The March 1 news article “In China, Uighurs brought to toil in factories supplying American brands” named Nike, an American brand, based on a larger report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, “Uyghurs For Sale.” As an American citizen, I am deeply troubled that we continue to come across American companies shamelessly profiting from the forced labor of Uighur and other persecuted communities in China.

As a Uighur American, it affects me personally. My family has been trying to track down our relatives for the past three years. We can name 93 relatives with whom we have lost contact. We do not know how many are alive or dead. It hurts me deeply to think that Nike shoes might have been made by my own relatives, forced to work in one of these factories.

We must continue to expose these corporations, and the corporations must stop sourcing from forced labor camps. Let China know we are aware and will be taking action. Uighurs will be thankful — those here in the United States and those free of being modern-day slaves.

Aydin Anwar, Fairfax

The writer is outreach manager for the
Save Uighur Campaign.

Source:https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/american-companies-must-stop-sourcing-from-chinese-forced-labor-camps/2020/03/09/b9cf096a-5fb7-11ea-ac50-18701e14e06d_story.html