Alliance slams admin stand on Rohingya

A global alliance of progressive organizations composed of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families yesterday criticized the Duterte administration for voting against a United Nations General Assembly committee draft resolution calling on Myanmar authorities to end a military campaign against Rohingya Muslims in the nation’s Rakhine state.

Migrante International said the negative vote indicated President Duterte’s stance on human rights and social justice and his cold-blooded prejudice against the poor and oppressed.

“The Rohingya crisis is not just an issue of border security or trafficking. It has turned into a humanitarian crisis that the UN and the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) should resolve immediately in the most humane and compassionate way. It has become a concern of all freedom-loving peoples and the responsibility of all states around the world,” Migrante said in a statement.

Migrante also expressed concern over news reports of migrant detention camps and mass graves uncovered along the Thailand-Malaysia border.

The group expressed its support for refugees and asylum-seekers as well as migrants, particularly Filipino workers.

Migrante urged Filipino workers abroad to oppose imposed borders and merciless immigration and refugee policies that trample on the fundamental rights of refugees and migrants of the world.