VZCZCXRO0500
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH
DE RUEHHK #1818 1221008
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 021008Z MAY 06
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6448
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

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