Most civilized countries abolished slavery centuries ago and it is now relegated to pockets in totalitarian states. In the early days of Communist Russia, any form of dissent saw citizens shipped off to the " Gulags " to serve the rest of their lives in misery.
The Communist state refused to accept the concept of religion. It required citizens to swear allegiance, not even to the state but specifically to the Communist party and this brought it into conflict with the Roman Catholic church. Eventually, it tried to take over religion by the state appointing priests and bishops in defiance of the Pope.
Communism died in Russia, but it gained a new life in China and once again religious persecution is an organ of the state. It now tolerates religion but insists that the state maintains control by selecting church leaders who are subservient to the ruling Communist party.
Within China's borders are millions who follow Islam. They are called Uighur's and they live in the province of Xinjiang. The Communist Chinese government has created massive " reeducation camps " where Uighur men, women and children are imprisoned while undergoing indoctrination and a change to the Han way of thinking.
At the same time, the central Communist government is moving Han Chinese into Xinjiang province to make the Uighur isolated in their own part of the country. Millions are locked away in detention and forced to work as slaves in industries that pour finished goods into western markets., and in particular - in the clothing industry.
The news leaking out of Xinjiang is grim. Torture is rife and beatings are common as a whole race of people are forced to change their outlook. China is facing growing international scrutiny, but the Communist government simply accuses western countries of " interfering in Chinese internal politics " and refuses entry to organizations like the Red Cross.
Australia is being asked to join a boycott aimed at refusing merchandise created in these reeducation camps by what we see as slave labour. It is estimated that much of the garments selling in our discount stores is created at this source and it gives China an unfair advantage against competitors in the manufacturing world.
China is quick to use trade as a weapon. Australia has earned its displeasure by insisting on a proper scientific enquiry to discover the origin of the coronavirus that seems to have first appeared in Wuhan province. Without warning, China is refusing to accept Australian barley, wine and coal and this is inflicting damage on the Australian economy.
A trade war is in nobody's best interest but in a civilized world the slave trade can not be allowed to prosper. A boycott cuts both ways. A drop in exports would cause unemployment in China and that is something the Communist party there most fears. Contentment with Communist rule only exists while jobs are plentiful and that requires mutual trade harmony !
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