Author and Uyghur advocate Jewher Ilham discusses authoritarianism in China, challenges for Uyghurs, forced labor issues, financial censorship, preserving Uyghur culture, and the potential role of Bitcoin in helping the Uyghur community. She also shares personal experiences with the surveillance state in China and the difficulties faced by her family members imprisoned in China.
Challenges in uncovering forced labor likened to modern-day slavery, highlighting the difficulties in addressing practices.
Financial censorship in China and the importance of preserving Uyghur culture amidst surveillance state threats.
Deep dives
Johar Ilham's Advocacy and Story
Johar Ilham, an advocate for the Uighur community, intensively campaigned for her father, Uighur economist Ilham Toti. She testified before the U.S. Congress, published op-eds in renowned publications, and garnered international recognition on his behalf. Ilham released two books detailing their fight for freedom and works at the Workers Rights Consortium, actively opposing Uighur forced labor. Her current role includes coordinating force labor projects and advocating for the Coalition to End Uighur Force Labor.
Repressive Policies in the Uighur Region
During her appearance at the Oslo Freedom Forum, Johar discussed China's repressive actions in the Uighur region, focusing on human rights violations, detentions, forced labor, and ethnic targeting. She highlighted the lack of freedom of speech and expression in China, especially for Turkic ethnic minorities and Han Chinese. Johar detailed the government's justification for mass detentions based on extremist thoughts, emphasizing the absence of true justification for these actions.
Implications of Chinese Government Policies
The Chinese government's repressive policies in the Uighur region are driven by geopolitical interests, emphasizing control and access to natural resources. The government's targeting of Uighurs and Han Chinese reflects power consolidation and a perceived threat to the regime. By labeling Uighurs as extremists and terrorists, the government justifies imprisonment and oppression, leading to widespread international concern and calls for action.
Forced Labor and Corporate Accountability
The podcast delves into the presence of forced labor in multinational corporations, especially linked to Uighur workers in China. Companies operating in the region, knowingly or unknowingly, contribute to forced labor practices. Despite reports and awareness efforts, some corporations turn a blind eye to labor exploitation, reinforcing the need for unified international standards and consumer activism to eradicate forced labor from supply chains.
(05:45) Why there hasn't been support for the Uyghurs
(09:44) How companies operate in the Uyghur region
(09:53) Discussion on forced labor conditions, likening it to modern-day slavery, and the challenges in uncovering and addressing forced labor practices.
(14:22) Challenges with advocating for the Uyghurs
(17:09) The surveillance state in China
(20:25) Financial censorship in China
(26:05) Preserving the Uyghur culture
(27:58) Circumventing oppression in China
(32:34) Could Bitcoin help the Uyghurs?
(43:04) Jewher's family in China
(50:26) Taking action against companies linked to forced labor
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