Philippines to push boat people back to sea

[webfact]

Philippines to push boat people back to sea



MANILA: -- The Philippines, like Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, will push back to sea undocumented Asian “boat people” despite a United Nations appeal to Southeast Asian countries to open their ports to the migrants from impoverished Myanmar and Bangladesh, according to Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr, as reported by INQUIRER.net.

Coloma said documented migrant arrivals qualify as refugees or asylum seekers will be allowed entry by the Bureau of Immigration. But those without proper travel documents will be denied admission, he added.

Quoting Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison, Coloma said the country’s position on the issue was in accordance with the United Nations Convention on Human Rights.

But the International Organization for Migration has chided Southeast Asian countries for intercepting migrant boats and playing what it calls “maritime ping-pong.”

On Dec. 10, 1948, the Philippines and Thailand, then known as Siam, were the only Southeast Asian countries among 48 nations that signed the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, which obliges UN member-states to promote and observe human rights and freedoms.

The document served as the foundation for two binding United Nations agreements—the International Convention on Civil and Human Rights, and the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Both the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard have yet to make public their official policy on migrant arrivals.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/philippines-to-push-boat-people-back-to-sea


-- Thai PBS 2015-05-18

[noosard]

A long sea trip to the Philippines

Or are they leaving from the East coast of Thailand or Malayasia as well

[MaxYakov]

Both the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard have yet to make public their official policy on migrant arrivals.

And the Philippine government (such as it is) setting policy or just not stating it?

[steven100]

Philippines has just announced that it will not accept any migrant arrivals by boat. The policy is in line with the stance taken by Thailand, Malaysia & Indonesia.

The Philippines, like Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, will push back to sea undocumented Asian “boat people” despite a United Nations appeal to Southeast Asian countries

[bangkapi]

Send them to the Spratlys.

[cookee68]

Its a shame other country's didn't have the <deleted> to do the same, many people go to other country's to better their lives, then when they have settled their feet firmly on the ground, they start to ruin other peoples lives, not all of them but most of them, hence all the big rice in foreign gangs, if you allow it they will come, if you don't they wont in time

[Dublin]

Proper order too i might add, these boat people are being exploited by the people who run the boats bodies for cash they don't care if they arrive in Thailand or Philippines as they get paid before the boats depart. I think Thailand and Philippine have the right idea maybe for the wrong reason but these boat runners have to be stopped one way or another.

[ToddinChonburi]

Well they should just sink the boats then and stop the suffering. What a mess !!

[Godders]

• Singapore to have prison cells for elderly inmates

• Philippines to push boat people back to sea

There's a moral here somewhere.

[shirtless]

Australia needs to look at its policy as we have been accepting economic migrants from these countries for years , if this is their attitude to fellow asian migrants its time to repatriate all of them, They need to show the same compassion as the west has shown them,

[lungbing]

quote "They need to show the same compassion as the west has shown them" unquote

I think muslim compassion is summed up by "insh'allah" ie it's nothing to do with me, it's god's will.

[ggt]

"Et tu, Brute?

Very sad that a lack of integrity...seems to go hand in hand with a lack of compassion...

[philipines]

Proper order too i might add, these boat people are being exploited by the people who run the boats bodies for cash they don't care if they arrive in Thailand or Philippines as they get paid before the boats depart. I think Thailand and Philippine have the right idea maybe for the wrong reason "but these boat runners have to be stopped one way or another".

Wonder if they could get to USA, if Obama would accept them.

[oneday]

"...Quoting Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison, Coloma said the country’s position on the issue was in accordance with the United Nations Convention on Human Rights..."

This is the biggest load of BS I've ever heard and it's coming from a high ranking official who supposedly has an education. I seriously doubt there is any United Nations Convention on Human Rights that says push people back into the open seas to die. Whatever it says they are twisting it to justify their actions.

Edited May 18, 2015 by oneday

[oneday]

Proper order too i might add, these boat people are being exploited by the people who run the boats bodies for cash they don't care if they arrive in Thailand or Philippines as they get paid before the boats depart. I think Thailand and Philippine have the right idea maybe for the wrong reason "but these boat runners have to be stopped one way or another".

Wonder if they could get to USA, if Obama would accept them.

I can absolutely guarantee you, the US would not push them back into the open ocean to let them die. The people of American would not stand for it and that is why Democracy works. Any politician even hinting at pushing them back to die would be voted out of office faster than they could blink. They would house them somewhere...they would feed and care for them and then try to repatriate them.

[overherebc]

Australia needs to look at its policy as we have been accepting economic migrants from these countries for years , if this is their attitude to fellow asian migrants its time to repatriate all of them, They need to show the same compassion as the west has shown them,

How many spare bedrooms to want to give them or how much extra tax are you willing to pay to look after them ? Honest answer only please.

[bostonhomer]

Living in a border state of Mexico, with the thousands that come over illegally monthly, we find a way to absorb.

These countries get a few boat people.. and how do they handle it...turn them back to sea, and die possibly, that's BS.

[Basil B]

I am sure China will welcome them... well they each have 2 kidneys.

[EyesWideOpen]

Proper order too i might add, these boat people are being exploited by the people who run the boats bodies for cash they don't care if they arrive in Thailand or Philippines as they get paid before the boats depart. I think Thailand and Philippine have the right idea maybe for the wrong reason "but these boat runners have to be stopped one way or another".

Wonder if they could get to USA, if Obama would accept them.

Nope, already full up with Hispanics...... No more room.

[hawker9000]

Proper order too i might add, these boat people are being exploited by the people who run the boats bodies for cash they don't care if they arrive in Thailand or Philippines as they get paid before the boats depart. I think Thailand and Philippine have the right idea maybe for the wrong reason "but these boat runners have to be stopped one way or another".

Wonder if they could get to USA, if Obama would accept them.

You wonder? Lol. They'd be accepted, "dreamed", and dropped off at the welfare office before you can say "welcome to the democratic party!". Lack of Spanish fluency would confuse the bureaucratic drones at first, but they'd get past that.

[steven100]

Proper order too i might add, these boat people are being exploited by the people who run the boats bodies for cash they don't care if they arrive in Thailand or Philippines as they get paid before the boats depart. I think Thailand and Philippine have the right idea maybe for the wrong reason "but these boat runners have to be stopped one way or another".

Wonder if they could get to USA, if Obama would accept them.

You wonder? Lol. They'd be accepted, "dreamed", and dropped off at the welfare office before you can say "welcome to the democratic party!". Lack of Spanish fluency would confuse the bureaucratic drones at first, but they'd get past that.

I can see it now .....

Immigration : Disculpe señor , puedes hablar español, ....... cuál es su número de contribuyente señor .. ??

migrant : huh !!!

Edited May 19, 2015 by steven100

[Berkshire]

Proper order too i might add, these boat people are being exploited by the people who run the boats bodies for cash they don't care if they arrive in Thailand or Philippines as they get paid before the boats depart. I think Thailand and Philippine have the right idea maybe for the wrong reason "but these boat runners have to be stopped one way or another".

Wonder if they could get to USA, if Obama would accept them.

I can absolutely guarantee you, the US would not push them back into the open ocean to let them die. The people of American would not stand for it and that is why Democracy works. Any politician even hinting at pushing them back to die would be voted out of office faster than they could blink. They would house them somewhere...they would feed and care for them and then try to repatriate them.

Aaaah, so it's all about US politicians wanting to keep their jobs and nothing to do with any sort of humanitarian gesture. I'd say that's pretty much how the world operates.

Edited May 19, 2015 by Berkshire

[KED]

I am sure China will welcome them... well they each have 2 kidneys.

very dark -but all too true as well.

[Scott]

An off-topic post has been removed. The UN was not created until 1945. There were some attempts at refugee issues in the UN, but the UNHCR was not formed until 1949.

Let's keep the discussion to the current issue.

[thaibeachlovers]

The worm is slowly starting to turn as governments realise that accepting ANY illegal arrivals by boat only leads to thousands more coming. Australia has solved the problem till Labour gets back in, Malaysia, Thailand and now the Phillipines have seen the light.

Sometime soon, Europe will wake up and smell the coffee and THEN, the problem may stop.

[steven100]

Everyone wants to help these poor souls and we will help them. But we all understand that it's not the international communities problem just because these economic and illegal migrants want to relocate wherever they choose.

Everyone is against letting them in because it sends the wrong message ... letting them in will only have thousands more come .......surely you can see that as being irresponsible for any country.

Lets be humanitarians ... we provide food ... lots of it !! ... water & medicine , take care of the weak and frail.

Then when they are stronger after a few days we help them to continue back to their loved ones in Myanmar, Bangladesh or India.

We cannot force them to stay at sea ... if they don't want to go back to their loved one then thats their choice. The world will not be held accountable to these illegal migrant just because they seek a better life ... many people in the world seek a better life but they are not expecting the international community to jump up and offer and pay for everything.

These people do have a place to go back to ... you say they don't but everyone know they are economically suppressed, which I agree ... they need help to create farm land and shops and make a living. If they are persecuted in Myanmar then go to Bangladesh or wherever they were born, if they aren't safe in Bangladesh then go to another nearby country .. near where they originated from .. not Indonesia or Malaysia or Thailand , these countries have enough problems of their own to deal with.

We must take care of these poor people and send them back ... this is the humane answer and the best thing to do.

The world wants it this way and thats what will happen.. or they can go to Gambia ? but I guess thats not good enough ??