** EMBARGOED UNTIL 12:01 HKT/5:01 BST/00:01 ET ON 23 JULY 2020**
I dag er 72 Uiguriske menneskerettighetsgrupper sammen med over 100 sivile samfunnsorganisasjoner og fagforeninger fra hele verden samlet seg for å oppfordre klesmerker og detaljister til å slutte med tvangsarbeidet i Xijiang Uyghur Autonomous Region ((“Uyghur Region”), kjent for Øst-Turkistan, samt avslutte deres medvirkning til den kinesiske regjeringens menneskerettighetsbrudd i Øst-Turkistan. [Besøksadressen: https://enduyghurforcedlabour.org.] Gruppene har utstedet en oppfordring om å forplikte merkevarene for å kutte alle leverandører som er involvert i tvangsarbeidet, samt avslutte all innkjøpt fra Øst-Turkistan, disse gjeldet alt fra bomull til ferdige plagg, innen tolv måneder.
“Now is the time for real action from brands, governments and international bodies – not empty declarations. To end the slavery and horrific abuses of Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other Turkic Muslim peoples by the Chinese government, brands must ensure their supply chains are not linked to the atrocities against these people. The only way brands can ensure they are not profiting from the exploitation is by exiting the region and ending relationships with suppliers propping up this Chinese government system,” skrev Jasmine O’Connor OBE, administrerende direktør i Anti-Slavery International.
Den kinesiske regjeringen har avrundet anslagsvis 1 til 1,8 millioner uigurer og andre tyrkiske og muslimske minoriteter i internerings- og tvangsarbeidsleire, kjent som den største inngripen av etniske og religiøse minoriteter siden andre verdenskrig. Overgrepene i Øst-Turkistan – tortur, tvangsseparasjon av familier og tvangssterilisering av uiguriske kvinner – er allment anerkjent som forbrytelser mot menneskeheten. Et sentralt element i regjeringens strategi for å dominere Uyghur-folket er et enormt system for tvangsarbeid, som involverer fabrikker over hele landet, både i og utenfor interneringsleirene.
Gulzira Auelkhan, en kasakhisk kvinne som tidligere ble internert i av konsentrasjonsleirene og deretter utsatt for tvangsarbeid i en kinesisk lokal fabrikk, sa: “Klesfabrikken var ikke annerledes enn interneringsleiren. Det var politier, kameraer, du kunne ikke gå noen vei. «
Til tross for det globale opprøret over de kinesiske undertrykkelsene, er det fremdeles en del ledende merkevarer som drar fordel av konsentrasjonsleirene. Disse merkevarene importerer millioner tonn av bomull og garn produsert i Øst-Turkistan. 1 av 5 bomullsplagg som selges globalt består bomull og / eller garn fra Uyghur-regionen; det er tilnærmet sikkert at mange av disse varene er skjemt av tvangsarbeid. Dessuten opprettholder disse klesmerkene lukrative partnerskap med kinesiske selskaper involvert i tvangsarbeidet.
“Global brands need to ask themselves how comfortable they are contributing to a genocidal policy against the Uyghur people. These companies have somehow managed to avoid scrutiny for complicity in that very policy – this stops today,” skrev Omer Kanat, administrerende direktør i Uyghur Human Rights Project.
Forsyningskjedene til mange ledende klesmerkene og detaljistene er i virkeligheten involvert uiguriske tvangsarbeid. Noe store selskaper påstår at de ikke tolererer at sine leverandører har slike forbindelser, men har heller ikke gitt noen pålitelig forklaring på hvordan de kan oppfylle denne standarden mens de fortsetter å drive forretninger i en region hvor tvangsarbeid er utbredt.
“Forced labourers in the Uyghur Region face vicious retaliation if they tell the truth about their circumstances. This makes due diligence through labour inspections impossible and virtually guarantees that any brand sourcing from the Uyghur Region is using forced labour,” sa Scott Nova, Konserndirektør i Worker Rights Consortium.
“Given the lack of leverage and the inability to prevent or mitigate adverse human rights impacts, apparel brands and retailers must take the necessary steps to end business relationships connected to the Uyghur Region in order to fulfil their responsibility to respect human rights as defined by the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights,” sa David Schilling, senior programdirektør i Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility.
“If responsible business conduct has any meaning, it requires fashion brands to act when independent journalists, United Nations human rights experts, and human rights NGOs expose grave human rights abuses,” said Jennifer (JJ) Rosenbaum, Konserndirektør i Global Labor Justice – International Labor Rights Forum. “Business and human rights principles require fashion brands to stop using cotton and labour from the Uyghur Region in their global supply chains.”
Mediakontakt:
Peter Irwin, Uyghur Human Rights Project (Washington, DC): +1 (646) 906-7722, pirwin@uhrp.org
Penelope Kyritsis, Worker Rights Consortium (Washington, DC): +1 (401) 209-5917, penelope.kyritsis@workersrights.org
Chloe Cranston, Anti-Slavery International (London): +44 7789 936 383, c.cranston@antislavery.org Johnson Yeung, Clean Clothes Campaign (Hong Kong): +852 6124 5154, johnson-eac@cleanclothes.org
Nazly Sobhi Damasio, Global Labor Justice – International Labor Rights Forum, +1 (312) 687-8360, nazly@globallaborjustice.org
Mer informasjon:
Grupper søker følgende forpliktelser fra selskaper og detaljister:
- Stopp innkjøp av bomull, garn, tekstiler og ferdige produkter fra Øst-Turkistan. Årsaken er at bomull og garn fra regionen brukes til å lage tekstiler og ferdige varer over hele Kina og i en rekke andre land. Det kreves at selskaper henviser sine forsyningskjeder til å ikke ta i bruk bomull og garn produsert i Øst-Turkistan.
- Kutte bånd med selskaper som er involvert i tvangsarbeid – som har virksomhet i Øst Turkistan og subsidieres av statlig arbeidskraft. F.eks.: Hong Kong Esquel Group og kinesiske selskaper som Huafu Fashion Co., Lu Thai Textile Co., Jinsheng Group Youngor Group og Shandong Ruyi Technology Group Co.
- Forby alle leverandørfabrikker som er lokalisert utenfor Øst-Turkistan i bruke uigurer eller andre tyrkisk muslimske arbeidere levert gjennom den kinesiske regjeringens tvangsarbeidearbeidsprogram.
Undersøkelser og rapporteringer fra Associated Press, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Axios, Congressional-Executive Commission on China, Global Legal Action Network og Wall Street Journal, viser at følgende klesmerker og detaljister er i mange tilfeller knyttet til det uiguriske tvangsarbeidet:
- Abercrombie & Fitch
- adidas
- Amazon
- Badger Sport (Founder Sport Group)
- C&A (Cofra Holding AG)
- Calvin Klein (PVH)
- Carter’s
- Cerruti 1881 (Trinity Limited)
- Costco
- Cotton On
- Dangerfield (Factory X Pty Ltd)
- Esprit (Esprit Holdings Ltd.)
- Fila (FILA KOREA Ltd)
- Gap
- H&M
- Hart Schaffner Marx (Authentic Brands Group)
- Ikea (Inter IKEA Systems B.V.)
- Jack & Jones (Bestseller)
- Jeanswest (Harbour Guidance Pty Ltd)
- L.L.Bean
- Lacoste (Maus Freres)
- Li-Ning
- Marks & Spencer
- Mayor
- Muji (Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd.)
- Nike
- Patagonia
- Polo Ralph Lauren (Ralph Lauren Corporation)
- Puma
- Skechers
- Summit Resource International (Caterpillar)
- Target Australia (Wesfarmers)
- Tommy Hilfiger (PVH)
- Uniqlo (Fast Retailing)
- Victoria’s Secret (L Brands)
- Woolworths (Woolworth Corporation, LLC.)
- Zara (Inditex)
- Zegna
Støttespillere av Call to Action:
- ABVV-FGTB (General Labour Federation of Belgium)
- achACT (Actions Consumers Workers)
- ACV-CSC (Confederation of Christian Trade Unions)
- ACV-CSC METEA (Metal and Textile Industries Trade Union)
- Advocates for Public Interest Law
- AFL-CIO
- Alberta Uyghur Association
- altraQualità
- Anti-Slavery International
- Arisa Foundation
- Arise Foundation
- Arzu Uigurischer Kuturverein e.V. (Azru Uyghur Cultural Association)
- Asian Solidarity Council for Freedom and Democracy
- Association des Ouïghours de France (Association of French Uyghurs)
- Athenai Institute
- Australia Tibet Council
- Australian Council of Trade Unions
- Australian East Turkestan Association
- Australian Uyghur Association
- Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women’s Association
- Austria Uyghur Association
- Azzad Asset Management
- Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers’ Federation
- Belgium Uyghur Association
- Bishkek Human Rights Committee
- Campagna Abiti Puliti
- Campaign for Uyghurs
- Canada East Turkestan Union
- Central Eurasian Studies Society
- China Aid Association
- China Labor Watch
- China Labour Bulletin
- Christian Solidarity Worldwide
- Citizen Power Initiatives for China
- Clean Clothes Campaign
- Collectif Ethique sur l’étiquette
- Comité de Apoyo al Tíbet (Tibet Support Committee)
- CORE Coalition
- Corporate Accountability Lab
- Covenants Watch
- Dabindu Collective
- Daniye Uyghur Jama’itining Wekili (Denmark Uyghur Association)
- Doğu Türkistan Basin ve Medya Derneği (East Turkistan Press and Media Association)
- Doğu Türkistan Gençlik Derneği (East Turkistan Youth Association)
- Doğu Türkistan Kültür Merkezi Duisburg (East Turkistan Cultural Center Duisburg)
- Doğu Türkistan Maarif ve Dayanimsa Derneği (East Turkistan Education and Solidarity Association)
- Doğu Türkistan Muhacirlar Derneği (East Turkistan Immigrants Association)
- Doğu Türkistan Nuzugum Kültür ve Aile Derneği (Nuzugum Culture and Family Centre)
- Doğu Türkistan Spor ve Gelişim Derneği (East Turkistan Sports and Development Association)
- Doğu Türkistan Yeni Nesil Hareketi Derneği (East Turkistan New Generation Movement)
- Dutch Uyghur Human Rights Foundation
- Dutch Uyghur, Tibet, Mongol People Cooperation Organization
- East Turkestan Union in Europe
- East Turkistan Art & Science Institute
- East Turkistan Association of Canada
- East Turkistan Cultural and Solidarity Association
- East Turkistan Foundation
- East Turkistan Human Rights Watch Association
- East Turkistan Information Center
- East Turkistan National Council
- East Turkistan Union in Europe
- Eastern Turkistan Uyghur Association in the Netherlands
- FAIR (Fair Trade Cooperative)
- Fair Action
- Fashion Roundtable
- FGTB – CG (General Union Belgium)
- FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights )
- Formosan Association for Public Affairs
- FOS (Solidarity for the socialist movement in Flanders)
- Free Tibet
- Freedom Fund
- Freedom United
- Garment Labour Union
- Gender Alliance for Development Center
- Global Aktion
- Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women
- Global Labor Justice – International Labor Rights Forum
- Global Legal Action Network
- God Bless HK
- Grupo de Apoio ao Tibete (Tibet Support Group)
- H&M Hong Kong Staff Union
- Hong Kong Global Connect
- HOPE not hate
- Human Rights in China
- Human Rights Now
- Human Rights Watch
- Humanity Beyond Borders
- Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility
- International Campaign for Tibet
- International Commission of Jurists
- International Dalit Solidarity Network
- International Service for Human Rights
- International Trade Union Confederation
- Isa Yusuf Alptekin Foundation
- Islamic Information & Services Foundation
- Ittipak Uyghur Society of the Kyrgyz Republic
- Japan Uyghur Association
- Japan Uyghur Union
- Jewish World Watch
- Justice For All
- Kazakhstan National Culture Center
- Keep Taiwan Free
- Korean House for International Solidarity
- Labour Behind the Label
- Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice
- Malaysia Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations
- Maquila Solidarity Network
- Mavi Hilal
- Minaret Foundation
- Movimento Consumatori (Consumer Movement)
- Netwerk Bewust Verbruiken (Network for Conscious Consumption)
- Norwegian Uyghur Committee (NUK)
- Open Gate La Strada Macedonia
- Pakistan Ömer Uyghur Foundation
- Peace Catalyst International
- Public Citizen
- Qutatqu Bilik Institute
- Rafto Foundation for Human Rights
- Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association
- Religious Freedom Institute
- René Cassin
- Responsible Sourcing Network
- Robert F Kennedy Human Rights
- Satuq Bughrahan Science and Culture Center
- SAVE (Social Awareness and Voluntary Education)
- Save Tibet
- Science, Education and Research Foundation
- SHARE (Shareholder Association for Research & Education)
- Shukr Foundation
- Society for Threatened Peoples
- Society Union of Uyghur National Association
- Solidarity China
- Stand with Hong Kong
- Stefanus Alliance International
- STOP THE TRAFFIK
- Südwind
- SÜDWIND-Institut
- Suomen Ita Turkestan Yhdistys (Finland East Turkistan Association)
- Sweden East Turkistan Education Association
- Sweden Mahmut Kashgeri Mother Tongue School
- Sweden Uyghur Education Association
- T’ruah
- Taiwan Association for Human Rights
- Taklimakan Islamiska Kultur Center
- TERRE DES FEMMES Schweiz
- The Rights Practice
- Tibet Justice Center
- Tibet Support Group
- Tibetan Youth Association in Europe
- Trades Union Congress
- Uighur U.K. Association
- Uigurischer Veren Schweiz (Swiss Uyghur Association)
- Uiguriska Utbildingsföreningen (Uyghur Education Association)
- UK Uyghur Community
- United Students Against Sweatshops
- Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
- Unseen UK
- US Tibet Committee
- Uyghur Academy
- Uyghur Academy America
- Uyghur Academy Australia
- Uyghur Academy Europe
- Uyghur Aid
- Uyghur American Association
- Uyghur Association of Victoria
- Uyghur Collective
- Uyghur Democracy and Human Rights Center
- Uyghur Forum
- Uyghur Human Rights Project
- Uyghur Media Center
- Uyghur Mothers’ Union in Germany
- Uyghur Radio TV
- Uyghur Rally
- Uyghur Relief Fund
- Uyghur Research Institute
- Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project
- Uyghur Solidarity Campaign
- Uyghur Support Group Netherlands
- Uyghur Transitional Justice Database
- Uyghur Youth Union in Kazakhstan
- Uzbekistan Uyghur Culture Center
- Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation
- Victoria Hong Kong Tertiary Student Association
- Walk Free
- We Social Movements
- Worker Rights Consortium
- World Uyghur Congress
- The Norwegian Tibet-Committee
- Hong Kong Committee in Norway
- Norwegian Taiwanese Friendship Association