Uighur advocacy groups applaud US expansion of import ban on products linked to forced labor

The East Turkistan National Movement, dedicated to highlighting human rights abuses against Uighur Muslims and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, has welcomed the US government’s decision to ban goods produced with forced labor of Uighurs.

In a post on X, the group noted, “Currently, 73 Chinese entities have been added to the Entity List of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. We urge a blanket ban on all products made in China.”

We appreciate @DHSgovban on goods made from #Uighur #slavelabor,#bonded labourTo date, a total of 73 Chinese entities have been added to the Entity List of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. We urge everyone #made in China Items which will be banned.https://t.co/UhfJlJYZxe

— East Turkistan National Movement (@ETNational) August 9, 2024

Similarly, the Center for Uyghur Studies reacted to the US decision to extend import restrictions on additional Chinese companies accused of human rights abuses against Uyghur citizens.

On social media platform X, the center said that “these companies have been added to the Uighur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List, which restricts imports from what the US government describes as the ongoing genocide of minorities in China’s western Xinjiang region. The list now includes more than 70 entities linked to products including cotton apparel, automotive parts, vinyl flooring, and solar panels.”

“These companies are included on the Uighur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List, which bans imports linked to what the US government describes as an ongoing genocide of minorities in China’s western Xinjiang region.

The list now includes more than 70 organizations associated with the products…

— Center for Uyghur Studies (@CUyghurstudy) August 9, 2024

The US government has recently extended import restrictions on additional Chinese companies over alleged human rights abuses involving Uighur citizens.

The Department of Homeland Security has revealed that five new companies have been added to its blacklist as part of its ongoing effort to eliminate goods made with forced labor from the US supply chain. The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List is a designation made under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), a piece of US law that aims to address and prevent the use of forced labor from Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities in China’s Xinjiang region.

The Centre for Uyghur Studies also said the list includes entities involved in colluding with the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region government to recruit and transport Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz or other persecuted groups out of the region. It also includes people who receive materials from the region or from individuals associated with the Xinjiang government.

The Center for Uyghur Studies is an organization dedicated to researching and raising awareness of human rights abuses faced by Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities in China, particularly the Xinjiang region.

Detailed reports show that Uighurs and other ethnic minorities are detained in facilities that China calls “re-education camps”, though many international observers classify them as internment or detention centers.

These facilities are reportedly used to train detainees and suppress their cultural and religious practices. Detainees in these camps are subjected to forced labor under harsh conditions. Evidence suggests they are forced to work in a variety of sectors, including textiles, electronics, and agriculture, often working long hours for minimal pay. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has documented the systematic detention and forced labor of Uighurs in Xinjiang, highlighting serious human rights abuses.

Additionally, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) has published an in-depth report on forced labour in Xinjiang’s textile industry, linking Uighur workers to major global brands.