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PRESS STATEMENT
24 December 2003
Reference: Dolores Balladares
Secretary-General
Tel. Nos.: (852) 25228261 , 997472986
"Diplomacy, respect for their compatriots,
and concern for the welfare of migrants are dying
within Philippine government officials abroad."
"Repression is fast-becoming the language
of the diplomatic corps abroad in their dealings
with OFWs."
Thus said the Hong Kong chapter of Migrante Sectoral
Party (MSP-HK) following the arrest of 16 stranded
Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) on hunger strike
by Saudi police called by officials of the Philippine
Embassy in Riyadh.
"Only officials without an ounce of responsibility
on their brains and sincerity to their duties
would call up foreign police force in Philippine
diplomatic territories to break up what is evidently
a peaceful _expression of grievances," declared
Dolores Balladares, MSP-HK secretary general.
Reports of the MSP chapter in the kingdom said
that the 8-day hunger strike was dispersed by
Saudi authorities upon the request of the embassy
in order to make way for a Christmas party they
were planning on December 24.
The strikers were arrested, shackled and marched
out of the Chancery while Embassy officials watched.#
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