News

Cotton Production in Turkmenistan: Use of Forced Labor in an Inefficient System

Amsterdam/Vienna, 23 March 2021. Two Turkmen non-governmental organizations, turkmen.news and the Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights, have today published their joint Review of the Use of Forced Labor in Turkmenistan During the 2020 Cotton Harves. The report is based on monitoring by the NGOs’ staff in four of the five regions of Turkmenistan — Ahal, Dashoguz, Lebap, and Mary.

UZBEKISTAN COTTON HARVEST 2020: HIGHLIGHTS – VIDEO

Despite significant progress on the eradication of forced labor in Uzbekistan’s cotton sector, new challenges have come to light since the privatization process began. Hundreds of thousands of hectares of farmland have now been transferred to private operators (clusters) leaving many farming families without work and in poverty. Because only one cluster operates per district, farmers who have retained their land are now trapped in contracts to deliver cotton to the cluster in their district, leaving them without the power to negotiate favorable terms. Instead of the state, de facto private monopolies have emerged that control entire districts.

Fashion Brands Urged to Boycott Turkmenistan’s Cotton

Global fashion brands have been yet again pressed to avoid cotton from Turkmenistan after a new investigation emerged last week revealing how last year’s harvest was once more mired in forced labour, corruption and persecution of activists, Ecotextile News reported.

JOINT STATEMENT REGARDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INDEPENDENT TRADE UNION IN UZBEKISTAN

On March 19, 2021, over 200 employees of Indorama Agro in the Syrdarya region of Uzbekistan held a meeting to establish the independent trade union, “Xalq Birligi” (People’s Unity), the first of its kind in the country. The documents required for formal registration of the union will be filed with the Ministry of Justice in the coming days. Xalq Birligi will be open to any employees of Indorama Agro who wish to join.

Harassment, Bullying, and Violence against Women in Uzbekistan.

The issues of harassment, bullying, and violence against women in Uzbekistan are being covered with greater frequency in the national mass media. Lately, events involving a Polish lady reporter who was going through the process of extending her accreditation and faced harassment became a subject of a broad discussion. And while the accreditation issue was eventually dealt with in a most expeditious manner, the allegations of harassment were never investigated and the perpetrator was never brought to justice.

Cotton workers form the first independent trade union in Uzbekistan

The first independent and democratic trade union organization has been formed in Uzbekistan. On March 19, 2021, 335 workers from the Indorama cotton plantations founded “Xalq Birligi” (Peoples’ Unity) in response to low wages and deteriorating working conditions in the transnational company, Indorama.

The Kazakh Authorities Continue Their Crack-Down on Independent Unions

The persecution of independent trade unions continues in the Republic of Kazakhstan. On February 5, 2021, by decision of Judge Kasharbekova A.U. of the Specialised Inter-District Economic Court of the City of Shymkent, the activities of the Sectoral Union of Fuel and Energy Workers were suspended for a period of six months. The Court decision has been appealed, yet high-ranking State officials speak of its coming into force even before the appeal was examined. This is the position explicitly expressed in a letter to the workers of Oil Construction Company, Ltd. dated February 10, 2021, signed by Akmadi Sorbasov, First Deputy Minister for Labour and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Employees of Indorama Agro LLC established an independent union - March 19, 2021

On March 19, 2021, over 200 employees of Indorama Agro LLC gathered in Sardoba in Syrdarya region to hold a founding meeting to establish an independent trade union. The employees were forced to hold the meeting outside as they were refused entry to a previously agreed conference room 20 minutes prior to the start of the meeting because of “urgent” repairs. It was agreed that employees could use another room, but the electricity was then unexpectedly cut off for reasons unknown.

WILL INDORAMA AGRO STAND IN THE WAY OF UZBEKISTAN’S FIRST INDEPENDENT TRADE UNION?

Indorama issues its agricultural workers, who work all year round, with “civil legal agreements”, as opposed to employment contracts. They are thus considered seasonal and not permanent workers which means that they have no entitlement to social protections such as sick pay, social benefits or holiday pay.

PUBLIC CALL FROM BIR BUINO KYRGYZSTAN TO MARIPOV U.A., PRIME-MINISTER OF THE KR

We have carefully reviewed the 100-day Plan of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic. We welcome the new steps to improve social and economic situation of the country. We hope that you will take into consideration the recommendations that concern vulnerable groups of citizens who have been waiting for years, since the revolutions, decision-making process one the part of new authorities, with equal participation of activists from the communities to the national levels. We kindly request you to focus attention on labor inequality and importance of partnership of government and business with independent trade unions to protect the rights of workers, living in the Kyrgyz Republic and abroad. It is important to urgently abolish the list of prohibited professions for women.