URGENT! Please support and sign!

URGENT! Please support and sign!

 

 

Dear friends,

Warm greetings!

Please sign and support our call to the Saudi Arabia government to desist from launching more crackdowns and instead grant general amnesty to all migrant workers in Saudi Arabia.

Here is the link to the online petition which we hope you will sign. 

https://www.change.org/petitions/the-government-of-the-kingdom-of-saudi-arabia-grant-general-amnesty-to-all-undocumented-migrants?utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition

We shall also be circulating the full text of the petition which we also hope that your organization can also support. (FULL TEXT BELOW)

We look forward to hearing from all of you. Thank you very much!

In solidarity,

Ramon Bultron
Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM)

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Petition to stop the crackdown on undocumented migrants in Saudi Arabia

We, human rights and migrants’ rights advocates, service providers, peace-loving individuals and members of the international community express our concern for the rights, welfare and dignity of migrants being greatly affected by the recent intensifying state-instigated crackdowns in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

The KSA government recently launched a targeted campaign to “drive out” undocumented workers. The move came as part of the Saudization or Nitaqat program. Established in 2011, Nitaqat sets targets for Saudi companies to reach in regards to the employment of Saudi nationals over foreigners and provides those companies with a ranking.
Highly restrictive visa policies in the KSA led to the development of “black market” for visas, and situations where people were hired for one job while actually performing another. The Ministry of Labor claims that the crackdown serves to regulate these undocumented persons. However, it has resulted in terrorization, unjustified detention, and a general violation of human rights.   

While we respect the desire of the KSA government to nationalize the labor force, the government should do so in a way that upholds and respects the rights of all migrant workers.  

Migrant workers are vital to the economic development of KSA, and the government should acknowledge their contribution to the health of the economy. About 8 million migrant workers reside in the Kingdom working primarily in the construction and domestic work sectors. An estimated one million of these workers are undocumented.

King Abdullah announced a reprieve to the crackdown earlier this week, but only after about 200,000 people were deported in the past three months. The reprieve will last for three months and allow undocumented workers to “rectify their situation,” according to a press relates by the state new agency.

We call on the government of the KSA to announce a policy of general amnesty for all undocumented workers in the Kingdom. Additionally, it should immediately stop all harassment, intimidation, and violence directed towards migrant workers, which amounts to a policy of sanctioned abuse.

The KSA government should also closely examine all policies relating to migrant workers and address the underlying causes, which lead to undocumented workers. It should begin by ratifying the UN Convention on the Protection of Migrant Workers and Members of their Families and eliminating the Kafala system.

We also call on sending governments to ensure the protection of their own nationals living and working in the KSA by providing immediate financial assistance to stranded nationals. These governments should pressure the KSA government to respect and uphold the provisions of international conventions that protect the human rights of migrant workers. Further, sending governments should review any bilateral or multi-lateral agreements with the KSA to ensure the implementation of clauses safeguarding human rights.

Further, we call on international institutions such as the International Labour Organisation, the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, especially the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants, to pressure the KSA government to enact a policy of general amnesty and encourage the creation of humane and just migration policies.

Finally, we call on the international community, migrant rights advocates and human rights organizations inside and outside Saudi Arabia to launch campaigns to support our call for general amnesty. We ask that CSO’s inside the KSA to reach out to and help migrant workers in need.


Uphold and respect the rights, lives and dignity of migrant workers!

 

Signed – 

Name / Country / Name of organization

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Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM)Office Address: G/F, No.2 Jordan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR

Tel. no.: (852) 2723-7536     
Fax no.: (852) 2735-4559
General E-mail:  apmm@hknet.com

Other Email Addresses:
Managing Director :             rbultron@gmail.com
Marriage Migrants Program :  ammoresect08@gmail.com

Faith Communities Witnessing with Migrants: pastorjoram@ymail.com

Research and Publication:  publications@apmigrants.org / ahc@hknet.com
FDWs & Women's Program: women@apmigrants.org / janetcarnay@yahoo.com

Undocumented Migrants: reyasis@gmail.com

Migrants Trade Unionism: jnatividad70@gmail.com

 

WEBSITE: www.apmigrants.org

"We dream of a society where families are not broken up by the urgent need for survival. We dream and will actively work for a homeland where there is opportunity for everyone to live a decent and humane life."