{"id":1605,"date":"2020-03-25T00:15:07","date_gmt":"2020-03-24T15:15:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yuzb.net\/en\/?p=1605"},"modified":"2020-03-25T00:15:07","modified_gmt":"2020-03-24T15:15:07","slug":"uighurs-in-forced-labour-may-have-made-the-screen-youre-using-to-read-this-story-canada-is-doing-nothing-to-stop-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yuzb.net\/en\/2020\/03\/25\/uighurs-in-forced-labour-may-have-made-the-screen-youre-using-to-read-this-story-canada-is-doing-nothing-to-stop-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Uighurs in forced labour may have made the screen you\u2019re using to read this story. Canada is doing nothing to stop it"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By\u00a0Jeremy Nuttall<\/a>Vancouver BureauFri., March 13, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

VANCOUVER\u2014Canada is failing mainland China\u2019s minority Uighur population in the wake of a damning report detailing how interned members of the ethnic group are being used for forced labour to produce items being sold around the world including Canada, says a Canadian Representative for the World Uighur Congress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Canada\u2019s lack of action comes as the United States prepares legislation<\/a> meant to discourage the practice, said Mehmet Tohti of the WUC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no answer from Canada on the forced labour,\u201d Tohti said. \u201cThat makes me sad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

China\u2019s Muslim Uighur minority mostly inhabits its far western Xinjiang autonomous region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the last two years well-documented reports, some based on leaked Chinese government documents, about massive internment camps holding up to two million Uighurs for re-education have emerged. Human rights activists say the move is aimed at wiping out their cultural identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

China has denied the allegations, including on March 4 when its ambassador to Canada, Cong Peiwu, called reports of the camps \u201cfake news\u201d at a defence conference in Ottawa. Cong said the camps were \u201cvocational training centres,\u201d according to media reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But nearly two weeks ago, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute released a comprehensive report titled \u201cUighurs for Sale<\/a>,\u201d detailing how more than 80,000 of those interned have been forced to work in factories throughout China, in some cases being part of supply chains used to make products for some of the world\u2019s most popular brands. It said the 80,000 is a \u201cconservative\u201d figure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Canada\u2019s Bombardier was on a list of 83 companies in the report whose supply chains are alleged to have included forced labour from Uighurs. The Montreal-based company has said it is investigating the allegations. Apple, Nike, Huawei, H&M, BMW and Sony are also on the list in the ASPI report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The report specifically notes that technology for touch screens used in products made by Lenovo, Samsung and Huawei were produced by one manufacturer using Uighur labour. The same company, which says it makes these products on its website, also says it manufacture cameras for some iPhone models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCompanies using forced Uighur labour in their supply chains could find themselves in breach of laws which prohibit the importation of goods made with forced labour or mandate disclosure of forced labour supply chain risks,\u201d said the report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe companies listed in this report should conduct immediate and thorough human rights due diligence on their factory labour in China, including robust and independent social audits and inspections.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given the number of global brands on the list, Tohti said there is no way products made partly through Uighur forced labour are not being sold in Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lack of response from Ottawa in the wake of the report is \u201cshocking\u201d said Tohti. But he has also been disheartened that the Canadian business and political community has continued to pursue greater trade ties with China despite the revelations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tohti attended a luncheon in Ottawa Monday hosted by Global Affairs Canada. There, he spoke to the room about the internment and forced labour of Uighurs in China. At the same luncheon, he said, business people made a case for greater engagement and trade with mainland China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monday, Canada\u2019s ambassador to China, Dominic Barton, recorded a \u201cspecial message\u201d for the Canada China Business Council, which includes member companies owned directly by Beijing. Barton offered help to the council\u2019s members and praised their role in business with China as important for \u201cprosperity\u201d in Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo one is disputing that there\u2019s a problem in China when it comes to human rights,\u201d Tohti said. \u201cBut there are also some people basically saying, not openly, that we have to close our eyes and continue to do business.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tohti said he spoke directly with Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Phillipe Champagne about the issue at the luncheon. Champagne listened, he said, but no firm commitment for action was made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Canada Border Services Agency said it has no role in preventing goods made from forced labour from entering the country, but legislative changes currently in review by Parliament would change the customs tariff to include prohibitions on such items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, in the United States, bipartisan legislation was proposed Wednesday to ban imports coming from Xinjiang province in protest of the forced labour and other human rights abuses.RELATED STORIES<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chinese official defends Xinjiang detention camps for Muslims at UBC Vancouver campus talk<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Titled the Uighur Forced Labour Prevention Act it aims to \u201censure that goods made with forced labour in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region do not enter the United States market\u201d and to encourage the international community to do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The proposed legislation would use import controls, financial sanctions and export restrictions to help achieve its goals. It also lays out a plan to raise awareness to consumers about forced labour being used in Xinjiang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bill also addresses other human rights violations in Xinjiang, such as torture and forced internment. According to the act, it would not terminate until mainland China can prove it has ended forced labour and other human rights violations in the region.Get more of the Star in your inboxNever miss the latest news from the Star. Sign up for our free newsletters to get today’s top stories, your favourite columnists and lots more in your email inboxSign Up Now<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tohti would like to see similar legislation introduced in Canada to ban all products coming from forced labour in China and for Ottawa to make further opening Canada up to trade with the rest of the world a priority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, given Ottawa\u2019s track record on pushing for engagement with China, despite years of human rights concerns and recent attacks on Canada\u2019s economy after the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou<\/a>, he said he isn\u2019t optimistic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn the eyes of China, Canada\u2019s a good kid,\u201d Tohti said, \u201ca listening kid.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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