Five foreign employees from Mawlamyine Cement Limited (MCL) in Kyaikmayaw Township, Mon State, are charged by the Kyaikmayaw Township Immigration Department for illegally staying in the township, according to Mon State’s Ministry of Population and Immigration.
The charge was brought to the five illegal foreign workers by U Aung Maw, the head of Kyaikmayaw Township’s Immigration Department, on September 30, because they arrived at MCL on September 20 and failed to report their arrival to the township immigration department, according to U Shein Win, director of Mon State’s Ministry of Population and Immigration.
“If the foreigners stay at a hotel, the hotel owner must report it. If they stay at the factory, the factory owner must report it. Similarly, if they stay at the company, the company owner must report it. The company must report the foreigners stay at the company within 24 hours,” said U Shein Win.
On July 25, when a team from Mon State’s Immigration Department went to the MCL company without prior warning, they found 292 Chinese citizens at the company, who were there without having reported the nature of their stay to the respective department. On August, 1, at the Mon State Government Office, the 292 Chinese citizens and the company signed off on a promise that it would not happen again in the future, according to the government office.
“We went there in July to inspect. At that time we found them but we did not charge them with anything. We overlooked them as it was their first time and they gave their word. They said they weren’t aware of the procedure. Now, after being well-informed, we went there to check again and found the illegal employees again. Therefore, this time they can’t plead ignorance and we will charge them,” said Colonel Win Naing Oo, minister of Mon State’s Security and Border Affair Ministry.
Colonel Win Naing Oo continued that locals have staged protests against the cement company MCL as the company’s work has had a considerable, negative impact on the community and the environment.
The five foreigners are facing charges under the Act Law 5(1) of foreigners’ registration with the crime no. 184/2016 from Kyaikmayaw Township’s court. Under the article 14 (3) and 18 (5) of 1948’s registration of foreigner rules, the foreigners must report their stay.
There are a total of 361 foreign workers; comprised of 281 Chinese citizens and 80 Thai citizens working at MCL, according to Mon State’s Population and Immigration Ministry.
