On December 8th 2013, 46 undocumented residents of Thai nationality were forcefully deported on a charter flight.
The Immigration Bureau, Ministry of Justice has already deported 75 Filipino nationals on a charter flight on July 6th 2013. As result of a survey conducted by APFS in the Philippines from July 25th to 28th, none of the deportees has been able to find a job and they are facing difficulties in livelihood. Also, there are people who were separated from their partners or children whom they were living together with in Japan, so they are exhausted both mentally and physically. Moreover, we confirmed cases of bruising during the deportation process. This deportation by charter flight to the Philippines was the subject of a parliament inquiry in which humanitarian considerations and protection of human rights came under suspicion and questioning.
Further on, Mr. ABUBAKAR AWUDU SURAJ (of Ghana nationality) who received support from APFS for Special Permission for Residence acquisition died during his state funded deportation. With regard to his case, a trial for state compensation is presently in progress. Restarting deportations while the truth is still not revealed in such a case where the actions of immigration officers during deportation are in question has to be called an outrage in itself.
It is clear that among the 46 Thai nationals deported on December 8th there were 13 people who had been residing in Japan for more than 20 years. Since their life is not grounded in Thailand, they might as well be lost on the street. Additionally, demonstrators aiming to turn over the government occupied buildings of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Amongst ever growing protests, the situation is far from being stable. Was it really necessary at all to forcefully go through with deportations at such a time?
Deportations by charter flight have safety problems when compared to regular flight deportations. Such mass deportations which ignore the individual circumstances of deportees cannot be allowed on humanitarian grounds.
APFS strongly objects this charter flight deportation to Thailand.
December 11, 2013
Non-Profit Organization APFS
（ASIAN PEOPLE’S FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY）
Click here for a PDF version
