Human Rights: February 2007 Archives

It is well known that wall mart exploit labours. But Indian Government including the communist rulers of West Bengal are about to give a red carpet welcome to India camouflaged with Bharatia, its Indian face. What happened to the slogan, "workers of the world unite"? - Proutist Universal

Feb 21: Worker Rights Consortium Report released. (Read More)

UPDATE Jan 9: Strikers encounter another Another Attack on Jan 9 (Read More)

Workers at Chong Won Fashion International, a Wal-Mart factory in the Philippines, go on strike September 25, 2006 . (Read Press Release)

Since 2004 the workers at Chong Won Fashion International in the Philippines have fought for the right to bargain with management and yet they have continued to be ignored and pushed to the side. The workers sought support from the International Labor Rights Fund and Maquila Solidarity Network. ILRF and MSN immediately contacted Wal-Mart as the primary buyer at the factory. MSN clearly stated what the expectations of Wal-Mart were which included meeting with the union leaders and a local NGO Worker's Assistance Center.

Unfortunately Wal-Mart continued to play its usual games where they say one thing and do the total opposite.

BEIXINZHUANG, China - Christmas was just two days away and snow was falling when the five factory girls finished their shift. They'd been working for 12 hours, it was already after 1 a.m., and their dorm was freezing cold. One of them ran out to grab a bucket and some burning coal. The room warmed slightly. They drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, none of them woke up. They had been poisoned by the fumes. But their parents believe at least two of the girls died much more horrible deaths.

They charge that the owner of the canvas-making factory was so impatient to cover up the fact that three of the unconscious workers were underage that he rushed the girls into caskets while some were still alive.

"You see the damage on the corner of the box, the bruises on the side of her head, and the vomit in her hair?" said Jia Haimin, the mother of 14-year-old Wang Yajuan, pointing to pictures of her daughter lying in a cardboard casket stained with vomit and appearing to show evidence of a struggle. "Dead people can't bang their heads against the box. Dead people can't vomit. My child was still alive when they put her in there."

"They stood up together to protect the honor of the sound that issued from the lips of a new-born babe churning the very core of his existence, the utterance that sanctified for him his first lesson of humanity" (~ Hasan Hafizur Rahaman ~)

There are certain days which remain ever memorable and sacred to certain communities. This applies to the 21st February. On this very day the people of East Bengal attained martyrdom by fomenting a revolution to save Bengali language as the official language of their country.

Industries have just started drawing 0.031 MAcF of water, and already the farmers are feeling the effects. And they are outraged that the government, instead of attempting to provide irrigation to the dry command areas, is blindly advocating industrial supply. "We invited all the MLAs and MPs of the area to the chetabani samavesh. It will become clear whether they are sincere in supporting the masses in this ultimate fight for survival; otherwise their duplicity will be exposed," declares Lingaraj. Clearly, the battle lines have been drawn and the region appears to be headed towards greater conflict. Unless something is done about the government's apathy towards the problem, a war over water is inevitable. - Ranjan Panda