Slave work. (Photo: Human Rights Watch)

NGOs urge EU to put pressure on Thailand

EUROPEAN UNION
Tuesday, February 23, 2016, 03:00 (GMT + 9)

A group of international labour, environmental and human rights organizations has sent a letter to the E.U. Commissioner for Fisheries, Maritime Affairs and Environment urging the European Commission to maintain pressure on Thailand on human rights abuses in the nation’s fishing industry.

The aim of the NGOs, among which is Human Rights at Sea, is to convince the Thai government to build upon positive reforms that have recently been made to its fishing industry, to ensure that the reforms have longevity and to address the structural problems that facilitate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and human rights abuses.

In the letter sent to Commissioner Karmenu Vella, the signatory 27 NGOs urge the Committee to consider human right abuses when assessing Thailand’s seafood sector, The Maritime Executive reported.

Likewise, they stress that to demonstrate sufficient progress, Thailand should implement a time-bound action plan focused on effective enforcement to ensure substantial, measurable progress toward a legal, sustainable and ethical seafood industry.

They also highlight that although Thailand has made some progress on monitoring, control and surveillance of vessels within its fishing fleet since the Commission first made its yellow card designation in April 2015, there is concern over lax enforcement of those measures and ongoing vulnerabilities among Thailand’s migrant worker population.

In addition, the NGOs criticize the Thai government for use of criminal defamation to prosecute those who speak out about human trafficking.

The groups claims that if Thailand still fails to demonstrate improved enforcement of laws to protect human rights in its seafood sector after the extension period, the Commission should consider issuing a "red card".

The organizations encourage the EU executive to keep pressure on the government and the industry high until Thailand can demonstrate results from actions taken against human traffickers and their enablers, who force men and boys from Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos to endure a life of misery as victims of trafficking in the Thai seafood industry.

Human Rights at Sea CEO, David Hammond, said, “Our charity continues to support the persistent efforts of a number of global organizations and NGOs who are focused in continuing to highlight the realities of abuses at sea both within and related to the Thai seafood sector.

“It is key that the E.U. Commission has access to objective reporting and independent assessments so that it can make informed decisions,” he added.

On her part, Abby McGill, campaigns director at the International Labor Rights Forum stressed, “The E.U. Commission should continue to push for measurable progress on enforcement until the Thai government demonstrates the political will to respect the rights of its migrant worker population and formalizes effective legal mechanisms to protect them,” she emphasized.

Related articles:

- Thai govt regularized 70,000 foreign workers in the fishing industry
- Govt seeks to regulate the fishing industry with firm hand
- EU delegation assesses Thailand’s efforts to combat IUU fishing
- Govt intensifies measures to pass EU fisheries inspection

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