Migrants who have been trafficked are treated here as immigration offenders, rather than persons who have been victims of scams and exploitation.
WE WOULD like to commend The Straits Times for documenting the lives of 'overstayers' ('Broken dreams, tough lives for overstayers'; Aug 2). Mr Teh Joo Lin's article has given readers a peek into the thoughts and perspectives of undocumented migrants in Singapore, whose experiences are often kept out of public and mainstream consciousness.
We use the term 'undocumented' rather than 'illegal' because we believe that a person's immigration status should not be a criminal offence.
Over the years, the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics has met many workers who have been deceived and exploited by unscrupulous agents. After paying hefty recruitment fees, many found that the jobs promised to them were either non-existent or 'illegal'. They are easily exploited because employers are aware that undocumented migrants fear being arrested and deported.
Securing a decent place to live is another challenge since it is an offence to harbour undocumented migrants in Singapore. As a result, most of them have to endure squalid living conditions. Many are also reluctant to visit a doctor or go to a hospital when they are sick or injured at work because they are afraid of being caught.
Migrants who have been trafficked are treated here as immigration offenders, rather than persons who have been victims of scams and exploitation. There is also a mandatory caning sentence if they are caught.
We need to ask ourselves if it is right to impose such a degrading and tortuous form of punishment on poor economic migrants who have been tricked by recruitment agents. We need to strengthen our laws to prosecute human traffickers and provide better protection for trafficked persons.
Jolovan Wham
Executive Director
Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (Home)
Sources and Relevant Links:
Straits Times Prosecute human traffickers and protect scam victims 10 Aug 2010
Straits Times Broken dreams, tough life for overstayers 2 August 2010
