Thread by @LouisaCGreve

Opening today's hearing on #Uyghur Forced Labor, Under Secretary Silvers @DHSgov emphasizes the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force goal: "complete eradication of forced labor" under Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. Testimony will include comments by 4 Uyghurs & Kazakhs

Heartbreaking testimony from @Qelbinur10 on learning that her sister, a highly educated, multilingual woman, is working in a factory in the Uyghur homeland. #ForcedLabourFashion

@Qelbinur10 International business risks "fueling" human rights crimes against Uyghurs. Standard supply chain vetting methods are wholly inadequate. We must switch to bottom-up investigation-based vetting.
-- Emily de La Bruyere of Horizon Advisory

The Blue Green Alliance @BGAlliance's Brennen Cain strongly denounces the use of Uyghur forced labor in the solar supply chain.

Sayragul Sauytbay provides eyewitness testimony of mental and physical torture, sterilization, and rape in concentration camps targeting Uyghurs and Kazakhs. Forced labor is just one part of the genocidal policy. Thanks to Gani Stambek for Kazakh interpretation.

Campaign for Uyghurs' @CUyghurs @RushanAbbas provides searing testimony about the costs and trauma of China's genocidal policies, and the experience of her sister Gulshan Abbas, a retired medical doctor, taken away from her home 44 months ago and now serving a long prison term.

@CUyghurs @RushanAbbas Gulzira Auelkhan testifies to being forced to work in a factory for 2 1/2 months. She made gloves, school uniforms, and other textiles. Guards told the workers that the gloves would be sent to Europe and other international markets.

Chloe Cranston of @Anti_Slavery emphasizes that re-export of tainted products must not be allowed, which would sustain a global market for forced-labor goods.

Prof @RianThum confronts mis-information that Chinese state forced-labor programs target unemployment; actually target many people who are independent business owners and farmers. Urges attention to all industries, not only those that have been investigated in depth to date.

Dr. @adrianzenz's testimony on implications of changing evidence available, due to the "normalization" and maintenance of broad-based forced-labor programs: less gov't propaganda does not mean less forced labor. The "presumption" should be applied strictly.

.@KehindeTogun of @HumanityUnited urges rigorous application of evidentiary standards.

Child trafficking survivor and Freedom Seal CEO Rani Hong commends the hearing for featuring survivor voices and urges application of technology and stronger tracing tools.

.@kendylsalcito: @NomoGaia's research shows that financing documentation is key evidence. U.S. banks should provide data on investments in enterprises that use forced labor and forced-labor inputs of Uyghurs.