The ****trait of a Slave Trading "Olympic Host" -- 6 Chinese civil
servants being investigated for allegedly ****rking duties in slave scandal
International Herald Tribune
6 Chinese civil servants being investigated for allegedly ****rking
duties in slave scandal
The Associated Press
Sunday, June 24, 2007
BEIJING: Six Chinese officials and police officers are being
investigated for allegedly ****rking their duties in connection with a
growing slave labor scandal that has shocked the country, state media
said Sunday.
The six in Hongtong country in northern China's Shanxi province include
two policemen, the head of the local land and resources office and
another official with the office, as well as two officials with the
local industry and commerce office, Xinhua News Agency re****ted.
Before Sunday, authorities in Shanxi said at least 55 people were being
investigated in 15 separate cases of slavery at brick kilns, where
hundreds of children and adults were forced to work long hours in
grueling conditions without pay.
Of the 55, 35 were in detention and the other were 20 on the run, Xinhua
said.
It said the land and resource officials failed to close down a brick
kiln after they learned of illegal activities.
The other two officials "were suspected of making no inspections to the
brick kilns, resulting in the rampancy of illegal kilns," Xinhua said.
The policemen are also accused of not performing inspections and of
turning a blind eye to the hiring of migrant workers who did not have
proper residence permits.
Since news of the abuse broke last month, more than 8,000 kilns and
small coal mines in Shanxi and Henan provinces have been raided, with
591 workers - including 51 children - being freed, state media have
re****ted. In Shanxi, police said 359 people had been freed, Xinhua
re****ted.
Premier Wen Jiabao has ordered a thorough probe and punishment of kiln
owners and officials who abetted their activities.
On Friday the arrests of two labor bureau officials in Shanxi, the first
in connection with the scandal, were announced.
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