Africans slaves on Chinese vessel in Uruguay

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Agence France-Presse

Africans slaves on Chinese vessel in Uruguay
2014-05-22 05:00

Montevideo - A group of 28 African immigrants were held in slavery on a fishing vessel off the coast of Uruguay, beaten and forced to work without pay, attorneys said on Wednesday.

The migrants, 24 of whom were from Sierra Leone and the rest from Ghana, said they had not been paid "a penny" since boarding the China-flagged vessel seven months ago.

They were initially divided up between three fishing boats but, upon Uruguay's territorial waters, they were transferred to a single vessel, who name has not been disclosed, docked in Montevideo on Sunday and were taken to a hotel. A complaint was filed late on Tuesday.

"It's a case of forced labour," Isabel Camarano, a lawyer with Uruguay's fishermen's union, told reporters.
Camarano said the men, who were taken from port to port as forced labour, were also abused. Doctors have confirmed that they have wounds and scars consistent with having been beaten, according to Camarano.

Read more: http://www.news24.com/World/News/Africans-slaves-on-Chinese-vessel-in-Uruguay-20140521

[okaawhatever]

1. That is repulsive. I hope the Africans own that f$#kin ship when this is over and the Chinese

sailors are in jail.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

2. + n/t

[uhnope]

3. China's government is almost as bad as North Korea's

Free Tibet, BTW

[okaawhatever]

4. +100 nt

[Behind the Aegis]

5. What fucking year is it again??!

I hope they sue the hell out of China and retire.

[JDPriestly]

6. Hey! This is the 21st century. Slavery???

Horrors!

[MADem]

7. The Chinese now own a good chunk of Venezuela.

They're buying their way into South America, it's going to be interesting when they start establishing a presence in a serious way, beyond the economic.

But hey, they aren't Americans, so they get a pass, more often than not...

extreme

[Blue_Tires]

11. +1

[dbackjon]

13. Yup - only Americans are evil when we are imperialists

The Chinese have nothing but the locals best interests at heart, and fart unicorns

[MADem]

15. It was sheer luck that they were able to negotiate one of those many loans to VZ that

included payback in oil...at five bucks a barrel!!

Can you imagine how much profit could be made by reselling that oil on the spot market?

[Judi Lynn]

8. Wikipedia: China–Latin America relations

China–Latin America relations

The relations between China and Latin America have become increasingly important.

Trade[edit]

Trade between China and Latin America increased by 1,200% or from 10$ to 130$ billion dollars between 2000 and 2009.[1] The value of trade increased to $241.5 billion in 2011 according to Chinese Trade Ministry Counselor Yu Zhong. Only the United States was a larger trading partner. The top five nations in the trade were Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Venezuela and Argentina.[2]

In 2009 7% of Latin America's exports was to China. It consisted largely of raw material and commodities such as copper, iron ore, oil, and soybeans. China was the largest export market for Brazil, Chile, and Peru and the second largest for Argentina, Costa Rica, and Cuba. Four nations contributed 90% of the exports: Brazil (41%), Chile (23.1%), Argentina (15.9%), and Peru (9.3%). Increased Chinese demand has also been argued to increase the commodity prices of Latin American exports.[1] In the case of Brazil the rise of a new middle class has even been seen as due to Chinese commodity demand.[3] On the other hand, a large part of the exports of Costa Rica (which has a Free Trade Agreement with China), El Salvador, and Mexico to China were high-tech manufactured goods.[4]

5% of China's exports went to Latin America in 2009 and consisted mainly of industrial and manufactured goods. Chinese goods are popular in part due to their low costs. Chinese manufacturers are also making substantial efforts to establish themselves as brand names for the new middle class.[1]

According to a 2012 Fitch ratings report in 2010 92% of Latin American exports to China were commodities. 85% of Chinese foreign direct investment went to extractive industries as did 60% of Chinese loans. The report stated that the effects are mixed but overall Latin America has benefited from the relationship with China by higher commodity prices, increased growth, increased investment, and improved governmental financials.[5]

More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China%E2%80%93Latin_America_relations

[DeSwiss]

12. And getting stronger.....

- Maybe?

[Judi Lynn]

18. I missed that. Thanks for the link! n/t

[McCamy Taylor]

9. Shameful. Is this getting any coverage in China?

[EmilyAnne]

17. It wouldn't matter.

We're talking about a place where it is extremely common to write "Caucasians Only" on job postings for English teachers.
Russia and China are two peas in a pod in this respect.

[JackInGreen]

10. I hate military solutions

but couldn't we like, 'fund anything' a pmc that exclusively hunts and takes fuckers that engage in this out?

[Uncle Joe]

14. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Judi Lynn.

[snagglepuss]

16. k and r