for the president, minister of justice and minister of labor
Dear ----
I am writing to you with a deep sense of moral
indignation in regard to South Korea's treatment of
migrant workers and in solidarity with the ETU-MB
(Equality Trade Union, Migrant's branch). I believe
that the ETU-MB is doing extremely commendable,
important, and ground breaking work in the global
migrant worker movement.
It is my opinion that South Korea treats migrant
workers as a commodity to be used and discarded. While
for a time, I was encouraged with the news that South
Korea was becoming more progressive and less
exploitative in it's attitude toward migrants with the
passing of the EPS, after reading it's provisions I
remain deeply cynical. The EPS is, in essence, no
better than the draconian ITS that it was meant to
replace.
While South Korea is a member of both the
International Labour Organisation and the United
Nations, both of which have issued conventions on the
fair and just treatment of migrant workers and their
families, South Korea shamefully chooses to ignore
these conventions by 1)refusing to grant migrants
their 3 labour rights, 2)regarding migrants as less
than human, and 3)denying them the freedom to change
workplaces. Moreover, the absurd fact that the EPS was
co-implemented along with the unfair legislation it
was designed to replace (the ITS) speaks of the gross
inefficiency of Korean jurisprudence.
According to my sources, there are roughly 290,000
illegal migrants in South Korea. And the fact that
these illegal migrants represent a staggering 85% of
all migrants in Korea is shocking by world standards.
This is direct evidence of the injustice of the ITS.
These 290,000 workers are human beings who deserve the
dignity of being recogized as such but are instead
forced to live like scared animals, constantly in fear
of deportation and subject to physical, financial, and
emotional abuse by their bosses.
Currently there are 2 ETU-MB members being held in
detention awaiting deportation - Mohammed Bidduth and
Jamal Ali. They were arrested at a legal labour rally
on October 26th. While both arrests are morally
inconscionable due to the fact that these rallies were
legal, the factual details related Mohammed Bidduth's
arrest in particular raise suspicion regarding
probable police brutality. I (and thousands of others)
have personally viewed the video footage of the arrest
(it is being broadcast all over the world!) and there
is no doubt in my mind that the police behaved cruelly
and sadistically toward him, using a vastly
inappropriate use of force. These men should be
released immediately!
I implore you! Allow South Korea to establish herself
as a country that has a deep conscience and reverance
for equality of all humans! Allow her to set a global
standard for fair migrant labour policy and human
rights!
Stop the vicious crackdown!
Grant migrants their 3 labour rights!
Release Mohammed Bidduth and Jamal Ali!
Amend the EPS! Abolish the ITS!
Legalise ALL workers!
Grant ALL workers visas!
Yours sincerely,
In solidarity with the ETU-MB
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International solidarity with our struggle 
