MIGRANTS FROM MYANMAR AND RISKS FACED ABROAD A desk study YEARS International Organization for Migration The views, opinions, findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of IOM or its Member States. The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout the work do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IOM concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning its frontiers or boundaries. IOM is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. As an intergovernmental organization, IOM acts with its partners in the international community to: assist in meeting the operational challenges of migration; advance understanding of migration issues; encourage social and economic development through migration; and uphold the human dignity and well-being of migrants. This study is part of the Migrants In Countries In Crisis (MICIC) Initiative. This publication has been made possible by the support of the American people through the US Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM). The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency of the Government of the United States of America. AUTHOR David Ndegwa COORDINATORS Lorenzo Guadagno Yin Mar Saw Sharon Dimanche GRAPHIC DESIGN Pierluigi Rauco PHOTO CREDITS IOM/Piers Benatar IOM Editorial: International Organization for Migration 17 Route des Morillons 1211 Geneva 19 Switzerland Tel.: +41 22 717 91 11 Fax: +41 22 798 61 50 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.iom.int © 2016 International Organization for Migration (IOM) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher. TABLE OF CONTENTS Summary 1 Introduction 2 Methodology 2 Limitations 3 Migration from Myanmar: Main patterns and emerging trends 4 Migration trends 4 Migration drivers 14 Migrants’ main areas of origin 15 Length of stay 16 Main crises affecting migrants in countries of transit and destination 18 Migrants’ conditions of vulnerability in their areas of destination 18 Myanmar “Hotspots” migrants’ destinations 18 Thailand 19 Malaysia 23 Bangladesh 25 United States 26 Other destinations 27 Migration-related institutional structures in Myanmar 32 Conclusion 36 Annex A. Tables 38 Annex B. Questionnaire 46 References 49 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Migrants from Myanmar by major region of destination: 1990–2015 5 Table 2. Total number of Myanmar migrants abroad, 2014 6 Table 3. Total Myanmar migration to leading destinations, 1990–2015 9 Table 4. Female Myanmar migration to leading destinations, 1990–2015 10 Table 5. Proportion of migrants by country of destination, sex and age group, 2014 12 Table 6. Origin of Myanmar migrants by state and top destinations, 2014 15 Table 7. Male Myanmar migrants by state of origin and country of destination, 2014 16 Table 8. Female Myanmar migrants by state of origin and country of destination, 2014 17 Table 9. Risk factors and migrant vulnerability in major countries of destination 19 Table 10. Myanmar refugees resettled in the United States between 2005 and 2009 27 Table 11. Myanmar consular services in host countries 33 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Main destinations of migrants from Myanmar 6 Figure 2. Myanmar migration trends by gender, 1990–2015 7 Figure 3. Proportion of male to female migrants abroad by country of residence, 2014 8 Figure 4. Male migration trends from Myanmar, 1990–2013 8 Figure 5. Female migration trends from Myanmar, 1990–2013 9 Figure 6. Per cent change, Myanmar female migration, 1990–2015 10 Figure 7. Percentage change in total Myanmar migrants, 1990–2015 11 Figure 8. Percentage change in male Myanmar migrants, 1990–2015 11 Figure 9. Proportion of migrants by country of destination, total and age group, 2014 12 Figure 10. Proportion of migrants by country of destination, males by age group, 2014 13 Figure 11. Proportion of migrants by country of destination, females by age group, 2014 13 Figure 12. Length of stay by country of destination, 2014 16 Figure 13. Occupations of male migrants from Myanmar in Thailand 20 Figure 14.Occupations of female migrants from Myanmar in Thailand 20 Figure 15. Map of Thailand showing main areas with Myanmar migrants 21 Figure 16. Main locations of male migrants from Myanmar in Thailand 22 Figure 17. Main locations of female migrants from Myanmar in Thailand 22 Figure 18. Map of Malaysia showing main areas with Myanmar Migrants 23 Figure 19. Registered Myanmar workers in Malaysia, 2009 24 Figure 20. Map of Bangladesh showing main areas with Myanmar migrants 25 Figure 21. Map of Thailand showing main areas with Myanmar migrants 26 Figure 22. Map of China showing main areas with Myanmar migrants 28 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ADRC Asian Disaster Reduction Centre ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations CCSFC Central Committee of Storm and Flood Control CFEDMHA Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance DDPM Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Thailand EAG Ethnic Armed Group FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency, United States GDCD General Directorate of Civil Defense, Saudi Arabia GMS Greater Mekong Subregion HFA Hyogo Framework of Action ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross IDMC The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre IDP Internally Displaced Person ILO International Labour Organization IOM International Organization for Migration MARD Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Viet Nam MICIC Migrants In Countries In Crisis Initiative MOFA Ministry of Foreign Affairs MoU Memorandum of understanding NGO Non-governmental organization SCDF Singapore Civil Defense Force UN-ACT United Nations Action for Cooperation against Trafficking in Persons UN DESA United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs UNESCAP United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime SUMMARY The Migrants in Countries in Crisis (MICIC) Initiative This study looks at the main population flows is a State-led political process, co-chaired by currently taking place from Myanmar, including the United States and the Philippines, that has their type, direction and size, the stocks of produced a set of guidelines and a compilation Myanmar nationals abroad, their composition of effective practices on how to better protect (migration status, gender and age) and evolution and assist migrants in the event of a crisis. As a over time (including a specific attention to emerging complement to this consultative process, IOM is trends). It then highlights the main risk factors that leading the implementation of a capacity-building Myanmar nationals face abroad, in areas of transit programme targeting four countries: Guatemala, and destination. It also looks at the main crises that Mexico, Myanmar and Thailand. The overall aim of might potentially hit the areas through or towards the programme is to develop and disseminate tools which the most significant population flows tend to that can help governments and non-governmental take place. Finally, the study examines the national actors in countries of origin and destination to better institutional structures in charge of assisting factor in migrants in emergency preparedness and migrants caught in emergencies while abroad and response measures. their mandate, structure and capacities. The study also identifies potential for capacity-building of This study aims to contribute to the capacity-building governmental and non-governmental actors that programme through detailed understanding of can play a role in assisting Myanmar migrants in crises potentially affecting Myanmar migrants in crisis, in the attempt to provide guidance for the destination countries. The study approach is to subsequent implementation of the MICIC capacity- highlight “hotspots” in which large number of building programme. Myanmar migrants abroad could face crises. It then examines what potential crises affecting migrants abroad mean to the Government of Myanmar and other actors in terms of emergency preparedness, response and recovery. 1 INTRODUCTION Covering 676,578 km2 of land and sea, Myanmar recently highlighted in the 2011 Bangkok floods, is situated in South-Eastern Asia in the Greater which resulted in hundreds of thousands of Mekong Subregion (GMS), and shares borders with Myanmar nationals with limited access to in situ Thailand (2,416 km), China (2,129 km), Bangladesh assistance and evacuation options. (271 km), Lao People’s Democratic Republic (238 km) and India (1,468 km) – and borders Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal to the west. Myanmar has a population of over 50.3 million METHODOLOGY inhabitants with an estimated 33 per cent residing in urban areas and 67 per cent in rural areas (Republic of the Union of Myanmar, 2014). The country The overall aim of the study is to provide up-to- experiences a variety of population movements date information on migrants from Myanmar and due to economic reasons, conflict and instability, the risks they face abroad and propose a set of and disasters and is the largest migration source recommendations on how to assist them in the event