An investigation launched by Canada’s ethics watchdog into allegations of a gold mining company and Nike Canada, in their China operation have benefited from Uygur forced labour.
Complaints filed by a combination of human rights groups have initiated the watchdog’s prob, however Nike informed that they have severed ties with the company allegedly accused of using Uyghur forced labour. These claims unearthed only after they have exited the region, says Dynasty Gold.
Beijing denies the accusations that China had committed “serious human right violations” against an ethnic Muslim minority population “Uyghurs”, residing in the region of Xinjiang, “may constitute international crimes, specifically crimes against humanity”.
Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) announced, since the launch of the complaint mechanism in 2021, this is the first such investigation.
CORE claims that Nike Canada Corp, having supply dealings with a number of Chinese companies as benefitting or using from Uyghur forced labour, an Australian think tank identified.
A report published by Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), the think tank in 2020, estimated that over 80,000 Uyghurs had been relocated to factories across China to work. No concrete evidence was presented to ensure beyond a reasonable doubt that no forced labour is implicated in their supply chain.
Nike informs that they currently have no dealings with these companies and supplied information on their business practices.
The report indicate that Nike avoided meetings with the watchdog, but informed with a document that they are troubled regarding reports of forced labour in, and associated to, the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). The document further states, Nike does not use products from the XUAR, and established with the contracted suppliers that they are not utilizing spur yarn or textiles from the region concerned.
The report in regard to Dynasty Gold proposes that it gained from the use of Uyghur forced labour in China, at a mine in which the mining company holds a majority interest. However, the mining company informed with regard to the mining site, they have no operational control and the allegations ascended after leaving the region.
Beside the ones against Dynasty Gold and Nike, there were 11 other complaints, the watchdog will issue reports on soon.
