Companies should pay attention to their supply chains: Face masks made with allegedly forced Uighur labour are sold overseas
As Australia stockpiling masks from China for its skyrocketing demands, experts discovered allegedly coerced Uighur labour in the supply chain.
A thinktank report from earlier this year revealed involvement of factories in programs of forced Uighur labour. The programs were said to be a “poverty alleviation” policy, yet in fact “inextricably linked to broader, coercive policies intended to erase the Uighur identity itself.”
These programs include shipping Uighurs thousands of miles away from their homes, mandatory “ideological training”, forced participation in flag-raising and anthem-singing ceremonies, learning Mandarin, and living and eating on-site in separate dormitories and a canteen.
All of the activities are under the supervisions of "minders" along with constant surveillance, banning of religious observance, and limited freedom of movement.
China has made auditing of human rights extremely difficult for Western companies and nearly impossible for consumers. Experts recommend companies to conduct desktop-based investigation to ensure their supply chains are not tainted by factories using forced Uighur labour.
Source:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/22/face-masks-made-with-allegedly-forced-uighur-labour-in-china-are-being-sold-in-australia
#Australia #Mask #China
#UighurLabour #HumanRight
As Australia stockpiling masks from China for its skyrocketing demands, experts discovered allegedly coerced Uighur labour in the supply chain.
A thinktank report from earlier this year revealed involvement of factories in programs of forced Uighur labour. The programs were said to be a “poverty alleviation” policy, yet in fact “inextricably linked to broader, coercive policies intended to erase the Uighur identity itself.”
These programs include shipping Uighurs thousands of miles away from their homes, mandatory “ideological training”, forced participation in flag-raising and anthem-singing ceremonies, learning Mandarin, and living and eating on-site in separate dormitories and a canteen.
All of the activities are under the supervisions of "minders" along with constant surveillance, banning of religious observance, and limited freedom of movement.
China has made auditing of human rights extremely difficult for Western companies and nearly impossible for consumers. Experts recommend companies to conduct desktop-based investigation to ensure their supply chains are not tainted by factories using forced Uighur labour.
Source:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/22/face-masks-made-with-allegedly-forced-uighur-labour-in-china-are-being-sold-in-australia
#Australia #Mask #China
#UighurLabour #HumanRight
the Guardian
Face masks made with allegedly forced Uighur labour in China are being sold in Australia
At least two Australian companies have imported stocks of masks from manufacturer involved in labour program criticised as ‘highly coercive’