Slave-trafficking at China-government-owned Leisure Clothing: women sold as household/sex slaves
In-Nazzjon reports today:
In-Nazzjon għandu informazzjoni kif, pereżempju, tfajla inxtrat mingħand persuna partikulari li għandu konnessjonijiet indiretti mal-Leisure Clothing biex iddur bih u għal skopijiet ta’ sess.
Nifhmu li darba minnhom din it-tfajla weġġgħet serjament waqt li kienet qed tagħmel xi xogħol fid-dar fejn tgħix. Is-sid tagħha – umiljanti tassew – qabad lil din it-tfajla Ċiniża u ħadha fil-fabbrika Leisure Clothing u tkellem mal-persuna li magħha ftiehem dwar ix-xiri/kiri tagħha.
Talbu biex jagħtih il-flus meħtieġa biex lil din it-tfajla seta’ jeħodha St. James Hospital għall-kura li kellha bżonn. Madankollu dan ma qabilx li jagħmel dan għax, irraġuna, li l-flus kellu joħroġhom min kien xtara/kera lil din it-tfajla Ċiniża.
Fl-isfond ta’ dan kollu – tal-iskantament – dan ir-raġel telaq ‘il barra mill-bini tal-fabbrika u ħalla lil din it-tfajla muġugħa hemmhekk mingħajr ħadd ma pprovdilha ebda kura.
I’ll translate that.
In-Nazzjon is informed that one young woman, for instance, was bought by a particular man who has indirect links to Leisure Clothing, as a servant and for sex.
We are given to understand that this young woman was badly injured while doing work in the house. Her master took hold of her and took her to the Leisure Clothing factory, where he spoke to the person who had brokered the deal for her purchase/lease. He demanded from that person the money to take her to St James Hospital for treatment. But the broker refused, saying that any such expenses should be met by the purchaser/lessor.
The man left, leaving the young woman behind, in pain. Nobody took her for treatment.
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“Nobody took her for treatment.”
That’s not good English.
[Daphne – Of course it is.]
‘That’s not good English’ – Tut-tut.
Ghaqda tal-konsumatur, please note.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/18/world/asia/18iht-shanghai.3201313.html?_r=1&
Joseph’s silk route.
Sai Mizzi’s earnings are equivalent to 87 Chinese workers’ wages – just divide 13000 euros by 150 euros.
You mean her monthly earnings don’t you
L-aqwa li ghandna l-Mara Tas-Socjalizmu tipprotegilna d-drittijiet taghna.
http://www.newsbook.com.mt/artikli/2014/3/14/ktieb-gdid:-'marie-louise-coleiro-preca-l-mara-tas-socjalizmu‘.15875
povru socjalizmu.
Daphne, because of you GWU issued a statement at last!
Which is absolute rubbish I might add. Can you imagine Toni Zarb not lying?
When did the GWU sign the last collective agreement with Leisure Clothing?
It’s astounding how no Maltese worker at the factory, no visas official, no neighbour to families who acquired a Chinese slave, not even that journalist who worked for the Union Press and uncovered this story years ago, ever felt responsible for these people.
How can you sleep at night? How can you go about with your lives knowing that there are people living a life of slavery?
The same goes for those Dominican priests who knew about Fr. Fenech’s criminal behaviour and never did a thing about it but let him keep his duties as if nothing ever happened.
Please don’t give me excuses that it would have been futile to report, or that it’s difficult, or that you’ll lose your job. You could have gone to the newspapers anonymously if you thought that reports to the Police were futile.
Natalie, there are many, many obstacles to reporting, and to being believed, and to someone actually lifting a finger.
This blog is excellent, and Malta Right Now seems to be getting it right, but it is not as easy as one would like to believe.
That is why I think the EU should have a separate and independent easy-access and simplified procedure for such reports, especially, when amoral systems are in effect in an EU country. This office should work with full autonomy.
Promotion of such an office, by means of posters and literature should be made mandatory and given to each employee upon engagement.
After that one can begin to discuss whistle-blowing procedures in amoral systems.
I agree with you, it does take long to get a story reported, especially a story like this. As we can see it can get killed in the wrong hands.
However would you have kept going to work day after day without doing anything? The story of that student worker and others like her should have been: I reported all this 23 years ago to the police but they never did anything.
Lack of confidence when one is younger is a malleable element.
I know that when I first had something to report, absolutely NO ONE would take it up. A host of lawyers just gave me a very blank look. Obviously, they put all elements on the balance and made an instant decision as to where exposure would go. I did knock on many doors. This was only as long ago as 2000.
It is an isolating factor. You end up looked at and being treated as the miskina, the cuc, the injoranta and all these wonderful adjectives that are so easily read on the faces of people who have no clue the extent of what they’re up against.
The reporting of slave labour itself is an element that has only gained in exposure relatively recently.
All these Nike sweat-shops didn’t come to light immediately: there had to be an intolerance build-up internationally.
Malta’s intolerance build-up is far from there, otherwise this Government would have long been protested out of office.
It wouldn’t have been voted in in the first place.
@Nathalie
Do us all a bloody favour and don’t be a pain in the ass. First of all you do not mix one argument with another. Since when have you become judge and prosecutor in the Fr. Charles Fenech case? Do you happen to know something that the rest of us don’t know?
If not , then please let the courts decide before rushing to conclusions. After all what you are commenting on is just hearsay and all the works of some idiot journalist who decided to splash this priest all over the newspapers, with the repercussions for all those around him.
As far as I know, our law states that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. So, how can you state that he was involved in criminal behaviour before he even stepped into a courtroom. No wonder Malta is in such a state.The ignorance of people like you shines through. How pathetic.
Don’t talk rubbish Pontius. The priest’s own colleagues have admitted they have known for ages and actually warned him. THAT was their mistake. The police should have been brought in immediately to protect the a–hole’s victims.
My only argument here is that it’s unbelievable how people can turn a blind eye to others’ misfortunes and continue about with their lives.
They decide that it’s not their business and it’s better if they do not get mixed up in anything. Then they donate €20 to l-Istrina and they feel good about themselves. Speaking up for the victims’ sake is better than any charity you might want to do.
I’ll throw in yet another scenario in the mix and maybe you’ll understand what I mean. What about neglected children? Doesn’t anyone ever notice that they’re neglected?
There was a case a few years ago where a brother and sister were being left outside on a balcony for days on end, until finally a neighbour reported the parents to the police.
As for Fr. Fenech, I don’t know anything at all about his case except as you say, what I’ve read in the newspapers. All I know is that if I were his provincial and I start receiving one report after another about his behaviour, I would certainly not have left him doing work which potentially exposes other vulnerable women as victims.
Why are people so touchy about priests?
The women’s rights groups in Malta are conspicuous by their silence in the matter.
Is Mrs Renee Laiviera dozing?
X’arukaza.
I guess these situations Unfortunately happen as many of the home carers employed locally do not have votes to use as a lobbying leverage. They are at the mercy of luck and the benevolence of their employer.
Case in point, homo and trans sexuals have Cyrus et al who lobby for their rights. In 18months we have had civil unions, adoption rights for gay couples and soon gender change legalised.
Who is going to lobby for these unfortunate workers?
Ara x’se jkollna Marsaxlokk mela…
What a disgusting story. And to think that such revolting people are around us.
There are more ‘foreign ‘workers being exploited. The ones from Europe but not the E.U. are given ‘working permits’, and because they are afraid to lose their permit they will put up with anything and not report the matter.
They are being exploited. The government knows about them of course but we have the Pro Business Biss Socialist Love for All Workers government.
Employers in hotels, restaurants etc. expect the Maltese to accept anything and work in bad conditions and wages like them. The Maltese do not and then MHRA etc.say that the Maltese do not want to do certain work.
Hear, hear
@ Oscar
If you think I’m talking rubbish,mate, then you must be talking out of your ass. You are just repeating what you’ve heard from the press. Were you ever present when these so called colleagues made these supposed declarations? What pisses me off is the fact that people like you, and the spineless journalists find it so easy to wipe the floor with the local clergy and instigate a witch hunt, when they should be chasing more important issues that are undermining the country. I am not a holier than thou person, I can assure you that and I would be the first one to condemn such acts if the truth comes out after a proper court case. But to come out and tear a person to shreds on just hearsay shows a lack of balls from somebody like you. I hope you got my message.
@ Not Sandy:P
I am not touchy at all about priests, if you are referring to me.
My point is, that we are living in a society where it sounds so cool to write negative and baseless comments about priests and clergy and this is what ticks me off. I am not a holy person myself and never had anything to do with these people. However, common sense taught me to steer away from such baseless controversies until all the truth comes out. One thing I can tell you, however. In my forty years facing all sorts of characters, many a time I heard people swearing against the clergy , but on their death bed, it was one of them that they wanted to assist them. So, logic tells me not to judge others unless I hear all the facts from both sides.
X’ghandu x’jaqsam? The priest’s name was published because there is no justification for non-publication.