The Massive Crackdown in Masok on Nov 12
by-MWTV
A massive crackdown against undocumented migrant workers took place in Masok on November 12th from 9:30AM to 11:30AM. The number of the people who got caught by the immigration is 110 workers (38 from the Philippines, 39 from Bangladesh, and 4 from Nepal), according to the current estimate from the local organization.
The Ministry of Justice said that this crackdown was a co-operation between the Prosecutor's Office and the Police force, with 100 police officers, and immigration officers from Seoul, Eujeongbu, and Incheon Airport.
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The crackdown began with the block-down of the front and the back gate of Masok factory complex, and the immigration officers grabbed migrant workers on the street, in the factories, in the dormitories and homes. The immigration and police officers chased migrant workers without presenting proper identification, broken down locked doors of factories and personal homes, arrested and handcuffed many even without requesting to see their passports or visas. They cursed at Korean factory owners and local citizens who challenged this unlawful crackdown, and physically stopped a staffmember of the Shalom House, a local migrant support center, who tried to film the crackdown.
During this violent crackdown, seven workers have been identified to be injured, two among which needing serious operations. One migrant worker was injured his knees and foot while running away from the immigration, but was locked in the immigration office without treatment despite several pleas of pains and medical needs.
Among those who were taken by the immigration include a young Bangladesh mother of a four-year-old, and a Nepalese male worker who is in de facto marriage with a Korean woman, awaiting official documentations sent from Nepal. The immigration officers did not release this Nepalese worker, when the Korean mother pleaded in front of the immigration van, crying with their 11-month-old baby.
This crackdown in Masok is significant this was the beginning of proposed series of crackdowns against undocumented migrant workers. The Ministry of Justice said that they would continue this massive co-operation two or three more times by the end of this year.
Also, the two places of crackdown on Nov 12th, Masok Factory Complex and Chongsan Farms are particularly chosen because of previous histories of resistance to immigration crackdowns, according to the Ministry of Justice.
In the afternoon of the November 12th, many migrant advocacy organizations in Korea, including the Shalom House of Namyangju, Joint Committee with Migrants in Korea (JCMK) and Migrant Trade Union (MTU) gathered together in Masok for immediate response, and held a press conference in front of the National Human Rights Commission at 4:30PM.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The Massive Crackdown in Masok on Nov 12
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