中国新疆、少数民族を「奴隷」化か　国連特別報告者

【ジュネーブＡＦＰ＝時事】国連の小保方智也・特別報告者（現代的形態の奴隷制担当）は１６日に発表した報告書で、中国の新疆ウイグル自治区で少数民族が農業や製造業などの分野で強制労働に従事させられており、「人道に対する罪としての奴隷制」に相当する可能性があると指摘した。（写真は資料写真）
　中国政府は、新疆ウイグル自治区で１００万人以上のウイグル人やその他のイスラム系少数民族を拘束し、強制労働をさせたり、女性に対する避妊手術を強制したりしていると非難されている。
　小保方氏は報告書で、シンクタンクやＮＧＯの報告や被害者の証言に基づき、二つの「国家から課された制度」で強制労働が起きたと指摘。一つは、少数民族を拘束して職業研修を課す職業技能教育訓練所制度、もう一つは、農村部の労働者を「第２次・第３次労働」に移行させる貧困削減政策だとした。
　過剰な監視や劣悪な生活・労働環境など、労働者に対して行使された権力の性質と範囲は「人道に対する罪としての奴隷制に相当する可能性があり、さらなる分析に値する」と結論した。
　これを受け、中国外務省の汪文斌報道官は１７日、小保方氏が「米国や（中略）反中勢力によって作られたうそや偽情報を信じることを選んだ」と非難。少数民族の権利は守られていると主張した。
　中国は、新疆ウイグル自治区での職業技能教育訓練所運営について、住民が過激な思想に染まるのを防ぐためと以前から主張している。習近平国家主席は先月、同自治区を視察し、改革と開発で「偉大なる進歩」を成し遂げたとたたえている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/08/19-11:33）

Minorities have been drafted into forced labour in China's Xinjiang region in sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing, a report by an independent UN expert has concluded, in what it said could amount to enslavement as a crime against humanity.
Beijing has been accused of detaining over a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang, as well as carrying out forced sterilisation of women and coerced labour.
The United States and lawmakers in other western countries have gone as far as accusing China of committing genocide against the minority groups, allegations that Beijing denies.
The report released Tuesday by UN special rapporteur on modern slavery Tomoya Obokata pointed to two distinct state-mandated systems in China in which forced labour has occurred, citing think tank and NGO reports as well as victims.
One is a vocational skills education and training centre system in which minorities are detained and subject to work placements, while another involves attempts to reduce poverty through labour transfer, in which rural workers are moved into secondary or tertiary work.
While these programmes may create employment opportunities for minorities and enhance their incomes... the special rapporteur considers that indicators of forced labour pointing to the involuntary nature of work rendered by affected communities have been present in many cases, the report said.
The nature and extent of powers exercised over the workers -- including excessive surveillance and abusive living and working conditions -- could amount to enslavement as a crime against humanity, meriting a further independent analysis, it said.
The report noted a similar labour transfer system exists in Tibet, where the programme has shifted mainly farmers, herders and other rural workers into low-skilled and low-paid employment.
Special rapporteurs are independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, but who do not speak on behalf of the world body.
China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Wednesday accused Obokata of choosing to believe lies and disinformation fabricated by the US... as well as anti-China forces.
Insisting that minorities' rights were protected, Wang slammed the UN special rapporteur for viciously smearing China and acting as a political tool for anti-China forces.
China has long claimed it was running vocational training centres in Xinjiang designed to counter extremism, with President Xi Jinping visiting the region last month and hailing the great progress made in reform and development.
In May, the United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet concluded a rare six-day visit to China that also took her to Xinjiang.
Her trip was criticised by the United States and major rights groups for a lack of firmness towards Beijing, with critics saying she visited more as a diplomat rather than a human rights champion.
Bachelet is due to publish a long-awaited report on the issue before she steps down at the end of the month.