ILLEGAL WORKERS PROMPT MAY DAY PROTESTS IN MACAU

C O N F I D E N T I A L HONG KONG 001818 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP AND EAP/CM NSC FOR DENNIS WILDER E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/02/2031 TAGS: PGOV PREL ELAB SOCI CH HK MC SUBJECT: ILLEGAL WORKERS PROMPT MAY DAY PROTESTS IN MACAU Classified By: E/P Section Chief Simon Schuchat; Reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Summary: On May 1, an estimated 1,500-2,000 Macau residents participated in anti-immigrant labor demonstrations that turned violent, resulting in four arrests and injuries to 25 police officers. The main theme of the march was "drive out illegal workers, cut imported labor." Many of the protesters reportedly were middle-aged Macau residents who felt "short-changed" and excluded from Macau's recent economic growth and development. The protests were organized by eight small labor organizations, but Macau's principal (and pro-Beijing) union declined to participate. According to a Macau journalist who witnessed the events, the violence has alienated many Macau residents who previously were sympathetic to the concerns of the demonstrators. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) According to May 2 Hong Kong press reports, on May 1 more than 5,000 Macau residents participated in street demonstrations largely focused on labor issues. The main theme of the march was "drive out illegal workers, cut imported labor." These "illegal" and/or "imported" workers are primarily from mainland Chin, although some have arrived via Hong Kong. At everal locations, including the Government Headquarters building, the demonstrations became violen, resulting in ijuries to about 25 police officer and several protesters, as well as four arrests Legislator Jose Coutinho, who took part in themarch, compared it to Hong Kong's July 1, 2003 prtest against proposed national security legislation. Similarly, democratic legislator Antonio Ng told the press that the growing prevalence of imported labor was undermining the inteests of local workers. The protests reportedly were organized by eight small independent labor unions, including the Macau Workers Union and the Macau Public Cleaners Association; the pro-Beijing Federation of Trade Unions, an umbrella group encompassing most of Macau's workers, did not participate. The pro-government "Macau Daily News" accorded low-profile coverage to the events. ¶3. (C) On May 2, Director Harald Bruning of the "Macau Post" newspaper told poloff that the issues prompting the demonstration were concerns about imported and/or illegal labor, rather than more general political topics. Bruning said the actual number of participants probably was about 1,500-2,000, including large numbers of middle-aged Macau residents who felt "short-changed" and excluded from Macau's recent economic growth and development. A secondary issue for the marchers was family reunification: the PRC Government has not allowed the families of some Macau residents to immigrate from the mainland. Bruning said this has become a "very emotional" issue in Macau. ¶4. (C) According to Bruning, who witnessed most of the demonstration, the clashes with police occurred when the marchers deviated from their approved route. At that point, as the police attempted to control the protesters, Bruning said the situation "turned pretty ugly." As a result, he believed most Macau people, who previously had been sympathetic to the concerns of unemployed workers, now may be less so. Cunningham