Laborers? Slaves?
2013.08.24 Fountain Pen Drawing
Six Indonesian deckhands were held in custody after being speculated
for their involvement in the Fishing Boat Te Hong Xing No. 368 murder case.
Due to the fact that they were found chasing and hitting by the victims’
families after landing at Su Ao Harbor, they had to have their full-body
portraits photographed during their injury inspection.
They were kept in insolation in six different cells for a year to
prevent them from conspiring, in which they could only communicate with their
lawyers during the period in custody. Due to the apparent language barrier,
they had almost zero interaction with other local defendants held in custody.
Not knowing what lies ahead, they could only stare at the ceiling to pass
time.
Every time I look at them, I can’t help but think about how they could
perform such callous acts on their captain and chief engineer. Given none of
them could sail a ship or even operate a desalination machine, weren’t they
just digging their own graves?
Aside from problems arising from the over-time working hours,
unhygienic conditions and deprivation of the right to demand fair wages, it
is even more unbelievable that the 3x3 square meter cell (holding 4 persons)
is even more spacious than the 1x1 square meter dormitory on board (holding
12 persons).
The Taiwanese society fails to accept the phenomenon that migrant
workers often face exploitation by employers at their workplace. It is common
for employers to treat foreign workers as servants, which includes depriving
them from their right to rest during public holidays or after working hours,
a minimum wage, communicate with anyone beyond the workplace etc.
How could we expect them to endure such discrimination and lack of
contractual rights without thinking about escaping? Those working on land
could easily escape, but for those deckhands out in the sea, what other
options have they got?
|
為了嚴防串證，法院裁定收押禁見，他們分別羈押在六個不同的牢房裡，除了律師以外嚴格禁止跟外界接見通信，訴訟延宕的司法現況下，這一禁怕就要好幾個月了。
語言的隔闔令他們和同房的本國被告幾乎零互動，其他人可以靠閱讀、聊天、下棋打發苦悶，一起讀經祈禱、研究訴狀來彼此支持，同樣在等待未知的訴訟結果，他們卻多半只能望著天花板或睡大頭覺。
所幸在蘇澳港登岸時被追打的傷並無大礙，被害者家屬的忿怒、失親的痛苦，自然可以理解，對於同胞遇難我也同感悲痛，但面對為了掙取微薄薪水不得不遠渡重洋謀生的他們卻也讓我很難不去想，究竟發生了什麼事讓他們對船長與輪機長痛下毒手？沒人會操舵駕船，就連海水淡化機都不會使用，汪洋大海中這不是尋死是什麼？
這已是十四年獄所生涯以來第二次遇到的漁船喋血案件， 2006年我一路看著興隆漁事件的兩名兇嫌收押禁見、解禁、判決到執行，每次跟他們交談，我的困惑總是有增無減，這兩個靦腆又客氣的大男生其實本性不壞，怎會做出如此凶殘的事呢？
6月27日3百名印尼漁工才在蘇澳的中華人力仲介協會宜花東分處前抗議遭剋扣薪資；7月18日，才不到一個月的時間就發生了特宏興喋血案，這之間的關連不免耐人尋味。
撇開薪資被摳、工時太長、衛生不完善等問題先不講，我感到最最諷刺的是，對比監所三坪不到的牢房住四個已算擁擠，但在小型漁船上1坪大的寢室卻得容納12個漁工，相形之下因超收而為人詬病的牢房竟是無比寬敞。
外籍移工遭仲介及雇主剝削早已是台灣社會一直不願面對的事實。雇主把外籍看護工當傭人使喚是普遍的現象；不讓外勞休假、超時工作、剋扣薪資、斷絕對外聯絡管道等情事也早已不是新聞了。
當受不了壓榨的移工選擇離開原雇主時，政府不曾以刑法第二九六條的「使人為奴隸罪」究辦侵害人身自由的雇主，反而對僅違反民事契約關係，或至多牴觸「入出國及移民法」與「就業服務法」中行政規定的移工動用警察權，大張旗鼓地追緝這些所謂的「逃逸外勞」，這不是種族歧視是什麼？這跟美國蓄奴時期追捕逃奴又有什麼差別呢？在沒有合理契約和平等對待的前題下，我們又如何能期待他們不逃？可在陸地上的移工逃得了，但在海上的漁工又該如何躲得掉？ 這些不斷上演的歧視與奴役怎麼樣都無法用一句「人權立國」掩蓋得掉。
原載【人本教育札記第294期】2013年12月號
生活在台灣這片土地的我們是否也看見與我們同在的人們？何時我們才能學會平等對待這些同為台灣付出卻得漂洋過海，只為養家餬口的朋友們？ 看到外籍移工為「反血汗，要長照」而遊行，心中萬分不忍，蒙《人本教育札記》首肯准予提前轉載本篇，特此致謝！
No comments:
Post a Comment