Radio Free Asia conducted an investigation that revealed nearly 90 Uyghur teenage girl are imprisoned in a Chinese run garment factory. There, they face physical and verbal abuse every day and work for 14 hours aday, seven days aweek. RFA cited four sources including a village head and factory security chief who said that the Wanhe Garment Co Ltd, located in Maralbeshi County, has a secret contract with the Yarkant 2nd Vocational High School nearby, under which girls aged between 16-18 are forced to work there against their will.
The village chief, a female in charge of convincing the parents that the girls can work there, said local authorities had urged parents to not object. Plant workers, including a few men as well as dozens of women aged 30-40, are prohibited from leaving.
The girls have to stay in the dormitories of the factory. The majority of workers are Uyghurs. However, only 15 Chinese came to the factory from other places. An official from the village said the Uyghur woman Tursungul Memtimin is keeping the girls in line. The girls refer to her as “teacher”. RFA reports that she insults, criticizes, and at times even hits these girls with a bat.
“The teacher is well known for her bad temper. “She uses a bat to physically harm the workers,” said she. The official said that “the workers are terrified of her and because the environment is so intimidating, they don’t dare to escape.”
This revelation coincides with mounting evidence that Uyghurs are being forced to work in Xinjiang. There is also suspicion that this forced labour may be exploited by large companies. Inditex, parent company to Zara, Uniqlo and Mercedes-Benz as well as BMW and Volkswagen have been under increased scrutiny for ensuring that Uyghurs aren’t being forced into labour.
Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act: The law, which was passed in December 20, requires American companies who import products from Xinjiang, to prove that the goods were not made using Uyghur slave labour. (ANI)
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