THIRTY-EIGHT overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were arrested in Jordan during a massive crackdown on undocumented foreign workers last week, Migrante Middle East (M-ME) said.
Migrante has been providing assistance to distressed OFWs, M-ME regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona said.
Monterona said his group is receiving requests for assistance from undocumented OFWs in Jordan for fear of being caught amid arrest of 28 Filipinos since last September 26.
“As per reports we have received from some of the undocumented OFWs who asked our assistance, there are 20 women OFWs, who used to work as domestic workers in Jordan, were nabbed by the host government authorities last Monday,” Monterona added.
The following day, another eight undocumented OFWs were caught by the authorities.
Monterona quoting the undocumented OFWs said, Jordanian authorities are massively conducting house-to-house search of illegal or undocumented migrants in its capital city, Amman and other nearby places.
“Report reaching us is that the host government recently issued an instruction to conduct house-to-house search to clean-up the country amid proliferation of undocumented migrants,” Monterona said.
Monterona said most of the undocumented OFWs were “absconder” or those who were forced to run away from their employers due to abuse and maltreatment and violations of their employment contract.
He noted the deplorable conditions and rampant abuse and maltreatment of OFWs in Jordan, prompting the Philippine government to impose a ban on the deployment of household service workers or popularly known as domestic helpers in January 2008.
Monterona called on Jordan authorities to respect the fundamental human rights of the undocumented OFWs.
“We appeal to the host government to regularize, if not immediately repatriate, the undocumented OFWs and migrants of other nationalities while ensuring that their rights are respected,” Monterona said.
There are around 40,000 to 50,000 OFWs in Jordan, 60 percent of whom are undocumented, he added. Jun Pisco
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