Carmakers' aluminum sourcing standards in Xinjiang tied to Uyghur rights abuses: Report

Several documents reviewed by Human Rights Watch have purportedly revealed thatmany carmakers have poor standards of sourcing aluminum, a criticalmaterial for manufacturing vehicles that is abundantly present in Xinjiang, as the policies violate the human rights of the Uyghur population there.

Notably, the Chinese government is accused of carrying out persecution, systematic human rights abuses, and discrimination against Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region.

This comes as the rights group reviewed 2022 reports by NGO Sheffield Hallam University NomoGaia, and a consultancy group Horizon Advisory. The NGO used "online Chinese state media articles, company reports, and government statements to document aluminum smelters’ participation in labour transfers."

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As per HRW, the carmakers face pressure from the Chinese government and therefore have reportedly "weakened" their human rights sourcing standards, exposing them to potential links with forced labour.

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The report said that the standards deteriorate in China's Xinjiang when compared with the global supply chain standards elsewhere.

It is worth noting that Xinjiang produces almost 10 percent of the world's aluminum.The country has emerged as a global automobile powerhouse, however, the reports have exposed the dark side of the sleek exteriors and cutting-edge technology.

The region's aluminum production, driven by heavy reliance on coal, has surged from one million tons in 2010 to six million in 2022, with more than 15 percentof global supply now originating from Xinjiang.

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It further said that the link between Xinjiang's aluminum industry and forced labour is facilitated by government-backed labour transfer programs, coercing Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslim communities into jobs in Xinjiang.

"Another two of Xinjiang’s largest aluminum producers, Tianshan Aluminum and Xinfa Group Xinjiang, are closely linked to the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), a military-economic entity that plays a key role in the region’s repression of Uyghurs," the report said.

Human Rights Watch has urged car companies to fulfill their responsibility under the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights by mapping their supply chains and disengaging from suppliers linked to Xinjiang.

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Volkswagen told HRWthat "supply chain mapping for aluminum is a challenge because of the sheer number of aluminum suppliers and the number of intermediaries in the supply chain," the report said.

In the face of this mounting evidence and global scrutiny, a separate analysis of leaked Chinese police files exposed systematic detention of Uyghur women in Xinjiang since 2014.

More than 400 women, some over 80 years old, were sentenced for activities such as wearing religious clothing and studying the Quran. The leaked files also detail charges like wearing "illegal religious clothing," possessing religious books, attending "illegal religious gatherings," and organising weddings without music, all considered signs of religious extremism by China.

(With inputs from agencies)