For over a month they were on a Taiwanese ship. Without wages, they were given one small meal a day. Many Catholic organisations had denounced the slave like conditions of Philippine migrants.

Manila (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Nine Philippine sailors have taken control of a Taiwanese fishing trawler off Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean.  The mutineers say they were forced to work long hours without food or pay.

The groups leader, Roderick Sumang, speaking to Associated Press, has declared that they have no intention of harming the captain, who is currently locked in the engine room.  “We just want to return home -  said Sumang – we wish no harm to anyone”.  The group say that the captain allowed them only one meal a day, of rice soup.  They have not received wages for over a month.

The mutiny took place on November 4th while the fishing trawler was entering Port Louis (Mauritius), on its way back to the Philippines.

The undersecretary for the Philippine embassy in Nairobi has sent a representative to  Port Louis to ensure that the sailors rights are protected.

Sumang also underlined that there are a further nine Chinese sailors onboard the ship who have not participated in the mutiny.

The fishing trawler – whose name is unknown – had left Port Louis on October 31st and was to have been at sea for over 3 months.

Many Philippines onboard ships and fishing trawlers suffer from the violation of their basic human rights.  Often employed without any contract, they are forced to work for long hours in slave like conditions and frequently go unpaid.  According to some witness accounts from Catholic organisations for migrants, many Philippine sailors who rebel against these conditions while out at sea, are killed and throw overboard.

• philippines
• taiwan
• mutiny
• sailors