State Counsellor urges diplomats to care for migrant workers
State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi speaks to government officials during a video conferencing on May 12. Photo: Myanmar State Counsellor Office/Facebook
State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi reminded diplomats on June 2 to take care of Myanmar migrant workers who have lost jobs in other countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Only when a country shows respect for its citizens will other nations do the same, she said.
“We must care for every one of our citizens,” she told Myanmar officials posted in Thailand, China and South Korea during a video conference. “We have to value our citizens. If we don’t, other countries will act the same.”
Thousands of Myanmar workers have returned home from China and Thailand since last month after losing their jobs due to COVID-19.
Hundreds of migrants have also returned from Malaysia, South Korea, Middle East, among others.
Last weekend, Myanmar diplomats in Thailand said that some 34,000 migrant workers have indicated they will return home soon.
“The duties of diplomats are very important. The embassy represents our country,” she said.
She said Myanmar diplomats should always be ready to help citizens in need.
“The Myanmar people should know there is an embassy at their service whenever they have problems, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible to let people know that,” she said.
An estimated 4 million Myanmar citizens work abroad. In 2019, over 305,000 people left the country to work in other countries. – Translated
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