Film Reveals Murder of Burmese Fishermen

By THE IRRAWADDY

A film revealing the maltreatment and murder of Burmese fishermen in Thailand has been released at the Fishers’ Conference of the International Transport Workers’ Federation in South Korea.

Titled “Abandoned, not Forgotten,” the 10-minute documentary was produced and directed by David Browne for the ITF.

In one scene, an ex-fisherman describes how a cook beat a young Burmese crew member with an iron bar. “The skipper asked if the guy was dead or not. I told him: ‘He hasn't died yet, leave him alone, I'll look after him.’ The guy was hit again on the back of his head and his brains spilled out. He took an hour to die.”

He concluded: “I think our Burmese boatman die like dogs and pigs.”

The film can be seen at: www.itfglobal.org/fisheries/film.cfm or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deCo_ZBSk-U

In a press release by the ITF on Thursday, General Secretary David Cockroft said, “This film is a sometimes sickening but very necessary addition to the evidence that many Burmese citizens forced to flee their country are being appallingly treated. This is a 21st century scandal, and everyone involved—including those who wittingly or not buy or sell fish products tainted by this horrible exploitation—must examine their consciences and act.”

According to London-based ITF, an estimated 250,000 Burmese migrant fishermen and women working in fish-processing factories are employed in Thailand’s billion-dollar, export-driven fishing industry. Only 70,000 are legally registered. With little or no legal status or protection, many face brutality and near slavery, said the statement.

Along with 186 affiliated seafarers’ unions—including Burmese, Thai and Indonesian unions—the ITF urged the Thai authorities to “tackle the systemic exploitation and abuse,” as well as calling for: action by the flag states of the vessels to fulfill their obligations and ensure that the rule of law is upheld on their territory; action by all buyers and companies involved in the buying, processing and exporting of the fish stocks to ensure that decent conditions are upheld throughout their supply chains; and the commissioning of a tripartite investigation mission by the ILO (International Labor Organization).

Meanwhile, a Thai human rights group, Labor Rights Promotion Network, has called for a total compensation package of 15 million baht (531 million kyat/ US $430,000) to be shared among the families of 39 Burmese fishermen who died aboard—and the 38 surviving Burmese crew members of—a Thai fishing fleet which lay adrift for three months without fresh water or food.

The calls came after a labor court in Thailand ordered the owners of the Praphasnavee fishing fleet to recompense the survivors, but did not award compensation to family members of the fishermen who died of starvation in June 2006 aboard six deep-sea trawlers.