Burma

Burmese Official Urges Migrants in Mahachai to Register

By SAW YAN NAING Saturday, February 27, 2010

COMMENTS (4)

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BANGKOK — Burmese Home Minister Maung Oo told Burmese migrant workers in Thailand today that they should register under the Nationality Verification program and apply for temporary passports so they can remain in the country legally.

Speaking in Mahachai, home to the largest Burmese migrant community in Thailand, Maung Oo said the Nationality Verification program, set up under an agreement between the Thai and Burmese governments, was safe.

Many Burmese migrant workers have expressed concern about providing personal information to the Burmese authorities as part of the registration process.

These concerns are unfounded, said Maung Oo, who also met with the Thai labor minister and other Labor Ministry officials, according to sources.

Sein Htay, a Burmese migrant worker living in Mahachai, said that Maung Oo visited the area, near the Thai capital Bangkok, around 9 am. While there, he urged migrants to register in Kawthaung, near the Thai border town of Ranong, by April.

Maung Oo said that Burma will expand the registration program so that up to 1,000 people can register per day at each of three registration centers on the Thai-Burmese border—Myawaddy, Tachilek and Kawthaung.

Andy Hall, director of the Migrant Justice Program for the Bangkok-based Human Rights and Development Foundation, said: “If it is true that [Maung Oo] visited to assure migrant workers that Nationality Verification is safe, this is not the way ahead.

“Many migrant workers fear and distrust the Burmese government. This may only scare them more,” said Hall.

COMMENTS (4)

George Than Setkyar Heine Wrote:

28/02/2010

In case Maung Oo thinks he can get the better of his countrymen working and making their ends meet in Thailand to register and reveal their background, he should get his head checked first.

Everybody knows it is a ploy only to find out who is where and doing what in addition to their family backgrounds no less.
This is an archaic ploy as old as his age, lest Maung Oo forgets.

These people have their own NRC's like all in Burma and that should be proof of their nationality and identity. They need no further than that to reveal to foreigners also.

Of course some people do not even have an ID to prove their origin nor identity.
In these cases, Maung Oo should help them accordingly and facilitate in getting their NRC's as required.

There are many among the migrant workers who left the country to survive and continue their role - topple military rule in Burma - while working for their living as well.
This is Maung Oo's primary objective to find and flush them out in the first place.

westfroniter Wrote:

28/02/2010

Sure, this will only scare them more, definitely!

Myanmar Patriot 4 UMPF Wrote:

28/02/2010

We like to see many Burmese workers in Germany. Burmese government must actively educate the people in European languages and culture so that they can fit in with dignity in the host countries when they come and work there. Our claimant in exile to the throne of Burma Shwebomin II can facilitate such innovative ideas. In view of the aging populations in Europe,actively Burmese workers can contribute there to mutual benefit; however, measures must be taken to protect the workers. SPDC must await Shwebomin's commands.

Zam Mang Wrote:

28/02/2010

None of the Burmese generals' business. Is it what they can do best for them? What a shame. The generals need to think about why these people are in Thailand. Many Burmese people are ashamed of their government because the government is no more than a drug gang.