Cut Off $500 Million Loan Tainted By Uzbek Slavery
- by: Walk Free
- recipient: Jim Young Kim, President of World Bank
Drugged, beaten and detained by police – this was the fate of Elena Urlaeva when she dared to document state-sponsored slavery in the cotton fields of Uzbekistan.
In Uzbekistan, the whole country suffers because of the government's dependence on revenue from the cotton harvest. The government operate the world's largest state-run system of forced labour where activists like Elena are brutally repressed, pensioners are being forced to pick cotton or submit 50% of their pension, and education and health care are undermined for two months every year due to the mass mobilisation of teachers and doctors.
What's worse is that there are international actors helping Uzbekistan keep its dirty secret — including the World Bank. The World Bank is an international institution that provides loans for developing countries. Right now they are funding projects totalling $500 million in Uzbekistan that are documented to be using forced labour.
The good news is that the World Bank signed a contract agreeing to suspend loans if evidence of forced labour was uncovered. Now we need your help to hold them to this promise.
This year, as the latest announcements calling "everyone to the cotton fields" were heard echoing around the countryside of Uzbekistan, we're planning to hit the Uzbek government where it hurts — its pocket.
By calling on the World Bank to account for its actions in propagating Uzbekistan's forced labour regime, we're showing that the international community will not accept or fund this state-sanctioned form of modern slavery. But without huge public pressure, the World Bank may turn a blind eye — please don't let this happen.
Sign our petition now and help put an end to forced labour in Uzbekistan.
In Uzbekistan, the whole country suffers because of the government's dependence on revenue from the cotton harvest. The government operate the world's largest state-run system of forced labour where activists like Elena are brutally repressed, pensioners are being forced to pick cotton or submit 50% of their pension, and education and health care are undermined for two months every year due to the mass mobilisation of teachers and doctors.
What's worse is that there are international actors helping Uzbekistan keep its dirty secret — including the World Bank. The World Bank is an international institution that provides loans for developing countries. Right now they are funding projects totalling $500 million in Uzbekistan that are documented to be using forced labour.
The good news is that the World Bank signed a contract agreeing to suspend loans if evidence of forced labour was uncovered. Now we need your help to hold them to this promise.
This year, as the latest announcements calling "everyone to the cotton fields" were heard echoing around the countryside of Uzbekistan, we're planning to hit the Uzbek government where it hurts — its pocket.
By calling on the World Bank to account for its actions in propagating Uzbekistan's forced labour regime, we're showing that the international community will not accept or fund this state-sanctioned form of modern slavery. But without huge public pressure, the World Bank may turn a blind eye — please don't let this happen.
Sign our petition now and help put an end to forced labour in Uzbekistan.
Dear World Bank President Jim Young Kim,
Reports from civil society monitors show that the state-led forced labour system of cotton production in Uzbekistan is unchanged, and the Uzbek government is using nationwide forced labour in 2015, including in World Bank project areas. Officials are threatening expulsion from school, termination of employment, and loss of social benefits to coerce people to pick cotton. These threats make clear that coercion is the recruitment practice in use, despite the government's contractual commitment to ensure no forced labour in World Bank project areas.
The Uzbek government is also using fear, intimidation and physical violence to prevent monitors from documenting forced labour. Uzbek officials have undertaken a harsh crackdown on civil society monitors in the last several weeks, subjecting them to body cavity searches, beatings, detention, surveillance and intimidation.
[your comment here]
It is unacceptable for the World Bank to support projects where there is use of forced labour. Thus, I urge you to report the Uzbek government's use of forced labour and to publicly denounce reprisals against Uzbek citizens reporting the abuse.
Sincerely,
[your name]
Sign PetitionSign PetitionReports from civil society monitors show that the state-led forced labour system of cotton production in Uzbekistan is unchanged, and the Uzbek government is using nationwide forced labour in 2015, including in World Bank project areas. Officials are threatening expulsion from school, termination of employment, and loss of social benefits to coerce people to pick cotton. These threats make clear that coercion is the recruitment practice in use, despite the government's contractual commitment to ensure no forced labour in World Bank project areas.
The Uzbek government is also using fear, intimidation and physical violence to prevent monitors from documenting forced labour. Uzbek officials have undertaken a harsh crackdown on civil society monitors in the last several weeks, subjecting them to body cavity searches, beatings, detention, surveillance and intimidation.
[your comment here]
It is unacceptable for the World Bank to support projects where there is use of forced labour. Thus, I urge you to report the Uzbek government's use of forced labour and to publicly denounce reprisals against Uzbek citizens reporting the abuse.
Sincerely,
[your name]
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