Civil Society Groups Protest Ministry of the Interior for Attempting to Push Myanmar Nationals Back Into a Civil War
by Brian Hioe
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Photo Credit: Screenshot
CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS held a press conference outside of the Ministry of the Interior on April 30th, protesting the ministry’s role in attempting to push Burmese out of Taiwan, even if this means forcing their return to a war zone. Among the groups involved in the press conference were the Asia Citizen Future Association, Taiwan Association for Human Rights, Taiwan Gongsheng Youth, Taiwan Labor Front, Taiwan International Workers’ Association, and Taiwan Alliance for Myanmar.
Taiwan currently does not have any asylum laws. At the start of the civil war in Myanmar, more than five years ago, the Taiwanese government originally promised not to deport Myanmar nationals back under the provisions of a temporary residency status. However, several years later, the actual issuing of this status is close to zero. Occurring as a project under the National Immigration Agency of the Ministry of the Interior in 2023, after fifty applications, none have been approved. That the Legislative Yuan passed resolutions promising not to deport Myanmar nationals has not been sufficient to pressure the Ministry of the Interior.
Myanmar nationals stranded in Taiwan, likewise, have no work permits. As such, this has pushed many of those currently in Taiwan to work illegally to survive. Without the ability to renew their identity documents, given that their country is currently in the middle of a war and an authoritarian regime controls government institutions, this has stranded Myanmar nationals in an administrative morass.
The Taiwanese government, then, has been criticized for otherwise seeking to tout Taiwan as an exemplar for human rights and democracy in the region and then failing to take action on a humanitarian crisis on its doorstep. This occurs even when the Taiwanese government otherwise frequently touts the slogan that “Taiwan Can Help” and has used the promise of aid to seek admission to international institutions.
The press conference opened with the organizers highlighting the brutal torture faced by Burmese at the hands of the military government. Nevertheless, organizers highlighted that Burmese nationals have been denied entry to Taiwan, ordered to leave by the government, and even deported.
Several stories of individuals who sought refuge in Taiwan were highlighted. This included one individual who fled into the mountains after their hometown was bombed, with snipers picking off survivors, but who overstayed his visa in Taiwan and is now required to report regularly to immigration authorities and to complete the procedures to leave Taiwan. Another individual was part of the National League for Democracy and actively sought to promote democratic reform in Myanmar, but was still pushed to leave Taiwan by immigration authorities.
Speakers further pointed out that Taiwan is in violation of human rights conventions it has ratified through efforts to force Burmese asylum seekers to return to Myanmar. Likewise, some Burmese have been lured to Taiwan with the promise of business opportunities or internships, but instead forced into high-risk and illegal work, threatened with deportation because of their vulnerable status, and, in many cases, their passports may have expired.
To this extent, Taiwan’s lack of action for Myanmar compared unfavorably to other neighboring countries. Neighboring Thailand has opened work permits to more than 87,000 Burmese in refugee camps, so as to allow them to support themselves, given labor shortages there and because of increased pressure on refugees after USAID cuts. Likewise, despite its historically being hesitant to allow for refugees, Japan has allowed for extensions of stay for Burmese who are currently there, allowing for temporary residence and work permits.
Civil society groups, consequently, demanded that the Ministry of the Interior stop pressuring Burmese in Taiwan to leave, develop a residency policy for those who should not be repatriated to Myanmar under international law, and grant temporary residency to those awaiting asylum decisions. Still, it is to be seen if the Ministry of the Interior budges on the matter. Certainly, it is not likely that it will unless the matter stands to impact Taiwan’s international credibility as a democracy on the international stage.