On Saturday, December 18 International Migrants Day in Auckland and India
Venkat Raman
Auckland, December 16, 2021
As the world marks International Migrants Day on December 18, 2021, New Zealanders will spare time to think about thousands of migrants who are stranded overseas since the advent of Covid-19 in February 2020.
As well as continuing to campaign for better rights, migrant communities are fighting the injustice meted out to them on the pretext of the pandemic.
Migrant Rights Network New Zealand and Migrant Workers Association are organising a public meeting at 3 pm on Saturday, October 18, 2021 at Victoria Park (203 Victoria Street) in West Auckland.
Migrant Workers Association President and Licenced Immigration Advisor Anu Kaloti said that only people wearing face masks and producing the Vaccine Pass issued by the New Zealand Ministry of Health will be allowed into the Park to attend the meeting.
“Our motto is ‘Let us unite to demand justice on International Migrants Day. Our demands are easy: Bring back all migrants stranded offshore; extend Resident Visa 2021 to those excluded; Re-unite separated families and provide amnesty to overstayers,” she said.
Ms Kaloti said that a similar meeting will be held in various places in India.
“Thousands of migrants from New Zealand cannot return home because our border remains closed to non-citizens and non-residents. After almost two years, visas of many migrants have expired and many more will expire by April 30, 2022, when the government plans to re-open the border to all.
“While we have many people benefitting from the One-Off Resident Visa 2021, those allowed to slip through the cracks are still largely ignored by this government. Our frontline workers, critical health workers, second or third-time students and world-class researchers remain excluded from the Resident Visa Programme because the government fails to recognise their contribution and is simply focused on the ‘ineligible’ visas these people hold,” she said.
Ms Kaloti said that unrealistic immigration rules and mismanagement of MIQ space allocation continue to keep families separated.
“For many, this will be third or even fourth Christmas away from their loved ones. Overstayers are reluctant to get the Covid vaccine for fear of being reported to the authorities. It is no longer just an immigration matter, it needs to be an integral part of the government’s strategy to tackle the pandemic,” she said.
About International Migrants Day
On December 18, 1990, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.
Each year on December 18, the UN, through the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), its related agency, uses International Migrants Day to highlight the contributions made by the roughly 272 million migrants, including more than 41 million internally displaced persons, and the challenges faced by them.
This global event, supported by events organised by nearly 500 country offices and sub-offices of IOM as well as governmental, international and domestic civil society partners examines a wide range of migration themes, Social Cohesion, Dignity, Exploitation, Solidarity to advocate for migration guided by the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society.
In 1997, Filipino and other Asian migrant organisations began celebrating and promoting December 18 as the International Day of Solidarity with Migrants. This date was chosen because it was on December 18, 1990 that the United Nations General Assembly adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.
The UN Declaration was an important step, offering a rallying point for all those concerned with the protection of migrants. The UN invited all Member States, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to observe this day by disseminating information on human rights and fundamental freedoms of migrants, sharing experiences, and undertaking action to ensure the protection of migrants.
International Migrants Day is seen as an opportunity to recognize the contributions made by millions of migrants to the economies of their host and home countries promote respect for their basic human rights.
Further information on the protest meeting in New Zealand can be obtained from Anu Kaloti on 021-2065640 and Sher Singh on 021-02652248. Information on the protests in India can be obtained from Jagdeep Singh on +9915558637 and Jagwinder Singh on +7508425353
