Slavery, like genocide, is not a problem of the past but surrounds us every day
You may not know it but you have products in your home that were made by slaves. If you have any cotton items, a car, plastic, tomatoes, sugar, and more, you have items that went through Xinjiang, China. That means your purchases helped the Uyghur Genocide. Want to see if you have bought products from companies that use Uyghur #ForcedLabor/#ForcedLabour? Check this out.
A Brief Look at the #UyghurGenocide:
The term "Uyghur genocide" refers to the ongoing human rights abuses and atrocities committed by the Chinese government against the Uyghur people, a Turkic ethnic minority predominantly residing in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in northwest China. The Uyghur population is predominantly Muslim. The Chinese government is engaged in mass detention, organ harvesting, surveillance, cultural erasure, forced labor, and other human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other minority groups in Xinjiang.
Detention Centers:
Reports have surfaced of the existence of large-scale detention centers, sometimes referred to as "reeducation camps," where Uyghurs are allegedly subjected to political indoctrination, forced to renounce their religion and culture, and, in some instances, endure physical and psychological abuse. The Chinese government initially denied the existence of these facilities but later acknowledged them, insisting that they are vocational training centers designed to combat extremism and terrorism.
Surveillance and Control:
There are also reports of pervasive surveillance and control measures implemented in Xinjiang, including the use of advanced technologies such as facial recognition and predictive policing. These measures are said to impede the freedom and everyday lives of Uyghur individuals, including restricting their ability to practice their religion and express their cultural identity.
Organ Harvesting:
There is extensive evidence that the Chinese government has been involved in the forced organ harvesting of Uyghurs and other persecuted groups, including Tibetans and Falun Gong practitioners. The practice involves forcibly removing organs from individuals, including political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, while they are still alive and without their consent, and selling them for profit.
Forced Labor:
Investigations by journalists and human rights organizations have revealed that Uyghurs are subjected to forced labor in factories within Xinjiang and other parts of China. Some products made with forced Uyghur labor have reportedly reached international markets, leading to calls for boycotts and sanctions.
Cultural Erasure:
The Chinese government is also accused of engaging in a systematic campaign to erase Uyghur culture, language, and religion. This includes restrictions on the practice of Islam, the destruction of Uyghur heritage sites, and efforts to assimilate Uyghurs into Han Chinese culture.
Steps We All Can Take:
Many countries and international entities have condemned the Chinese government's actions, with some labeling them as genocide and crimes against humanity. The United States has several pieces of legislation currently being considered to help the Uyghurs.
1. The ‘‘Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act of 2023’’ (S.761):
The bill codifies United States policy:
- To combat international trafficking in persons for purposes of the removal of organs;
- To promote the dignity and security of human life in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
- To hold accountable persons implicated, including members of the Chinese Communist Party, in forced organ harvesting and trafficking in persons for purposes of the removal of organs.
This bill also gives the President the authority to sanction persons engaged in organ harvesting and requires the State Department to report fully on this in its annual human rights report. Show your support for this bill here.
2. The Uyghur Forced Labor Disclosure Act (H.R.4840) requires publicly traded companies to be transparent and divulge any ties to Uyghur forced labor. It would allow both consumers and shareholders to make more informed decisions as they spend and invest their money. The bill:
- Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to mandate all publicly traded companies to release annual reports indicating what goods are sourced from the Uyghur regions of China.
- Affirms the importance of using outside groups to verify company reports.
- Empowers organizations and individuals to push for more ethical business practices.
Show your support for this bill
here.