The labor and human rights abuses allegedly perpetuated by the Chinese investors in Zambia have heightened with the Far East Asian nation calling for punitive measures to stop the practice.
Recently, New York based Human Rights Watch highlighted various labor and human rights abuses chiefly in the mining industry which the Chinese government said was done in bad faith.
However, the Zambian government, unimpressed by the damming reports said that Chinese investors flouting labor laws to stop the practice while the Chinese envoy to Zambia sternly warned those abusing workers should be punished according to the law.
Mr Fackson Shamenda minister of Labour, Youth and Sport of Zambia said that it was saddening that some investors were abusing workers’ rights in the name of investment. Zambian government’s commitment to work with China, echoing President Mr Michael Sata’s to close ranks with China which he said needed to work with the government to develop the country.
Mr Shamenda said that “Our Government is ready to work with the Chinese but they should stop flouting labor laws and ensure that all workers are properly looked after. Chinese employers should protect the interest of workers in Zambia because the safety and health of employees cannot be compromised at the expense of wealth creation. The government would ensure workers’ rights were respected.”
The labor movement, Mine workers Union of Zambia is equally concerned with the reports of abuses chiefly in the mines and pledged to tirelessly work to ensure Zambian workers were protected.
Mr Oswell Munyenyembe president of Mineworkers Union of Zambia urged that the Chinese companies to ensure that they follow the country’s labor laws. Investors should work with their employees to promote industrial harmony. It is the w to respect the laws of the land.
According to the New York based watchdog, Chinese mining companies in Zambia routinely flout laws designed to protect workers’ safety and the right to organize. It urged Mr Sata to follow through on his campaign promises to stamp out abuse of workers in the sector. However, the Chinese embassy in Zambia has dispelled the reports by the Human Rights watch describing it not faithful and untrue.
Mr Yuxiao Zhou Chinese ambassador regretted that the rights group went public with its findings without explaining that Chinese companies had started addressing the concerns, a subtle admission that some companies may have been flouting the laws.
In its report, the HRW, basing on three field visits between November 2010 and July 2011 and drew on more than 170 interviews with workers from both Chinese and other companies said many workers were abused in most instances especially in the mines. Other workers are either forced to work as much as 12 to 18 hours while some of the workers that fell sick while on duty were either fired or had their pay forfeited.
Zambia is Africa’s top copper producer targeting about 2 million tonnes of copper annually by 2015 according to Government. Chinese investment will peak at about USD 2 billion by 2015 and jobs may rise to above 2000 by the end of the year.
(Filed by Mr Kapembwa Sinkamba SteelGuru Correspondent Zambia)
