Today is 18 December 2008. The Day is calling for change. It is the week before Christmas and all through the world International Migrants Day was commemorated. In New York City, where nearly 40% of the population is foreign-born, the date came and went practically unnoticed. The United Nations General Assembly established International Migrants Day in 2000 to acknowledge the increasing numbers of migrants around the world and to recognize their economic, social and cultural contributions.
"We commemorate International Migrants Day this year while marking the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, with its visionary commitment to dignity and justice for everyone, everywhere, always," UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said last week. "We can only fully give meaning to the declaration if we recognize that regardless of an individual's immigration status, fundamental human rights are non-negotiable," he said. Yet, eight years after the proclamation of such a day, the situation for immigrants in the United States and in many countries around the world has only deteriorated. Paramilitary raids and deportations have increased in record numbers. This year, two of the largest and most brutal raids in American history took place in Postville, Iowa, and Laurel, Miss. The vision of poor immigrant men and women being dragged away in handcuffs and ankle chains as if they were killers or terrorists will not be easily forgotten. Even more haunting were the faces of their terrified children crying for their parents.
Ironically, although they left behind devastated communities and desperate families, these raids did nothing to help control illegal immigration.
More recently and closer to home, two Ecuadoran immigrants - Marcelo Lucero and José Osvaldo Sucuzhañay - were savagely murdered by racist and homophobic thugs. "I want only to spend my son's last moments with him," Julia Quituña, Sucuzhañay's mother tearfully implored from her small village in Ecuador when she learned of the cowardly attack on her son. But her wish would not be fulfilled. When she finally arrived in New York, her son had already died at Elmhurst Hospital Center in Queens.
For an increasing number of families like Sucuzhañay's and Lucero's, International Migrants Day and its promise of respect for the human dignity of immigrants can be no more than an empty slogan. In this great city, it is up to our elected officials to set a tone of civility and respect toward immigrants. It is up to our leaders to convey the message that hate has no place in our city and that violence against innocent people will not be tolerated.
Christmas, though, is a season of hope and we all can expect a little miracle.
The enactment of a rational comprehensive immigration reform law could be back on the table in the new year. During his campaign, President-elect Barack Obama promised to tackle immigration reform in his first year. He seems to be making good on that promise by establishing a working group on the issue during this transition period.
If this is the case and fairness and rationality prevail, the dense fog of hate that has enveloped immigration in the last decade will begin to dissipate. And that's something every New Yorker can be thankful for this joyful season.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message for the day observed that the world’s more than 200 million migrants are especially vulnerable to the financial downturn shaking the global economy. The crisis in markets has put them at greater risk of destitution, stigmatization, discrimination and abuse. Reports of layoffs and lower remittances only begin to tell the story of the human suffering that this crisis has wrought. He said, “Migrants must be acknowledged as human beings whose rights, like those of everyone else, must be protected.”
Moreover, migration policies are growing ever more restrictive. We continue to see the criminalization of irregular migrants. And all too often, migrants are being dealt with primarily from the perspective of security. There is a growing tendency in many parts of the world to subject them to mandatory or prolonged detention, even though human rights law says that detention should be the exception, not the rule.
To save migrants from abuse, and allow them to contribute to development in their home and receiving countries, we must acknowledge them as human beings whose rights, like those of everyone else, must be protected. The best way to do this is to reaffirm the fundamental role of international human rights law as a framework to govern national and international policy.
The world commemorates the Day this year while marking the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, with its visionary commitment to dignity and justice for everyone, everywhere, always. We can only fully give meaning to the Declaration if we recognize that, regardless of an individual’s immigration status, fundamental human rights are non-negotiable, and the treatment of migrants, regular and irregular alike, must always conform to international standards.
The UN Secretary General urged all Member States to become parties to the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, which is the most comprehensive international framework on this issue.
People will continue to move from one place to another to live and work. Only by ensuring their protection can we live up to the Declaration’s recognition that “the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world”.
Thank you all.
God bless!
Dr Robert Renatus Sanabam
"We commemorate International Migrants Day this year while marking the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, with its visionary commitment to dignity and justice for everyone, everywhere, always," UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said last week. "We can only fully give meaning to the declaration if we recognize that regardless of an individual's immigration status, fundamental human rights are non-negotiable," he said. Yet, eight years after the proclamation of such a day, the situation for immigrants in the United States and in many countries around the world has only deteriorated. Paramilitary raids and deportations have increased in record numbers. This year, two of the largest and most brutal raids in American history took place in Postville, Iowa, and Laurel, Miss. The vision of poor immigrant men and women being dragged away in handcuffs and ankle chains as if they were killers or terrorists will not be easily forgotten. Even more haunting were the faces of their terrified children crying for their parents.
Ironically, although they left behind devastated communities and desperate families, these raids did nothing to help control illegal immigration.
More recently and closer to home, two Ecuadoran immigrants - Marcelo Lucero and José Osvaldo Sucuzhañay - were savagely murdered by racist and homophobic thugs. "I want only to spend my son's last moments with him," Julia Quituña, Sucuzhañay's mother tearfully implored from her small village in Ecuador when she learned of the cowardly attack on her son. But her wish would not be fulfilled. When she finally arrived in New York, her son had already died at Elmhurst Hospital Center in Queens.
For an increasing number of families like Sucuzhañay's and Lucero's, International Migrants Day and its promise of respect for the human dignity of immigrants can be no more than an empty slogan. In this great city, it is up to our elected officials to set a tone of civility and respect toward immigrants. It is up to our leaders to convey the message that hate has no place in our city and that violence against innocent people will not be tolerated.
Christmas, though, is a season of hope and we all can expect a little miracle.
The enactment of a rational comprehensive immigration reform law could be back on the table in the new year. During his campaign, President-elect Barack Obama promised to tackle immigration reform in his first year. He seems to be making good on that promise by establishing a working group on the issue during this transition period.
If this is the case and fairness and rationality prevail, the dense fog of hate that has enveloped immigration in the last decade will begin to dissipate. And that's something every New Yorker can be thankful for this joyful season.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message for the day observed that the world’s more than 200 million migrants are especially vulnerable to the financial downturn shaking the global economy. The crisis in markets has put them at greater risk of destitution, stigmatization, discrimination and abuse. Reports of layoffs and lower remittances only begin to tell the story of the human suffering that this crisis has wrought. He said, “Migrants must be acknowledged as human beings whose rights, like those of everyone else, must be protected.”
Moreover, migration policies are growing ever more restrictive. We continue to see the criminalization of irregular migrants. And all too often, migrants are being dealt with primarily from the perspective of security. There is a growing tendency in many parts of the world to subject them to mandatory or prolonged detention, even though human rights law says that detention should be the exception, not the rule.
To save migrants from abuse, and allow them to contribute to development in their home and receiving countries, we must acknowledge them as human beings whose rights, like those of everyone else, must be protected. The best way to do this is to reaffirm the fundamental role of international human rights law as a framework to govern national and international policy.
The world commemorates the Day this year while marking the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, with its visionary commitment to dignity and justice for everyone, everywhere, always. We can only fully give meaning to the Declaration if we recognize that, regardless of an individual’s immigration status, fundamental human rights are non-negotiable, and the treatment of migrants, regular and irregular alike, must always conform to international standards.
The UN Secretary General urged all Member States to become parties to the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, which is the most comprehensive international framework on this issue.
People will continue to move from one place to another to live and work. Only by ensuring their protection can we live up to the Declaration’s recognition that “the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world”.
Thank you all.
God bless!
Dr Robert Renatus Sanabam
President, ifop
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Who Killed Jose Sucuzhanay? ? ? ? ? .... !!! We, the Sucuzhanay family implore for your help. Lend us a hand to find JOSE O SUCUZHANAY murderers. To contact “the Sucuzhanay family” please send us an e-mail at: *** Sucuzhanay@Gmail.com ***** HELP MY FAMILY FIND JUSTICE. “The Sucuzhanay family” is working on structuring a Foundation to fight those who promote HATE and to find justice for our Son/Brother Jose Sucuzhanay. Your donation is greatly appreciated. It can be done at: “CITI BANK” / TO: DIEGO SUCUZHANAY / ACOUNT NUMBER: 9947631252 My family is pleased for your support. Thank you; thank you very much. Sincerely, Diego Sucuzhanay and All the Sucuzhanay Family “LET’S DO SOMETHING TO STOP HATE CRIMES IN NEW YORK; let’s work together” NYC Immigrant Dies After Possible Hate Attack $27,000 Reward For Info On Bushwick Bias
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