Brutal treatment by Malaysia and the Macapagal-Arroyo regime
Malaca�ang defends the Malaysian government even as thousands of Filipinos are being expelled from Sabah like animals
The Malaysian embassy has been pelted with protests and criticism ever since the unjust and brutal expulsion of Filipinos and other "illegal residents" from Sabah was bared before the public. Malaysian authorities unabashedly violated the human rights of Filipinos living there as well as International Humanitarian Law.
The indiscriminate herding of thousands of Filipino migrant workers into ships and cramped detention centers without adequate food and water is comparable to the fascist Nazis' treatment of the Jews during Hitler's time. No provisions were made for children and the elderly. Worse, they suffered severe brutality at the hands of Malaysian police and immigration officials. Some of them were physically abused by the police for fun.
As a result, up to 18 infants and children have died due to heat exhaustion, dehydration and malnutrition inside the detention centers and ships used to expel them to the Philippines. Five elderly folk have also died while some women have lost their minds while in detention.
The Macapagal-Arroyo regime has been utterly inutile in the face of all this. It has failed to make the proper arrangements to absorb the migrant Filipinos despite the fact that Malaysia had informed the Philippines as early as January about its deportation plans.
Instead of defending the rights of Filipino deportees, it defends their inhumane treatment by Malaysian authorities, saying that Malaysia was merely implementing its own laws and there was nothing the Philippines could do about it.
To cover up her own inutility, Macapagal-Arroyo even tried to exploit the pitiable situation of the Filipino deportees to protray herself as a "compassionate" person. She personally went to the Tawi-tawi port where Filipinos were barred from disembarking immediately to provide Macapagal-Arroyo with a photo opportunity with the deportees. For this reason, authorities delayed providing the immediate attention needed by several children who were sick and starving.
Even reactionary politicians could not help but condemn Malaysia's moves and the Macapagal-Arroyo regime's inutility. Vice President Teofisto Guingona and Jaime Cardinal Sin both called Malaysia's deportation policy as "genocide". Migrante International and Kilusang Mayo Uno picketed in front of the Malaysian embassy.
The deportation policy came about when Malaysia amended its laws on illegal migrants. The new law was passed in April and took effect on August 1. Since February, up to 64,000 undocumented Filipinos have been expelled from Malaysia. An estimated 30,000 more are being held in detention centers.
Clampdowns on migrants are commonly resorted to in various countries during times of intense crisis. In pinning the blame on migrants, the ruling classes are able to deflect the people's attention from the real roots of the crisis into which their respective societies have slumped.
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