China will launch a nationwide crackdown on illegal labor
practices from July to August, focusing on small brick kilns, coal
mines, and workshops, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security
said on Wednesday.
The two-month crackdown comes as the issue of forced labor at
brick kilns in northern Shanxi Province shocked the country.
Investigations into slavery and forced labor will be another
focus of the campaign.
Necessary medical care and compensation should be given to the
rescued slave laborers, the notice said, noting that any government
officials involved in forced labor scandals would be punished
severely.
A total of 359 people, including 12 children, have been rescued
from illegal brick kilns in Shanxi Province, the joint
investigation group announced last Friday.
Liu Jinguo, vice minister of Public Security, said at the
meeting that the ministry will further investigate into forced
labor by checking the registrations of migrant workers in small
brick kilns, coal mines, and workshops in the countryside.
"More efforts will be made to crack down on illegal labor
agencies and foremen to curb the use of forced labor," Liu said,
adding that the ministry will post a phone number and e-mail
address to receive illegal labor information.
By June 18, Chinese police have detained 168 people accused of
holding workers in slavery under appalling conditions at small
brick kilns and mines in Shanxi and central Henan provinces.
The use of slave workers hit the headlines after a
"call-for-help" letter was posted on the Web earlier this month by
more than 400 parents in Henan who believed their missing children
had been sold to the small brick kilns as slave workers.
(Xinhua News Agency June 28, 2007)
