A new fictional work that details the abuse and exploitation of migrant fishermen in Taiwan seeks to heighten public awareness of the issue through a main protagonist who leaves his home in the Philippines to work in the fishing industry in Taiwan, the author told CNA.
The book “Migrante,” follows Rizal, a young Filipino in his early 20s who hails from a cemetery slum in Manila and jumps at a chance to be a migrant fisherman in Taiwan as he seeks to work his way out of poverty, said Taipei-based Canadian author and journalist Joe Henley on Wednesday.
Rizal soon finds himself in a new world where he dreams of earning a salary so he can provide a better life for his mother and win back the mother of his infant daughter, said Henley, who is originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and moved to Taiwan after finishing journalism school in 2005.
“The dream quickly turns nightmare. Rizal learns fast that life in the Taiwan fleet isn’t anything like it was made out to be. Gone are thoughts of earning big money, sending some home to his mother and child. The message he and his crewman receive is clear. Work, take what we give you, be grateful, and above all, be silent,” Henley said.
In addition to the abuses of the fishing industry, the story also touches on the issue of undocumented migrant workers as Rizal eventually runs away from his abusive captain, Henley said.
According to National Immigration Agency data, there were 50,461 undocumented migrant workers in Taiwan at the end of June. It is widely believed that many migrant workers who leave their legal jobs do so because they are taken advantage of or subject to abuse.
“I was shocked at the abuses that the brokerage system and labor laws allow for, and wanted to do something more substantive to raise awareness of what is going on,” said Henley, who has reported on issues surrounding the exploitation of migrant workers in Taiwan for Taiwanese and Hong Kong English media since early 2015.
Issues surrounding the fight for migrant workers rights commonly reported in the media include, illegal and immoral deductions from their salaries, verbal and physical abuses, occupational injuries and deaths.
“Based on the things I’d been told by migrant fishermen, factory workers, and caregivers over the years, I decided to write a book — a work of fiction based in the harsh reality these people face when working in Taiwan. I wanted to spread the word, and hopefully help to enact some form of change for the better,” said Henley.
“Migrante,” Henley’s third book, took five years to complete, from start to finish, he said, adding that the plot is influenced by about a dozen news articles he wrote.
He also visited the Philippines and wrote about the slums, where the main character Rizal comes from, Henley said.
“I couldn’t tell you how many interviews I conducted, exactly, but it’s probably somewhere over 50 with migrant workers themselves, with lawyers, with various advocacy groups in Taiwan, and with activists campaigning for migrant worker rights,” Henley said.
Proceeds from sales of the book will be donated to the NGOs Yilan Migrant Fisherman’s Union and Taoyuan-based Serve the People Association, which focuses on protecting the rights of migrant workers and fishermen, Henley said.
There are a total of 700,800 migrant workers from South East Asia working in Taiwan, according to Ministry of Labor statistics as of the end of July, including 11,931 working in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and animal husbandry sector.