A group of smugglers who were kidnapped disabled then sold as slave labor to a company of construction materials. E 'occurred in the northern Chinese province of Xinjiang, a Chinese media report the news that, yesterday, denounced the latest case of slavery and labor camps in the territory of the Asian giant.The newspapers speak of 11 men, eight of them with learning problems, sold as slaves in a factory and was kept in prison for three years, and atrocious living conditions without pay. Victims tell stories of hunger, grueling shifts, nonexistent sanitation and harsh punishment for those who could not stand the pace.
One of the men kidnapped, Wang Li, 40 years old and originally from the province of Heilongjiang, Xinjiang Metropolitan told the newspaper that he tried to escape twice during his captivity. Both attempts failed, and was resumed when it suffered heavy blows. However, those who were not so quick to work was "encouraged" with beatings and electric shocks.
The slaves did not receive any further payment. Peng Gengui is another of the disabled who lived in slavery to the field. "Typically, if they follow the rules will not beat you," he said. He added that the living conditions were bad and that he and the others lived in a constant state of malnutrition: "They gave us to eat meat only when we were too weak to work." The factory in question, which is located in the city of Dazhou, has denied any wrongdoing and, through its owner, Li Xinlin, said that workers were legally employed by a specialized agency of the province of Sichuan.
"Zeng Lingquan has set up the agency, which recruits and transferring employees across the country and allow these people who are not able to manage themselves, to build a life for themselves," said Li. Previously, he also showed reporters a Chinese contract which stated that the agency Zeng received a payment of 9000 yuan (just over € 1000) plus a 300 yuan monthly for each worker - although the prisoners do not receive anything .
One of the clauses also provided for a fee of 1000 yuan for the company, if the employee were to disappear. Chinese police are now looking for them. His factory, which shreds and pulverizes the rocks to make building materials, was unknown to investigators dealing with traffic of people in China, but this is just the latest in a series of similar cases in their tragedy.
Three years ago a large police operation led to the release of more than 450 Chinese citizens, including many children, slaves of unscrupulous owners who used them as cheap labor in their brick factories. Many of the freed men showed burns, fractures, serious illnesses and psychological conditions.
According to some regional media, the managing agency, Zeng, had a history of this type to have in the past, disabled sold to a factory in another province of China, Hunan. Police sources claimed that this case represents only "the tip of the iceberg." The groups of slave owners have a great power in these regions, taking advantage of the few who exercise government control, the vastness of the territory and often using extreme methods of coercion.
Last year, Chinese police have arrested some traffickers suspected of killing their disabled workers through "accident" staged to force business owners to pay them the compensation figures. Geoff Crothall, China Labour Bulletin Ong of Hong Kong, specializing in workers' rights in China, said: "These people are easy prey for traffickers, and even if they are caught and released, the authorities release them then dump them where they believe they have come.
"Often [the freedmen] are heavily traumatized and do not know how to fit back into normal society. Remain on the margins, and are kidnapped again. "Weina Meng, a Beijing NGO that works with people with learning difficulties, says the government must show more involvement in the matter. "It 's many years of talking about them - he says -.
The government must make concrete progress to resolve the problem. The police did not investigate a case unless it is denounced, and many of these people are not even able to sue. "David Ghilotti
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