A <\/span>report<\/span><\/a> released this week by UN Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery Tomoya Obokata stated that it is \u201c<\/span>reasonable to conclude<\/span><\/a>\u201d that there is forced labor in Xinjiang, and that certain instances of it \u201cmay amount to enslavement as a <\/span>crime against humanity<\/span><\/a>.\u201d Separate from the long-overdue Xinjiang report by <\/span>UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michlle Bachelet<\/span><\/a>, which is expected to appear before she steps down at the end of this month, this report on forced labor provides one of the strongest critiques to date of China\u2019s human rights policies in the region. Bloomberg summarized <\/span>the report\u2019s main conclusions regarding forced labor in Xinjiang<\/strong><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe special rapporteur regards it as reasonable to conclude that forced labor among Uyghur, Kazakh and other ethnic minorities in sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing has been occurring in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China,\u201d Obokata\u2019s report said. Similar policies were in place in Tibet, according to the report, which was dated July 19 and posted on Obokata\u2019s Twitter feed Tuesday.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

[…] Obokata\u2019s report outlined two labor systems in Xinjiang, including one in which minorities were detained and subjected to work placements to give them vocational skills, education and training. Separately, surplus rural laborers are transferred into secondary- or tertiary-sector work as part of a poverty-alleviation program.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGiven the nature and extent of powers exercised over affected workers during forced labor, including excessive surveillance, abusive living and working conditions, restriction of movement through internment, threats, physical and\/or sexual violence and other inhuman or degrading treatment, some instances may amount to enslavement as a crime against humanity, meriting a further independent analysis,\u201d Obokata\u2019s report said. [<\/span>Source<\/strong><\/a>]<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In February, the <\/span>International Labor Organization (ILO) published a report<\/span><\/a> expressing its \u201cdeep concerns\u201d about China\u2019s labor policies in Xinjiang, which include \u201ccoercive measures\u201d indicative of forced labor. The ILO report was one of many cited in the Special Rapporteur\u2019s this week. Finbarr Bermingham from the South China Morning Post explained <\/span>the background of the Special Rapporteur and the significance of his report<\/strong><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

While it does not represent an official UN position \u2013 rapporteurs are independent appointees asked to investigate specific rights issues in specific regions and make recommendations \u2013 it is among the most critical of China\u2019s human rights record to have come from within the body.<\/span><\/p>\n

Obokata\u2019s assessment was made following an \u201cindependent assessment of available information, including submissions by stakeholders, independent academic research, open sources, testimonies of victims, consultations with stakeholders, and accounts provided by the government\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

[…] Obokata is a Japanese scholar of international law and human rights, specialising in transnational organised crime, human trafficking and modern slavery.<\/span><\/p>\n

He was appointed as the special rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences, in March 2020, and has previously worked on human rights issues for the British government, the European Union and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Japan. [<\/span>Source<\/strong><\/a>]<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

My report to #HRC51<\/a> on contemporary #slavery<\/a> affecting #minorities<\/a> is now available \u2b07\ufe0fhttps:\/\/t.co\/jtBCdUz3Yo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I highlight vulnerabilities & exploitation among #Uyghur<\/a>, #Yazidi<\/a>, #Rohingya<\/a> & #Roma<\/a> people, #Dalits<\/a>\/#CDWD<\/a>, people of #AfricanDescent<\/a>, #migrantworkers<\/a> & more.<\/p>\n

— UN Special Rapporteur Tomoya Obokata (@TomObokata) August 16, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n