13 December 2003

For Reference: A. Mangampo Ociones,
MIGRANTE Sectoral Party
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Chapter

“The ‘stranded’ Filipinos in Riyadh would go on a hunger strike, if the Philippine government do not send us home immediately.”

Thus declared Kapatiran ng mga Migranteng Stranded sa Riyadh (KAMI-SR or Organization of Stranded Migrants in Riyadh) Spokesperson Domingo Yalung amidst calls from the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh for amnesty for detained Filipinos.

“The hunger strike will be our last resort, but we are ready to do just that to prove to the Philippine government officials the urgency of our situation,” Yalung said further.

Yalung, a mechanical engineer whose contract was terminated prematurely in August of this year, was imprisoned for 17 days and was acquitted from charges of embezzlement by the Saudi Labor Court.

On December 10, while traveling with fellow ‘stranded’ Filipinos to follow on their demands with Labor Attache Manuel Roldan, Yalung was arrested again by Saudi Police after a brief spat with a taxi driver over an additional SR 5 transport fare.

He was freed after a few hours only to find out that he cannot return to the room he where he previously stays on because apparently the employer of his Filipino friends found out about his condition.

It is illegal in the Kingdom to accept ‘stranded’ or ‘runaways’ to their homes.

Like any other, ‘stranded’ Filipinos, Yalung has been roaming Riyadh for a place to stay the cold nights.

“The lack of shelter for male Filipinos in distress, the inaction and inefficiency of the government representatives, the lacking repatriation fund and the realignment of the livelihood support fund, the implementation of OWWA Omnibus Policies, the general neglect of the Philippine government on the interests of the overseas Filipino workers – these are slowly killing the overseas Filipinos anyway,” Yalung lamented further. #

CONTACT ADDRESS:

MIGRANTE Sectoral Party
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Chapter
Email: [email protected]