International Days of Action for Migrant Workers' Rights

At 4:00 am on February 11, 2007 a fire swept through the locked cells of the detention center at the Yeosu Immigration Controls Office in South Korea. Neither the alarm system nor the sprinklers operated when the fire broke out. The detention center staff tried but failed to put out the flames using portable fire extinguishers. Even so, they did not unlock cells to free the detainees. The detainees were forced to breathe in toxic fumes emitted from burning mattresses. These fumes were the cause of most of the deaths and injuries.

One year after this incident :: Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), :: Seoul-Gyeonggi-Incheon Migrants' Trade Union (MTU) and People's Solidarity for Social Progress called for actions in Commemoration of the Yeosu Detention Center Fire Deaths from February 11 to February 24, 2008:

Remembering Yeosu

Stop the crackdown and deportations! Legalize all undocumented migrant workers!
Stop the repression against MTU and migrant workers' organizing!
Stop the worsening of immigration law!

A year ago February 11th a tragic fire broke out at the Yeosu Foreigners' Detention Center in South Korea, killing ten migrant workers and wounding dozens more. This event was a direct result of the South Korean governments' policy of crackdown and deportation of undocumented migrant workers and the poor conditions in detention centers.

A year later nothing has changed and repression against migrant workers and migrant workers' organizing continues. The government has carried out a severe attack against the Migrants' Trade Union, a union built by and for migrant workers, arresting and deporting its leadership in a targeted crackdown at the end of last year. It is also attempting to revise South Korean immigration law to make it legal to enter buildings without warrants during immigration raids and stop anyone on the street 'suspected of being an undocumented migrant."

Fighting Back

From February 11 to February 24, MTU and other migrant workers', human rights and social movement organizations in South Korea will hold events commemorate the tragic Yeosu Detention Center fire deaths from February 11 to February 24. These events will culminate in a nation-wide rally on February 24 demanding:

• Stop the crackdown and deportations! Legalize all undocumented migrant workers!
• Stop the repression against MTU and migrant workers' organizing!
• Stop the worsening of immigration law!

International Days of Action

At the same time solidarity protests will be held in front of South Korean consulates, embassies and other symbolic sites in other countries calling for an end to repression against migrant workers and migrant workers' organizing in South Korea and around the world. We ask you to participate by organizing an action in your area.

Action Suggestions

• Actions can be organized any time around February 24 (a Sunday to allow for greatest migrant worker participation in South Korea).
• Actions can take place in front of South Korean consulates and embassies, local immigration officers or any place the gets public attention depending on focus.
• Actions may include delivering a statement with the above demands to consulate and embassy representatives.
• Actions may include the above demands and demands related to local immigrant/migrant worker struggles.

Source :: europe-solidaire.org