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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsObama Won’t Let Some Mass Graves Stop the TPP
The Nation
7/10/15
It appears Malaysia will be given a free pass on human trafficking in order to protect the controversial trade deal.
When Congress finally passed fast-track trade authority last month, there was a major problem for President Obama and his trade negotiators: a provision of the bill forbid any fast-tracked trade deal from including countries on Tier 3 of the State Departments human trafficking list.
Thats the worst classification the United States gives to countries in its Trafficking In Persons annual report, a status earned by countries like Zimbabwe, Syria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and North Korea. Also on the list: Malaysia, one of the 12 potential signatories to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal that is in the final round of negotiations this month.
Malaysia is home to many outsourcing companies that are, in reality, professional slaving operations: foreign workers, often refugees fleeing desperate situations in nearby countries like Burma, are recruited to the country with the promise of legitimate work but then subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. The State Department and international human rights groups have routinely concluded the Malaysian government does very little to inhibit the traffickers operation.
...Instead, the Obama administration appears to have chosen another path that has shocked the human-rights community: It will simply reclassify Malaysia. Reuters has reported that when the Trafficking in Persons report comes out next week, Malaysia will no longer be a Tier 3 country.
There is essentially zero evidence Malaysia has done anything to earn this reclassification. Just two months ago, police found 139 mass graves along the Malaysian border that contained migrant workers that had been trafficked or held for ransom.
...Outrage also came Thursday from Representative Rosa DeLauro, a leading fast track and TPP opponent in the House. The only reason to upgrade Malaysia to a tier two country is to bypass the ban that is currently in U.S. law, she said in a statement. President Obama and Secretary Kerry must do the right thing and not arbitrarily upgrade Malaysia as a means to secure the TPP. This is an irresponsible, unacceptable political game.
....I was shocked and I didnt believe it. I didnt think these things would happen, said Human Rights Watchs Sifton. If it happened on House of Cards, Id say Oh, thats not plausible.
http://www.thenation.com/article/obama-wont-let-some-mass-graves-stop-tpp/
Here are some very disturbing photos of human trafficking & mass graves discovered in Malaysia. WARNING: Graphic images of what the US now says isn't so bad...only profits matter.
Response to RiverLover (Original post)
onehandle This message was self-deleted by its author.
RiverLover
(7,830 posts)I'm sorry. You seem upset....about this.
BeanMusical
(4,389 posts)marym625
(17,997 posts)I often miss one and there's usually a bit of a difference take on each
Not against the rules. It's not LBN.
BeanMusical
(4,389 posts)Response to onehandle (Reply #1)
840high This message was self-deleted by its author.
marym625
(17,997 posts)Thank you for your post!
I'm not even a little bit surprised. I don't know what he's getting to push this through but I hope it's worth all the lives and jobs
RiverLover
(7,830 posts)Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)Good God, I hope Sanders gets elected. Maybe we can get back on the right track, or at least stop the slide into complete corporate rule.
RiverLover
(7,830 posts)President Sanders soon. Truly, a miracle. Its so needed.
840high
(17,196 posts)bluedigger
(17,086 posts)But the gap is closing.
DeadLetterOffice
(1,352 posts)On Fri Jul 10, 2015, 08:31 PM an alert was sent on the following post:
Obama Wont Let Some Mass Graves Stop the TPP
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026962420
REASON FOR ALERT
This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.
ALERTER'S COMMENTS
Democrat hater, again trolling DU.
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840high
(17,196 posts)RiverLover
(7,830 posts)I hate what I'd very much like to think all Democrats hate.
That is people being lured to a country with the promise of a better life for themselves and their families, and then upon arriving, their passports are taken along with their freedom, and they are forced to work as slaves until they're no longer needed, and then murdered and dumped in mass graves so they cannot speak to the world of what happened to them.
And the US says this is not all that bad, despite the fact that Malaysia has made no changes to prevent this practice from continuing, and we should move factories there to produce products to be sold back to the US! Think of all the profits for shareholders on the backs of seriously (seriously) cheap labor!
How can any Democrat be for this? We know rethugs will sweep it under the rug, but how can we?
Hydra
(14,459 posts)Wear that as a badge of pride when you get alerted for posting the truth. It's happened to me too
BeanMusical
(4,389 posts)So sad.
Marr
(20,317 posts)So cowardly.