Six civil servants in N China being investigated for forced labor scandal

Source: Xinhua


HONGTONG, Shanxi, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Six civil servants in connection with the forced labor scandal in north China's Shanxi Province are being investigated for dereliction, sources with the local procuratorate said on Saturday.

The six people include Wei Xiong, head of the land and resources office of Guangshengsi town of Hongtong county; Cao Jun, another official with the office; Guo Weimin and Wei Shihong, both vice head of the industry and commerce office of Guangshengsi; andlocal policemen Xi Zhiqiang and Li Ding.

Wei Xiong and Cao Jun failed to close down the brick kiln afterthey learnt of its illegal operation.

Guo Weimin and Wei Shihong were suspected of making no inspections to the brick kilns, resulting in the rampancy of illegal kilns.



Read more: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-06/23/content_6282470.htm

Betcha....

One was most likely not of the right class, one got picked when the office had to draw straws, one probably was the whistle-blower, one was a tad shy under in office production quota, one probably got called into the office and got picked and the last one was one minute late to work.

Hey, there would NEVER have been any labor scandal in China but for these "bad apples!" They have made the entire country look bad.

Bad, bad apples. :spank:

Hmmm. Sounds like the Chinese people have the same kind of government/media problem we have ;) Or is that the other way around?

That news-byte does not seem as shocking and important as the underlying fact of common, forced, government labor that is a substantial part of the GNP there and a source of our wonderful, Wal-Mote low, low prices.

Forced Prison Labor in China

http://www.epm.org/articles/laogai.html

The labor reform system, called the "Laogaidui," in the People's Republic of China consists of three categories: convicted labor reform ("Laogai"), reeducation through labor ("Laojiao"), and forced job placement ("jiuye"). What makes the situation of the Laogaidui unique is the fact that it has become an essential part of China's GNP and is becoming indispensable to China's economic health. The People's Republic of China has a vested interest in continuing and expanding the Laogaidui, as it is profitable within China and is a way of bringing in money from the West.

While no one would argue that a communist state like China has a different approach to labor for its citizens, the Laogaidui doesn't even follow the laws of China. Further, though the International community has tried to address the Human Right's abuses of the Laogaidui, China has refused to cooperate or given only minimal assistance. There are over 1,200 labor camps right now in China and the estimated number of forced laborers is in the millions. China has played with definitions, delayed in responding to requests for inspection, and simply ignored the promises it has made. Apparently, this has worked. With the exception of shipments here and there being turned away at U.S.Ports because they can be traced to forced labor, most goods make it to market. Christmas tree lights, auto parts, textile goods are only some of the items to be considered. And this, of course, ignores the fact that a lot of the forced labor goods stay in country and support the system of legitimate export goods.