Contributed by Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna, Assistant Director, with photos by Satha Selvan, Senior Administrative Assistant, Practitioners Affairs Division
The Bar Council Migrants, Refugees and Immigration Affairs Committee (“MRIAC”), in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (“ILO”) GMS TRIANGLE project and Malaysian Trades Union Congress, hosted about 20 civil society organisations and trade union representatives from Myanmar and Malaysia, for the Cross–Country Civil Society Coordination and Referrals Planning Meeting. The meeting was held at Bar Council on 26 Aug 2014.
M Ramachelvam, Chairperson of MRIAC, presented the welcoming address and briefed the attendees on the advocacy work done by Bar Council and MRIAC in relation to migrant workers. Jacqueline Pollock of ILO spoke on the ILO project in Malaysia.
Much of the discussions centred on issues faced by Myanmar migrant workers in Malaysia as well as Myanmar returnee migrants. The attendees highlighted the abuses and exploitations that Myanmar migrant workers faced during their migration and in Malaysia. They also discussed cases involving exploitation by recruitment agencies, brokers and employers, and the difficulties in obtaining compensations from the relevant parties and when settling disputes. More importantly, the assistance provided to these workers and also the various methods used to settle the cases were shared among the attendees.
At the end of the meeting, the attendees agreed to form networks across borders, and to work together to enhance the protection of Myanmar migrant workers in Malaysia.