Researcher details Uighur exploitation within Xinjiang's compulsory labor system
Spilling the Beans on Forced Labor in Xinjiang
In an exclusive chat with Mediazona Central Asia, anthropologist Rune Steenberg, who researches the Uighur population in Xinjiang, spills the beans on the hidden world of coerced labor in the region.
MZ: How did you uncover the forced labor regime in Xinjiang?
Steenberg: I collaborated with German journalists on issues like forced labor, cotton picking, and clothing production. I also interviewed people who were imprisoned in "re-education" camps and compelled to work there. Furthermore, I have some understanding of the labor transfer programs in Xinjiang.
MZ: Let's delve deeper into the involuntary labor system in Xinjiang.
Steenberg: Three types of forced labor are at work in Xinjiang, each with varying degrees of coercion. The most pressured labor takes place in prisons, where prisoners can be forced to work for decades without pay. Those confined in camps or transferred to closed factories are also forced to work, creating clothing, food, and other items without receiving any remuneration, but the conditions aren't as harsh as in prison.
Some prisoners are offered "liberation" by being transferred to inland China to work in factories. Here, they sign a contract and get paid a meager salary, but it is still better than the conditions in camps or prisons. The number of people who have experienced this is unknown.
Another type of coerced labor is the labor transfer programs, where local residents, mostly Uighurs, are "recruited" to work in various factories, fields, or elsewhere. Some are forced to participate, while others sign up for the work to earn a low salary. Getting a job in Xinjiang is now difficult, especially for Uighurs without much education, making many of them feel compelled to join these programs.
MZ: Speaking of the West, how do western firms profit from this forced labor?
Steenberg: These companies don't use forced labor directly, but it occurs somewhere in their supply chains. The capitalist system is built in a way that makes it hard to trace where the raw materials come from. Many firms claim they don't know the origin of their products, but they profit by sourcing cheap items due to the use of forced labor. Beyond cotton, polysilicon for solar cells, used by many large companies, is another example.
MZ: You've researched cotton from Xinjiang. Can you discuss your methods?
Steenberg: We interviewed people in Xinjiang's cotton industry and learned about the use of forced labor during harvesting and early processing. While isotopic analysis cannot pinpoint where exactly the cotton was harvested, it shows that many clothes contain cotton from Xinjiang. We also analyzed satellite images of cotton fields to monitor cotton picking speed, providing evidence that forced labor is used beyond harvesting.
We need to revise our understanding of forced labor. In Xinjiang, many people have contracts, get paid, but they are under political pressure to work, with no alternatives. Consequently, this might still qualify as forced labor. We must think more deeply about the terms we use and create better tools for analyzing these types of labor. The Xinjiang case can help us re-evaluate the definition and legal framework surrounding forced labor.
Note: This interview has been adapted from the original version published by Mediazona Central Asia.*
- Amidst discussions on Xinjiang's forced labor regime, it's crucial to note that the lapse in Western firms' policies and legislation has resulted in their indirect profit from this issue.
- In addition to industries like clothing production, the use of forced labor extends to the production of food in Xinjiang, a fact that highlights the necessity for stricter general-news coverage on policy-and-legislation concerning human rights.
