Shan migrant workers: We won’t accept junta issued passports

^{By Hseng Khio Fah
17 November 2008}

“No one in our group will go to apply for passport documents. Because they are afraid the authorities will not do as they say. Then many workers are worried the authorities will use our information to prosecute our families,” said Sai Hawm Khurh.

“They [authorities] tried to issue IDs once in 2006, but we haven’t seen any results,” he added.

The Burma will offer one-year work-permit papers for Burmese migrants workers to work legally in Thailand, according to an official source from Nay Pyi Taw.

The authorities will start issuing the new nationality identification or ‘passport documents’ in coming month, December. And the passports registration offices would be opened along the Thai-Burma border at Myawaddy, Tachilek and Kawthawng, said the source.

However, no information has reached the people yet, said a worker in Tachilek.

A Burmese migrant worker who wants to apply for a new passport document has to give his/her background information, ID card, and a recommendation letter from his/her boss or business owner.

On the other hand, the Department of Employment (DOE) in Thailand also demanded that employers that hiring migrant workers from Lao PDR and Myanmar submit evidence for national verification, according to a document received by Chiangmai based Migrant Assistance Program (MAP).

On 5 September, the DOE opened national verification process for migrant workers from Lao PDR and Myanmar, issuing passports and work permits for those who passed national verification from 1 September 2008 to 28 February 2009, according to a report from DOE.

“The Department has discussed and agreed with Lao PDR and Myanmar on national verification, issuing passport, visa and work permit for workers from both countries,” said Mr. Pairote Suksamrit, Director General of DOE.

The report said, Burmese migrant workers can collect the form for submitting the national verification request at provincial Employment Offices with photos and the print of left finger and send to Migrant Worker Importation Regulation Division to collect and send to Myanmar government through diplomatic channel for each migrant worker to travel to Myanmar National Verification Center at Tachilek, Myawaddy, and Kawthawng at the Thai-Burma border.

In 2006, Thailand and Burma agreed to set up nationality identification centers for Burmese migrant workers.  However, the two countries failed to successfully implement the agreement.