Context:
EU mulls sweeping forced labour
Recent issue:
There has been increasing instances of big corporations’ link to forced labour from supply chains based in Xinjiang.
Uyghur Forced Labor:
- Uyghur Forced Labor – Forced labour prevailing in the Xinjiang region of China, involving the Uyghur minority.
- Mostly employed in – Agricultural sector
- Dealt under – Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act (UFLPA), 2021 (US law)
- Presumes that all inbound imports sourced from Xinjiang were produced using forced labour and labels them “high priority” areas.
- Requires public companies to certify to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that their products are free from forced labour from Xinjiang
Other attempts at preventing Forced Labour:
- Viewed as a discriminatory measure under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.
- International Labour Organisation (ILO) has defined forced labour and concentrate its enforcement on large companies.
- A separate EU-wide Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, targeting social, environmental and human rights abuses in supply chains
Uyghur Muslims:
- Uyghurs – Muslim minority Turkic ethnic group, whose origins can be traced to Central and East Asia.
- Concentrated in – Xinjiang region of China (also lives in the neighbouring Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan)
- Distinct Features –
- Speak language similar to Turkish and see themselves as ethnically close to Central Asian nations.
- One of the 55 officially recognized ethnic minority communities in China.
- Issue – China recognises the community only as a regional minority and rejects that they are an indigenous group.
Xinjiang Province:
- Xinjiang – Xinjiang is technically an autonomous region within China
- Significance of the region –
- China’s largest region, rich in minerals
- Shares borders with 8 countries – India, Pakistan, Russia, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Tajikistan.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Consider the following pairs:
Region often in news Country
1. Chechnya Russian Federation
2. Darfur Mali
3. Swat Valley Iraq
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2014 Prelims]
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a)
Explanation:
Pair 2 is incorrect. Darfur region lies in the western part of Sudan.
Pair 3 is incorrect. Swat Valley is located in northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
