us disposable, this policy and other such similar policies are the invisible chains that enslaves us. Just as the pioneers of the labor movement in the past has struggled to be free of those metal chains, we will also break the invisible chain of slavery that goes by the name of "Employment Permit System".
●As we give honor to those who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom, so should we honor the forebears who have sacrificed their lives to gain dignity for all workers. We demand that all workers be guaranteed the right to commemorate Mayday and be assured of their freedom to participate.
●While the working class are given just enough wages to sustain us for the next workday, the profits of the capitalists continue to grow. They earn profit from their products and steal from their workers. We demand for higher wages where all workers can be assured of a decent standard of living. We call to remove discrimination in wages, where locals, migrants and women have different standards of payment for equal or similar work.
●Sanction the registration of the Migrants' Trade Union and stop the oppression on the Union and its leaders!
●Stop the crackdown and deportation and legalize all the undocumented migrant workers!
●Guarantee the complete free travel, stay and employmet of overseas Korean!
●Stop the trafficking of women, discrimination, exploitation and violence against all women including migrants and workers!
●Change Employment Permit System to a Work Permit System!
●Guarantee the Mayday off for all workers!
●Raise the minimum wage and realize equal pay for equal work!
We the migrant workers declare unto this 121th Mayday celebration, May 1, 2011
*****
Case Study: Sexual Abuse and Violence by Korean Husband
An advertisement in a popular news paper- 'real marriage with South Koreans plus monthly pocket money' drew my attention. I visited International Marriage Bureau in Kathmandu, where I saw one South Korean interviewing a group of young Nepali women aged 18-20 with the help of a Nepali interpreter. One of the male South Koreans, posing himself as judge in a beauty pageant, also interviewed me. One of the men chose me and I agreed to marry him. It had happened within a few minutes of conversation.
I am Monika Tamang(22) and got married with lee Young Soon 45, via marriage bureau in November 2010. I was a college student in Nepal. I was influenced by Korean drama and movies in during my college years. I did not know the real situation about Korean people in remote areas. My husband is an agricultural worker at Gimhae. He cannot speak English except for a few words. I am living with him in a remote part of South Korea. My husband does not work regularly anymore and spends the whole day idly staying at home. He is smoking all the time and an alcoholic. He asked me to work at a factory to earn money for him.
After month, he beat me up but I did not report anywhere. I know that is domestic violence but felt I had no choice and lacking the skills in Korean language, I could not talk with people. Silently, I endured everything and hoped that some day he will love me. Day by day, his cruelty was increasing, he became sexually abusive and his behavior was intolerable. He raped me many times in a day. I could not go back home to my country because he took my passport and ID card. I have been physically tortured badly if I denied him. That is why I tried to commit suicide.
I dream to have Korean citizenship and have a happy family. Even I did not visualize that behind gloomy story in my life. My beautiful dream was broken and I hate myself. I have not seen my future anymore. Therefore, one afternoon I escaped from my house. I could not find any place where I can stay safely. There is nowhere to go especially for women. I had a very painful life. I came to Seoul. Now, I am undocumented and working in small garment factory with very low wages.
*****
Community update:
●A Filipino gay migrant worker was found dead in Dongdaemun area.
●A Filipina married migrant was raped by her husbands friend, allegedly planned and with the help and knowledge of the husband.
●Another Filipina married migrant woman who ran away from her Korean husband was found dead allegedly committed suicide in the current residence which she shared with another migrant worker.
●The MTU Solidarity Night was successfully held in the Kyunghyang Shinmun Building where KCTU takes office. The event was attended by more than 300 people from all sectors of the society both foreign and local. The warmth of solidarity was felt by everyone.
●Another Vietnamese woman married to a Korean was found murdered by her own husband. The woman have recently given birth to a child 19 days before she was stabbed to death. She suffered from 53 stab wounds, using different knives. All the while, her infant child was lying beside her as she was being stabbed repeatedly by her Korean husband.
●180 Vietnamese workers conducted a strike against a construction company for gravely violating the terms of contract and the Labor Standards Act. Ten workers have been arrested and according to the police around 30 migrant workers are the subject of investigation for this related incident.
*****
MTU Leaders participation rally in Japan
From April 17 to 18, MTU representative visited Doro-Chiba, a Japanese labor union Doro-Chiba organized an event titled "National Study & Exchange Assembly against Foreigner Registration Act, Immigration Act and Ethnic Discrimination" in Osaka. Around 150 people gathered and each speaker spoke about various labor issues such as fired workers, imprisoned people, refugee problem, etc.
KCTU Seoul council and MTU General secretary, Kim Min joo delivered her speech about workers struggle and the importance and need for solidarity. She also highlighted the situation of migrant workers in Korea and the cancellation of the MTU presidents’visa status. In Japan, some unions organize migrant workers and Doro-Chiba also support the organizing of migrant workers. There was a similar event in Yokohama in May where the KCTU Seoul Regional Council and MTU representatives also participated in. Around 500 people gathered at that time. In this globalized world, workers should be united beyond borders.
*****
Migrant Workers Orientation Program on Labour Law
On March 6, a migrant workers orientation program on new EPS system and labour law was a success. It was joint effort organized by the Migrant Trade Union (MTU), Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT) and Nepal Coordination Committee (NCC). This one day orientation program on labor and related laws will be held in the KCTU Seoul Regional Council Migrant Trade Union (MTU), South Korea. The aim was to give information to EPS workers regarding Korean labor and related laws for migrant workers in South Korea under the New EPS system. In the program, labor counselor Yoon Sun-Ho put emphasis on Korean labor laws, practices and its enforceability regarding the Migrant workers. Labor counselor Yoon Sun-Ho informed about the legal provisions applicable to Migrant workers in case of changing workplaces in Korea.
Mr.Chung Kumar Gurung, President of IFK, Krishna Hari Acharya, Secretary EPS committee and Dabit Rai president of NCC highlighted the situation of Nepali migrant workers. They also condemned Korean Government for the arrest of 200 Nepali migrant workers. During the program, the president of MTU extended solidarity to the Nepalese Migrant Workers. Likewise, migrant workers orientation program were carried out in Gimhae on the 13th of March, 2011. The program was conducted by Udaya Rai, a GEFONT/KCTU representative. During the program the “Booklet”on Migrant workers Rights were distributed.
*****
The Constitutional Case Against Targeted Arrest of Migrants' Trade Union Leaders
On May 12, 2011, a public debate was held in the Constitutional court in Bukcheonro in Jeongno-gu. The open debate was greeted by a press conference earlier that day in order to criticize the deliberate attack on MTU and its former MTU leaders President Torna and Vice President Sabur. The participation of the lawyers from both Gonggam and Minbyun, KCTU and KCTU Seoul Regional Council, Amnesty International, JCMK, Alliance for Migrant Rights, Solidarity for Migrants Rights, PSSP, All-Together, other solidarity groups and all the students who came to participate and witness the debate. The venue was filled up and all the seats were taken. Everyone was present to witness the progression of the debate both sides have presented their arguments as well as technical experts. The court judges fired up some questions. The complainants was asked which provision in the constitution states that the protection for the citizens is also applicable to the undocumented migrant worker. One significant question was regarding the case of President Anwar who went home after being released from the detention center and finishing his allowable period of stay. Another judged generally focused on any ties to Korea like investment, property, community or family ties left in Korea once they have been arrested and deported.
They have also questioned the immigration regarding the length of time that the migrant leaders have spent their time in Korea and why only when the undocumented migrants took up the position in the union were they arrested. They were also reprimanded for coming unprepared for the questions since they do not know the answers to most of the questions presented by the judges. Although there was a statement from the lead judge that if taken at face value could be perceived as an act to encourage and strengthen the enforcement of the crackdown. The judge criticized the immigration for not effectively deporting all the undocumented migrant workers which the immigration justified by not being able to have enough manpower to implement the crackdown. From another perspective, it shows the inability of the Crackdown to address the problems regarding undocumented residents.
*****
Where is good news about Migrant Worker? (contributed feature)
I do not want to write on death of my colleagues, my hands do not move. But this is what I am destined to do, I cannot choose. Maybe tomorrow, someone will write about my death, unpredicted death... Today, I sit to write. It hurts when you realize you have to die in another land working for another's nation and your family will be left with a question mark that will never be answered. At least you wish to see or hear someone you desperately love before you say goodbye to the world, but we Nepali, who are bound to work in foreign land for livelihood are not always so fortunate. Frustration, depression, emptiness are sometimes so prevalent that we just desire to escape away from own life and sometimes happen to commit suicide as well.
This happened to a man named Bahadur Darlami, 21, from Palpa who was found hanging in the kitchen of Company on March 29. Darlami had come to Korea just one month ago through the Employment Permit System (EPS). He was residing with other 5 Nepalese. Darlimi was in poor health, so his room mates were more careful about him. Sharma, one of the room mate shared “We gave him Milk and Bread to eat. He ate. I remember that he had gone to the bathroom around 11pm but we were too tired, so were fast asleep. We were shocked to hear of his death when police came and inquired in the early morning.”
He used to call his mother on the phone, talk to her and cry, but his behavior has changed. He became quiet sometimes. He used to share that he had sleeping disturbances and a kind of fear within. We never understood what his problem was.”, adds Sharma. Sharma and his friends found Darlami's towel turned to make a rope while giving out to the police which he refers to as signals of his prior plan to commit suicide.
The initial police report of the dead body shows there is no injury in any part of his body and no weapons used. The postmortem report will be ready in a week's time. Darlami's dead body will be sent back to Nepal for the funeral. May the soul of young boy rest in peace. We can do nothing except to wish for the soul to rest in peace after a human bids goodbye. The pain and suffering back home is beyond imagination. A mom who had sent her son to another nation for family needs would never be able to console her heart. Nothing can ever replace her lost son... nothing!! Darlami was the youngest one with a promising life ahead, his unfulfilled dreams and desires are still fleeting in the air.
Here another worker named Srawan Raj Panta, the resident of Kabhre Deurali VDC ward no. 2, came to Korea 2 years back through EPS. Panta worked in an Aluminium Company. One fateful day, he was hit by the company crane which resulted in death. An eyewitness said- “At around 7:30pm when they finished up the work and were cleaning the place to prepare to leave, two cranes operated by their Korean co-workers happened to hit each other by accident. One of the crane's part fell down upon Panta's head. He was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. The doctors involved in operation till 3am later declared the operation was "unsuccessful.”His frieds were shocked by the sudden accident that took away a colleague. Panta's family in Nepal is mourning for his death. Panta is survived by a wife and four year old daughter. I just don't want to write these things... it is really painful.
Nepali are dying for no reason, human beings are dying for senseless reasons... we just lose our life anytime. Whether because of another's fault, or by anything at all. Do we deserve these pitiful death? I don't know. I don't know and I would neither argue with death. Who knows, I might die this very moment... A natural death is more than welcome. I am much tensed by the unnatural deaths. The series is yet not over, I need to mention one more death. The president of Tamudhi South Korea, Ramkaji Gurung reported the death of Mr. Rudra Gurung, 40, at St. Vincent Hospital in Suwon. Mr. Rudra Gurung came to Korea in 1992 and was admitted to the hospital a week back due to heart disease. The wife of late Rudra Gurung is also in Korea. His funeral was held in Suwon cemetery. Every Nepali around Korea are invited to participate in the funeral ceremony. These are the examples. Rudra Gurung invested his youth in Korea, his health was compromised while working in this country. He acquired heart disease while serving in this country and finally lost his life here. He is a Nepali who was destined to leave his mother land in search of bread and butter.
No more death reports, no more accidents please. I am already too drained.-MJK
*****
An Invitation to form an International Community Coordinating Council
Dear Community Leaders,
It is undeniable that as time passes on the labor and social conditions for the migrant workers in Korea is getting worse. From our perception we are not separated by our status, nor issues. Right now it is evident that there is one factor that pervades in the Korean situation. This factor is the current "ANTI-MIGRANT" propaganda. This propaganda is obviously going on despite the so called call for "multi-culturalism" of Korea. In the Korean ads, the concept of multi-culturalism is generally centered towards foreigners who are potential investors. The automatic residency visa for an investment of 500,000$, the F2-7 visa for professionals with high income or savings, compare that to treatment migrants are getting from the institutions. It shouts of disparity and preferential treatment of one group over another.
The anti-migrant propaganda of this administration started a few years back and is growing stronger. First in 2007, they removed the mandatory housing and food allowance for the migrant workers. In the crisis of 2009, the migrant workers were the subject of lay-offs and all cost-cutting measures. It was also during this time that a powerful smear campaign against migrant workers started. They regularly published stories of migrant workers crime and projected to the public that migrant workers are dangerous and criminal elements. In this propaganda, they have falsely claimed that the criminality of migrant workers was on the rise. A government study refutes this claim but the damage has been done. A special "Foreigners Crime Task Force" has been formed to justify their claims and now every small misdemeanor or mistake can either land you in jail subject to deportation or could permanently include you in their statistics as one of the violators of Korean laws.
The working period for EPS migrants have been shortened from 3+3 years to 3 years+1 year and 10 months. The registration period has also been made more strict and many EPS workers lost their visa because the employers have failed to register their workers promptly. Although the length of time to find a workplace has been extended, the work places continue to violate the Labor Standards, labor and safety laws. The restriction on the work place change has been eased but very few EPS workers are able to take advantage of this either from lack of information or the Job centers continue to work in connivance with the employers and deny the "non-count". Despite sufferings experienced in the workplace, getting released from a company is still difficult for some and more have escaped from these abusive companies.
Last year, 33% of the EPS workers who have finished their working period for Korea has become undocumented. This year, 30,000 thousand EPS workers will finish their EPS sojourn, next year 60,000. Study shows, 30-50% of these workers will stay to become undocumented workers. It is very unlikely that the government of Korea will give an extension because the quota for new EPS workers have already been set.
From the conditions mentioned above, many more EPS have lost and are still losing their EPS status. This clearly shows that the problems of the EPS and the undocumented workers are NOT SEPARATE. We are all precarious labor, we are all vulnerable and therefore we have to unify our issues. The more we separate ourselves from each others issues the more vulnerable we are.
Therefore we find it necessary for all the migrants in Korea to come together in order to protect not only our rights but our interests as well. If we keep ourselves divided by our nationality, language, visa status, religion or gender, the more we will be exposed to abuse and exploitation.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR US TO UNIFY.We should now concentrate our efforts to change this systematic abuse of the migrants and we should stop all efforts to use the migrants as a leverage to suppress the rights of people, not just for the migrant workers but the Korean working class as well. If cheap, exploitable and disposable labor are readily available the standards do not get better, they become worse for all of us.
They are using these ANTI-MIGRANT propaganda to build a negative image of migrants in the Korean society. There is an on-line group that organizes racist members and creates a hate campaign for the migrant workers. Their numbers are increasing and we can expect more violence to happen later on.
In July the government plans to attack the migrants with an intensive "Joint Crackdown" where it is mandatory for all institutions to report undocumented workers to the immigration. Police departments, the Labor offices, any government institution are required to report to the immigration any transactions or incidences where they encounter undocumented migrant workers. It is a scary thought to think that later on even hospitals, banks, home owners who rent out to migrant workers, stores, etc. will be compelled to report undocumented migrant workers to the immigration.
This is the reason why invite all the migrant community leaders to:
1. share the situations and the challenges in their community,
2. discuss problems of migrants and the laws and policies that brings about these problems.
3. find alternatives and solutions to the problems that we are facing,
4. strengthen cooperation between migrants regardless of nationality, language, religion, gender or visa status,
5. take appropriate actions, mobilizing and spreading information to our network.
We are the only ones who could effectively solve our problems. Our liberty and dignity should come first and foremost. None of us came here to become criminals, we came for the opportunity to live a decent and a dignified life. We are inviting all community leaders to form an International Community Coordinating Council on mid-june to create a venue where we could discuss our needs and collectively make a plan to protect and improve our conditions in South Korea. An exact date for our meeting is open for suggestions. Your prompt reply will be much appreciated. Please state if your community is interested to join the council.
*****
Everyone is invited!
MTU is calling on all migrant workers who are interested in learning the following skills:
●Guitar playing ●Media (Film, Documentary, Music Video, News, Photography, etc.)
●Acting or Performing ●Basic Computer Operation
●Korean Language (Uijeongbu, Seongsu, Dongdaemun, etc.)
We also offer Labor Education courses, Leadership Training, Counseling, Hobby/Sports activities. Please come to the MTU office for more details.
Location: KCTU Seoul Regional Council - Rm 202 Seoul Building, 78 Chungjeongno2ga, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul (120-021)
How to get there: Take Subway Line number 5, Seodaemun Station, Exit number 1(Tel: 02-2285-6068)
*****
The Migrants' Trade Union Street Campaigns
After the MTU General Assembly, the current leadership has focused on creating programs and activities for MTU. From organizing to cultural events, MTU has always been sensitive to the needs of the migrants in Korea. The leaders of MTU are also undergoing intensive education and training regarding union management, leadership roles, organizing and planning aside from Labor Law, EPS Law, Immigration Law, Industrial Accident Law and others. The leaders have also taken more responsibilities and role in the planning and decision making process for the union activities. We have taken efforts to promote our street campaign activities. In the meantime these campaigns are being done in Seoul and Ansan. We plan to expand our campaign to the Gyeonggi region and we have also encouraged migrant centers and migrant rights groups to support or conduct their own street campaign. The intention of the street campaign is to expose the common realities and situations of the migrant workers in Korea and how we will be able to change all the negative provisions in the policy if we worked together. These street campaign offers counseling, and street education regarding labor laws, EPS laws, immigration laws and other provisions relevant to the migrant workers. Distribution of flyers, migrant rights booklet, petition signing and registration for various education programs and activities are also conducted. The street campaign has no exact formula. It aims to learn the migrants situation directly, familiarize them to MTU and vice versa. Importantly, the street campaign may be a venue for organizing migrant workers.
*****
Migrant Women for Women formed in Korea
A meeting among the Nepali women was held in Migrants’Trade Union (MTU) office in Seodaemun. These Nepali women who are involved in different sectors in South Korea. There are migrant women with EPS visas like women in the agricultural sector, women with business visa and women who reached Korea after marrying a Korean man. Everyone actively participated in the meeting. These women find an extreme need of a secure place to live or stay in when they face problems. Some are fired from work or need to leave their factories. Others tried to escape domestic violence, while others for some other reasons. Taking this into consideration, women who realize the difficulties of the women's situation in Korea established the organization 'Migrant Women for Women'. Migrant Women for Women is a non-political organization and the working committee of the organization is recently reformed.
Myeong-dong, a famous district in downtown Seoul, isn't just composed of dozens of sparkling shopping centers and sky scrapers! There are also a few areas where you still can find some small and older houses, including a lot of cozy restaurants (like the Tibetan "Potala"), coffee shops, mom-and-pop stores etc...
Myeong-dong (sub-)district no. 3, located between Eulchi-ro and Myeong-dong Cathedral, is still such an area... But, possibly, not much longer! Because the entire territory is designed as "redevelopment" zone, where Daewoo Construction (mafia) will build for Kookmin Bank and IBK(기업은행) office blocks, i.e. new f*cking sky scrapers.
So, it means that the people who are living and/or working there were ordered to leave and the date was already for last month. But at least 42 people/tenants rejected eviction order and started two weeks ago a sit-in struggle to resist/fight against coming (forced!!) eviction.
Two days ago Michel, the MTU's chairperson, an Nepali migrant worker and me visited the sit-in center to express our solidarity with their struggle.
Yesterday afternoon I went there again to get more impressions of the area and here you can follow my tour, beginning in front of the Myeong-dong Sit-in Struggle 'Center'...
PS:
Possibly(?) it's needless to say, but the people there who are struggling for their right to exist, i.e. to earn some money to feed their families, need our SOLIDARITY!!!
Right now in Athens (GENERAL STRIKE in Greece!!):
Related articles:
☞ Greece hit by anti-austerity strike (Guardian, 6.15)
☞ Greek PM offers to quit amid protests (Al-Jazeera, 6.15)
☞ June 15th: General strike live updates (Contra Info, 6.15)
덧글 목록
관리 메뉴
본문
삼가 고인의 명복을 빕니다.부가 정보
관리 메뉴
본문
명복을 빕니다...부가 정보
관리 메뉴
본문
이런......고인의 명복을 빕니다.부가 정보