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News -
Migrants
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Written by IMA Europe Section
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Monday, 07 May 2012 16:47 |
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“Strengthen our ranks and struggle”, with these words echoing, more than 100 migrants and refugees representing mass organizations from several European countries gathered to convene the founding assembly of the Europe section of the International Migrants Alliance (IMA) in Rome, Italy last April 29. The migrants and refugees at the IMA Europe launching came from the Philippines, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Nigeria, Senegal, Romania, Ukraine, Albania, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Tunisia.
With the theme, “Strengthen the unity of migrants to advance the struggle for rights and welfare in the midst of the worsening economic crisis, deportations and the criminalization of migrants in Europe”, the delegates militantly vowed to raise to a higher level their organized strength, voice and visibility, including their advocates in Europe, according to Grace Punongbayan of Migrante Europe, a member of the IMA International Coordinating Body, and one of the convenors of the IMA Europe founding assembly.
The IMA is a broad anti-imperialist alliance which defends and promotes the rights of migrants, immigrants and refugees in all parts of the globe. It has a membership of 108 organizations of various nationalities in 25 countries and was founded in June 2008 in Hong Kong. Since then, it has spearheaded various international campaigns advancing migrant and refugee rights and welfare, and the convening of the International Assembly of Migrants and Refugees (IAMR), in Manila in 2008, in Athens in 2009, and in Mexico in 2010, as counter to the government-led Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD).
The migrants and refugees, who assembled at the Casa per Ferie Sacro Cuore in the Italian capital, unfurled a mural crafted by a young Filipino refugee in the Netherlands, offered candles, flowers and a one-minute silence for migrants and refugees who died in detention, deportation and on the borders of Europe. There are now 14,000 recorded deaths of people trying to cross Europe's borders, particularly those crossing the Mediterranean Sea into Europe, according to the Amsterdam-based anti-racist group United for Inter-cultural Action. In 2011 alone, there were 1,500 deaths.
“We are holding this assembly to fight for justice – against the anti-migrant policies of the US and EU governments, we fight for justice for the working people, the unemployed, the pensioners and the poor. In our home countries, we fight for a social system that creates jobs, where family members are not forced to migrate and look for work abroad as a means of survival. In so doing, we fight for a world where there are jobs for the jobless, homes for the homeless, food for the hungry, and justice for all,” stressed Punongbayan in her keynote speech to the assembly.
The whole-day assembly was highlighted by animated and passionate discussions on the general situation of migrants and refugees in Europe, which is host to some 72.6 million migrants, and the particular situation in several European countries such as Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Belgium and Germany.
The delegates talked about their exploitation, threats of expulsion, loss of jobs, the denial of their right to access social services, the isolation of refugees in camps and asylum centers denying them social contact with the local people, denial of their right to free movement, deportations, tragic deaths of relatives, co-migrants and refugees,missing loved ones, the imperialist-instigated wars they suffered from, and racism and discrimination.
The delegates adopted the IMA constitution, bases of unity, general program of action, and resolved - to break the silence on the inhuman treatment of refugees, particularly in Germany; to call on the Italian state to locate Karim Mbarki, a missing son of Tunisian parents, while attempting to seek safe refuge in Italy; to call for democratic reforms in Ukraine; and, to actively engage other migrants and advocates during the upcoming Alternative Forum being organized by the IMA parallel to the World Social Forum on Migration to be held in Manila in November this year.
The delegates also vowed to launch this year a vigorous campaign against the European Union “Return Directive” that seeks to criminalize some 12 million undocumented migrant workers in Europe and deport them back to their home countries.
To lead the IMA Europe is a 7-person committee that will ensure that the program of the alliance adopted at the assembly is advanced, and that this international movement of migrants and refugees reaches out to more migrants across the continent.
The IMA Europe committee is composed of the following: Luz Miriam Jaramillo (Colombia) of Comitato Immigrati-Italy, chairperson; Teddy Dalisay (Philippines) of Umangat Migrante-Rome, vice chairperson; Grace Punongbayan (Philippines) of Migrante Europe-Netherlands, secretary general; Manuel Sarmiento (Philippines) of Migrante-Austria, treasurer; Bye Uba (Senegal) of DIOUF-Milan, member; Marcia Quizpi (Ecuador) of Frente Unido de Inmigrantes en Espana-Spain, member; and, Osaren Igbinoba (Nigeria) of the Voice Refugee Forum- Germany, member.
The convenors of the IMA Europe section include, Luz Miriam Jaramillo of the COMITATO Italy, Teddy Dalisay of UMANGAT Migrante Rome, and Grace Punongbayan of MIGRANTE Europe.###
For reference:
MIGRANTE Europe (IMA Europe section secretariat)
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Emails:
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This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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News -
Solidarity
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Written by MIGRANTE Europe
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Thursday, 12 April 2012 17:25 |
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Let us raise our own voices, issues
and strengthen our solidarity in Europe
You are cordially invited to the Launching of the International Migrants' Alliance (IMA) Europe Section in Rome, Italy
(Venue: Casa Tra Noi, Via di Monte di Gallo 113, Rome) on 29 April 2012 (Time: 8am - 6pm)
Theme: “Strengthen the unity of migrants to advance the struggle for rights and welfare in the midst of the worsening economic crisis and the criminalization of migrants in Europe”
We shall organize and expand our ranks, our advocates and friends, and we shall define our issues, campaigns and mobilizations!
We shall confront issues concerning our rights and welfare and we shall act decisively to stop the criminalization and deportation
of the undocumented among our ranks!
Preparatory Committee Members
Europe-based members of the IMA International Coordinating Board - Grace Punongbayan (Migrante-Europe), Teddy Dalisay (Umangat-Migrante Rome), Luz Miriam Jaramillo and Edgar Galiano (COMITATO Italy)
Founding Assembly Hosts: COMITATO Italy and Umangat-MIGRANTE Rome
For further information, please contact:
MIGRANTE Europe (Secretariat)
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Postbus 15687, 1001 ND Amsterdam
Emails:
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This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tel. +31 633056411 Website: www.ima-europe.org
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News -
Migrants
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Written by Matikas Santos, Inquirer.net
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Thursday, 12 April 2012 17:11 |
 MANILA, Philippines—A doomed Filipino worker who tirelessly campaigned on Facebook for his freedom will soon walk out of Saudi Arabia prison as a free man, a migrant campaign group announced on Thursday.
Rogelio “Dondon” Lanuza, who was on death row and spent more than 11 years in Dammam Jail for killing a Saudi national who tried to sexually abuse him, will be freed after the aggrieved family accepted the blood money, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona said.
“At last, my ordeal comes to an end,” Lanuza said in a statement released by Migrante-Middle East.
“I have been in this dire situation for the past few years and the flame of hope was about to be extinguished, yet people from all walks of life have encouraged me to continue my plight, and for that I am truly grateful,” Lanuza said.
Monterona said the “formal blood money acceptance of the aggrieved family” spared Lanuza’s life. His death sentence by beheading was confirmed by Saudi’s highest court in 2001.
A reconciliation team led by former Ambassador Antonio Villamor was successful “in convincing the aggrieved family to formally accept the blood money offered by Lanuza’s party,” the statement said.
The money was raised through the online campaign “Barya Mo, Buhay Ko” on the social networking site Facebook where Lanuza has at least four full fan pages.
Filipino-American philanthropist Loida Nicolas Lewis also actively raised funds and campaigned for his release.
“Ma’am Loida Nicolas Lewis has proven to be the final catalyst for my case to lift off to its realization. She, being a model of sincerity a God fearing woman and the epitome of a Filipina for a just cause was the moving hand towards my appeal to influential and common people alike to push my case forward. I am forever indebted to you and pray that your tribe increase,” said Lanuza.
Lanuza said that the influence of social networks helped make his “predicament known to countless countrymen from abroad and [in] the Philippines.”
“I am so blessed and humbled to those faceless men and women who have contributed financially for my cause including the Filipino Community Groups and our unsung Household Workers who did not blink to shell off their hard earned money to help me out,” Lanuza said.
Lanuza also thanked the media “who have followed my case ever so faithfully” to keep the issue in the public sphere.
“Being behind bars has opened my eyes to how much freedom can be so delicate that taking things for granted in the future is no longer an option for me,” Lanuza said.
“I am forever in the debts of such fine and noble people and the Filipino community for helping me realize my dream to finally be with my family and to become fruitful once again to the society,” he said.
Lanuza argued during the trial he killed the Arab man as an act of self defense. The incident occurred in August 10, 2000, when Lanuza and his friends came back to the house of their Arab host after partying.
“I was defending my dignity,” said Lanuza.
In an unanswered letter of appeal to President Benigno Aquino on October 8, 2010, Lanuza said that he “was charged with and convicted for the killing of a Saudi national, who attempted to sexually abuse his person.”
Migrante-ME called on the Philippine government to also help save other Filipinos on a death row in the Middle East.
“There are about eight OFWs languishing in various jails in the Middle East, six of them were sentenced to death, four are facing possible death sentence upon conviction on various criminal offenses,” Montenora said.(12 April 2012)
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News -
Homefront
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Written by Reynaldo Santos, Jr., newsbreak.com.ph
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Monday, 09 April 2012 20:51 |
Total population of Philippines in 2010 was 92.34 million, according to census agency. This translates to an average 1.9% annual growth in 2000-2010, slower than the 2.43% annual pace in 1990-2000. Background photo from AFPSLOWER GROWTH? Total population of Philippines in 2010 was 92.34 million, according to census agency. This translates to an average 1.9% annual growth in 2000-2010, slower than the 2.43% annual pace in 1990-2000.
MANILA, Philippines - The results of the 2010 census is finally out. And the official population tally is: 92.34 million.
The National Statistics Office (NSO) has revealed that the official population of the Philippines as of May 2010 has reached 92,337,852.
This tally accounts for all Filipinos residing in the Philippines from May to June 2010, as well as 2,739 Filipinos in embassies, consulates, and missions abroad.
Here are the general highlights of the 2010 population count:
The 2010 population is higher by 3.77 million compared to the 88.57 million population in 2007, the year when the census last took place.
Previously, the NSO forecasted that the 2010 population would reach 94.01 million.
NSO claims that the population increased at the rate of about 1.90% annually from 2000 to 2010. The population in 2010 was 76.51 million.
Surprisingly, the pace of population growth in the previous decade is lower than the 2.34% rate of population increase recorded from 1990 to 2000.
"This means that there were two persons added per year for every 100 persons in the population," the agency said.
'Millionaire' areas
About one-third of the 2010 population (or 37.47%) came from 3 regions alone:
Region 4A (CALABARZON) - 12.61 million
National Capital Region (NCR) - 11.86 million
Region 3 (Central Luzon) - 10.14 million
The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) registered the lowest population among all regions, with 1.62 million.
Among the provinces, Cavite registered the largest population, with 3.09 million--the only province that surpassed the 3 million mark.
Provinces that has more than 2 million population are:
Bulacan - 2.92 million
Pangasinan - 2.78 million
Laguna - 2.67 million
Cebu (excluding Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Mandaue City) - 2.62 million
Rizal - 2.48 million
Negros Occidental (excluding Bacolod City) - 2.40 million
Pampanga - (excluding Angeles City) 2.01 million
Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal comprise CALABARZON, the most populous region, along with Batangas and Quezon.
Meanwhile, among the 33 highly urbanized cities, 4 surpassed the one million mark:
Quezon City - 2.76 million
City of Manila - 1.65 million
Caloocan City - 1.49 million
Davao City - 1.45 million
The 3 most populous cities are among the 16 cities of NCR. Davao City is in Mindanao.
About 82,000 fieldworkers were deployed during the 2010 nationwide census, which began May 17 and lasted for 23 days. Majority of those fieldworkers were public school teachers.
The census was originally set to begin on May 1, but the automated elections of the same year has forced NSO to delay it to May 17.
The census results were made official after president Benigno Aquino III signed Proclamation No. 362 on March 30, Friday. (8 April 2012)
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Views -
Statements
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Written by IMA
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Saturday, 31 March 2012 15:37 |
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Press Statement, March 30, 2012 - For leaving 72 Libyan refugees to die at sea
 The International Migrants Alliance (IMA), a global alliance of grassroots migrant organizations and their allied and support groups, condemn in the strongest terms the criminal abandonment by the NATO naval forces and other Western coast guards of 72 Libyan refugees adrift on a boat in the Mediterranean Sea.
According to a Council of Europe inquiry, around 5pm (GMT) of March 27 2011, a distress call was sent via satellite phone alerting coast guards about 72 Libyan refugees who left Tripoli early morning of the same day and were at that time drifting at the Mediterranean. While a helicopter was reportedly sent to drop food supplies to the refugees, not one ship or any other rescue mission was reportedly made. On April 2, on its seventh day in sea, people have started to die, and on April 10, the boat with only 11 people left eventually landed in Zitlan, Libya. Two out of the 11 died shortly after.
Although the area by which the boat was located is within the military zone controlled by NATO, and despite the fact that it had prior knowledge of the refugees’ condition, no rescue operation was carried out.
This 15-day Mediterranean ordeal of the 72 Libyan refugees could have been resolved if only the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces and Western coast guards units in the area were quick to respond, assist and rescue them. There were several occasions and opportunities in which assistance, attention and rescue could have been given yet apparently none were taken.
It is deplorable for such a strong institution like the NATO to abandon any possible support or assistance that can be easily extended to people in need like the 72 Libyan refugees. It is understandable that people will try to flee Libya, a country stricken with political and military conflict, and the likes of NATO and many governments in Europe should be aware of this reality and plan sufficient assistance measures.
This incident also begs the questions on the real objectives of NATO in intervening militarily in Libya and against Qaddafi. If the intent was really to “protect civilians” from human right violation by the Libyan armed forces, then why were the 72 drifting Libyan civilians needing rescue abandoned by NATO to their own terrible fate? And if the UN and NATO were so sincere about the civilian costs of war, then why were they not ready for the predictable influx of political refugees on their shores? What has happened speaks volumes on the hypocrisy of UN-backed “humanitarian missions,” which are often used as convenient smokescreens for US and NATO to make imperialist incursions in Third World countries.
Anyone in distress at sea, regardless of their race or status, should be given immediate attention. The IMA welcomes the resolution calling on European nations to take responsibility when states like Libya refuse or is unable to conduct actions like search and rescue.
According to a Europe-based human rights watchdog, 1,500 people died at sea trying to reach Europe in 2011.
For reference:
Eni Lestari, chairperson
(852) 9608 1475
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News -
Migrants
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Written by GMANews Online
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Wednesday, 29 February 2012 18:00 |
An official of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said an estimated nine million Filipino children "lose" one or both parents to migration as their parents choose to leave the Philippines to find better work abroad.
In an interview with GMA News Online on Tuesday, UNICEF Deputy Representative Abdul Alim said the issue must be seen “in balance” because overseas work does enable parents to provide well for their children.
“At any given time, [having one or both parents overseas] is not a very healthy situation for a child. But of course, the family has its [needs and] concerns and you know it’s going to be difficult for children to go to school if the parents are not earning,” he said at the sidelines of the launch of UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children 2012 report.
Alim, however, added that “from the UNICEF’s perspective, it is important for both parents to be around the child, to make sure that the child gets the best circumstances to grow up in.”
He also said the government “should think about how to support” OFW families through programs like day-care facilities and special social workers “for those who do not have their parents, especially their mothers, at home.”
“The mother is the first focus of attention, so I would think that if the mother is away, it’s going to be very difficult for a child,” he said.
Migration’s effects on children
Focusing on various conditions of children in the urban environment, this year’s State of the World’s Children report highlighted migration as one of the emerging challenges, saying that kids are affected by this in different ways such as relocation and documentation dilemmas.
It said children of migrant workers who are also in the host countries may find it difficult to live there, especially if their parents are undocumented.
“Migrants, especially those without documents, may be denied public services, social protection, and even emergency health care,” it said. “Rather than making such essentials as schooling available to migrant families, these requirements often have the effect of denying such services to those not registered, especially where the process or cost of registration is prohibitive.”
It added: “Children born to migrant parents may end up stateless and unable to enjoy the rights of citizenship.”
‘Having been abandoned’
However, the OFW families’ situation show another side of this challenge, where children are “affected” by migration “even when they do not move.”
A separate situation analysis presented by the UNICEF in 2010 listed children of Filipino migrant workers as those who are “without or at risk of losing parental care,” saying that they “regard themselves as having been abandoned by their parents,” which make many of them “resentful.”
“Parents seek to compensate their absence through impersonal information and communication technologies, leaving emotional bonds affected,” it said. “Furthermore, parents miss out on the formation and development of their growing children’s values which affect their social behavior.”
The analysis also noted the problems faced by these children, including:
the difficulty adjusting to the absence of a mother after establishing an affection for her (applicable especially for kids aged six to 16 years old);
poor social adjustment;
impeded psychological development;
lack of motivation among children, resulting in poor performance or dropping out of schools; and
increased vulnerability to drugs and substance abuse.
“Oftentimes, money sent by the parents is insufficient, especially for larger households, and does not necessarily improve the wellbeing of the family,” the analysis read, adding that many of OFW children are fixed on following their parents’ footsteps “without sufficiently investing in their own capacities and competencies.”
The State of the World’s Children report, however, cited a 1998 study of primary school children of Filipino migrants, saying that “with sufficient care from the extended family, migration on the part of parents need not prove detrimental to child development.” - VVP, GMA News (ROSE-AN JESSICA DIOQUINO, GMA News February 29, 2012) |
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