[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 143 (Wednesday, October 5, 1994)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov] [Congressional Record: October 5, 1994] From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] EVIDENCE OF SLAVE LABOR IN CHINA ______ HON. FRANK R. WOLF of virginia in the house of representatives Wednesday, October 5, 1994 Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I am submitting for the Record an appeal by Chen Pokong, a prisoner in China, to the international community concerning goods made with slave labor in Chinese prison camps. [From the Laogai Research Foundation, Milpitas, CA] Bloodstained Flowers (By Chen Pokong, Political Prisoner) A Courageous Appeal From a Chinese Prison ``I am thrown into this hell because the Guangdong authorities want to crush me spiritually and physically. This is political retaliation and persecution. Being in this critical situation, I have no choice but to appeal to you. I strongly urge progressive forces the world over to pay attention to human rights conditions in China, and to extend their assistance to the Chinese people who are in an abyss of misery. I strongly appeal to international progressive organizations to urge the Guangdong authorities to cease persecuting me politically. I understand that once my letter is published, I might be persecuted even more harshly. I might even be killed. But I have no choice!'' artificial flowers made by chinese political prisoners A Chinese political prisoner, Chen Pokong, in a document smuggled out of a re-education-through-labor (Laojiao) camp in southern China has provided evidence that artificial flowers made by prisoners are being exported to the United States. His appeal is being released following a four month investigation which included photographing the prison where Chen is being held. This is the first time a known dissident and political prisoner has communicated with the outside world about forced labor products being exported to the United States. Chen, 30 years old, is a teacher and pro-democracy activist, who had previously served a three year prison term for his activities in Guangzhou during the 1989 pro-democracy movement, attached to his letter original labels the prisoners put on flowers. The three labels (See Appendix II) are for ``Silky Touch'' flowers distributed by Ben Franklin Stores, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois; ``Lady Bug Collection'' flowers for Universal Sun Ray of Springfield, Missouri; and another ``Universal Sun Ray-U.S. Flowers'' label. The Laogai Research Foundation purchased flowers with these labels on them at Ben Franklin Stores in Pleasanton, California and Reno, Nevada. (See Appendix I) A Universal Sun Ray employee, visited by a Foundation representative at the company's showroom in Springfield, confirmed that the company supplies Ben Franklin, Inc. with its artificial flowers. Other large customers include Cotters, Inc., the parent of True Value Hardware stores; and the Rag Shops, a New Jersey based craft store chain. The employee also advised us that Universial Sun Ray provided Memorial Day flowers for sale at Wal-Mart stores in 1994. The Foundation has no evidence that any of the customers, or Universal Sun Ray itself, is aware that Chinese prisoners are involved in producing the flowers they sell. It is illegal under U.S. law to import into the United States any product made in whole or in part by convict for forced labor. chen pokong--political prisoner Chen Pokong, also known as Chen Jingsong, was a young teacher in the economics department of Zhongshan University, when he became involved in the pro-democracy movement which swept China in 1989. Chen was sentenced to a three year term for his ``counterrevolutionary instigation'' according to a copy of a Guangdong People's Court ruling on his appeal of his sentence which has been obtained by the Laogai Research Foundation. (See Appendix V) This document provides considerable detail on his arrest and the charges against him. Chen was first arrested on August 2, 1989 although the Chinese say ``detained for investigation.'' Seven months later, on February 21, 1990 he was formally ``arrested'' and sentenced to three years imprisonment on March 1, 1991 by the Guangdong People's Municipality Intermediate Court. Among Chen's ``crimes'' were charges he ``instigated'' the following statements as wall posters on the Zhongshan University campus: ``Due to mishandling of the student movement, the Party has lost all its credibility and prestige as a ruling party * * *. Upon repeated consideration we have decided to declare earnestly that we are withdrawing from the Communist Party and the Communist Youth League * * *. The bloody violence began in front of the monument of the people's heroes the reactionary power has been revealed in its viciousness * * * undeniable proof of the communist power's bloody despotism * * * such a ruling party is hated by people the world over and is a shame for the Chinese people.'' According to Chen, he completed his sentence and was released in July, 1992. He then resumed his political activities and which were ``disseminating the ideas of democracy, creating progressive publications and disseminating them.'' Fearing arrest, he fled to Hong Kong in early August, 1993. hong kong denies political asylum After meeting with human rights activists in Hong Kong, Chen, following established procedures, turned himself in to the Hong Kong authorities and applied for political asylum. Despite having considerable documentation about his previous arrest, imprisonment, and political activities, Chen's application was denied and he was deported to China on September 1, 1993 where he was immediately taken into custody. Original documents obtained by the Laogai Research Foundation confirm his detention (See Appendix VI), and Chen's smuggled letter states that two months later he was sentenced by the Public Security Bureau to two years at the Guangzhou No. 1 Reeducation-Through-Labor camp. chen's appeal to the world Chen is an inmate at the Guangzhou No. 1 Reeducation- Through-Labor camp, a stone quarry in Chini Town, Huaxian County. At the time his letter was smuggled out of the prison he was in Company 9. Today he is believed to be in Company 6. His appeal, addressed to the United Nations International Human Rights Organization (sic), the Voice of America, and Asian Watch (sic), was passed on later to the Laogai Research Foundation (See Appendix III), which possesses the original document. He writes: ``I am thrown into this hell because the Guangdong authorities want to crush me spiritually and physically. This is political retaliation and persecution. ``Being in this critical situation, I have no choice but to appeal to you. I strongly urge progressive forces the world over to pay close attention to human rights conditions in China, and to extend their assistance to the Chinese people who are in an abyss of misery. I strongly appeal to international progressive organizations to urge the Guangdong authorities to cease persecuting me politically. ``I understand that once my letter is published, I might be persecuted even more harshly. I might even be killed. But I have no choice!'' terror, privation, and slave labor Chen testifies that the inmates of the camp labor ``over 14 hours a day'' moving stones from the quarry to the wharf and then onto a boat. After working all day they are forced to make artificial flowers at night. The only time off during the year is three days during the annual Spring Festival. If prisoners do not meet their production quotas they have their sentences lengthened. He tells of prisoners who worked too slowly being ``brutally beating and misused (sic) by supervisors and team leaders (themselves inmates.)'' ``Inmates'' he writes, ``are often beaten until they are bloodstained all over, collapse or lose consciousness.'' ``Several times I was beaten by the team leader,'' he says in his appeal, adding, ``I am constantly exposed to terror.'' Other prisoners told him that before he arrived one inmate had been beaten to death. Privation in the camp is real. The food allotment is insufficient. ``Every meal consists of coarse rice and rotten vegetable leaves. Hardly can we see any grease. We have a little meat only on major holidays.'' Medical treatment appears to be non-existent. Chen tells of injured and sick prisoners being forced to labor despite their infirmities. ``many inmates, including myself, their hands and feet squashed by big stones, stained with blood and pus, have to labor as usual. As a consequence, many inmates were crippled for life.'' FORCED LABOR FLOWERS--THE AMERICAN CONNECTION On a separate sheet of paper Chen placed the three labels mentioned in the beginning of this report (See Appendix II). The following is Chen's text on artificial flowers: ``The artificial flowers we make are for export. The trademarks are in English, the prices in USD. Even the company commander and the quarry director said the flowers are made in cooperation with a Hong Kong company that exports them. This is in serious violence (sic) of international human rights norms, international law, even the Chinese government's law. As a matter of fact, in the recent decade and more all products turned out by labor reform and reeducation-through- labor and detention facilities in Guangdong Province are almost exclusively for export (usually in cooperation with Hong Kong and Taiwan companies). For instance, Huanghua Detention Center in Guangzhou, at least in 1989 when I was there and experienced everything myself, has been forcing detainees to make artificial flowers, necklaces, jewelry (trademarks in English, prices in USD) This can be testified to by anybody who was there, including Hong Kongers.'' Two of the three labels are for Universal Sun Ray of Springfield, Missouri. According to conversations with a company employee, Universal Sun Ray also imports flowers for Ben Franklin Stores, Inc., the name of the third label attached on the flowers by prisoners in the camp. On July 8, and August 28, 1994 the Laogai Research Foundation purchased flowers with these three labels on them at two Ben Franklin stores in Pleasanton, CA and Reno, NV (See Appendix I). Shipping records show Universal Sun Ray regularly receives substantial shipments of artificial flowers from Hong Kong and China. The company's showroom in Springfield has dozens of different types of flowers on display, all those from Asia are marked ``Made in China.'' It is believed the shipments indicating Hong Kong as the port of origin are in reality produced in China and transported to Hong Kong by truck and loaded aboard ships destined for the United States. Universal Sun Ray receives imports from a number of Hong Kong based companies, but one company appears to ship much more than the others. The names of these companies will be provided to the U.S. Customs Service for investigation. The Foundation has received no evidence that any officer or employee of Universal Sun Ray has knowledge that some quantity of the flowers being manufactured for them are being made in part at the Guangzhou No. 1 Reeducation-Through-Labor camp by Chen Pokong and other prisoners. It is known, though, that at least one official of the company travels regularly to the region on Universal Sun Ray business. Chen Pokong states that the prisoners ``make'' the flowers, but does not describe in detail the production process Given that the prisoners work in the quarry and transport stones during the day, the Laogai Research Foundation is presuming that the prisoners are used to assemble the flowers at night. This would entail connecting the polyester/silk flowers to the plastic stems and folding the self adhesive labels around the stem. Production of the polyester/silk flower itself requires cutting machinery and workers with some dexterity. The heavy work with stones during the day is not, in our view, conducive to manual dexterity at night. Assembly, on the other hand, is much less difficult, although painful for the prisoners at the end of a harsh day of quarry labor. This analysis would also support the likelihood that the assembly in the prison is being subcontracted by another facility, perhaps a legitimate artificial flower factory in the area. While Chen's evidence is the first of a political prisoner being forced to labor producing artificial flowers for export to the U.S., it is not the first report of such flowers being made in the prisons and detention centers in Guangdong Province. In 1990, Lai Dexiong, a police officer in Shenzhen, escaped to Hong Kong after learning he was about to be arrested for helping student leaders active during the Tiananmen Square demonstrations escape the country. Lai told of seeing prisoners in 1987 in a number of detention centers and prisons making artificial flowers for export to England for Queen Elizabeth's birthday celebration. At that time, his testimony was not taken seriously. reeducation-through-Labor (RTL) The Chinese government does not consider Reduction-Through- Labor (Laojiao) to be judicial punishment, but rather, ``high level government disciplinary action.'' This means that prisoners do not technically go through judicial procedures such as arrest, examination, or sentencing, and therefore local public security bureaus (police) do not have to submit reports to the courts or the Office of the Procuratorate. But, arrest, detention, sentencing, and forced labor are part of the process, and the man or woman subject to reeducation through labor is still an inmate in a prison, even if the Chinese governmental and communist party choose not to call them prisons. Chen makes this point clearly in his letter: ``Reeducation-through-labor is the darkest part of China's current political system. Ironically, RTL policy and regulations worked out by the Chinese government itself have been altered beyond recognition in their practical implementation. According to RTL policy and regulations RTL is lighter than LR (Labor Reform): inmates get this pay, have their benefits and holiday, enjoy the right of correspondence, cultural, recreational and sports activities, do not labor more than 8 hours daily, can visit their families on holidays, can be bailed out for medical treatment, etc. In reality RTL is hell.'' His description of terror, privation and forced labor testified to the practice of reeducation-through-labor rather than its supposed theory. ____________________