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Was Your Christmas ‘Made In China?’ Read a Letter Alleged to Be From a Forced Chinese Labor Camp

Dec. 25, 2012 2:45pm Mike Opelka

Is this handwritten, unsigned note found inside a sealed package of Halloween decorations real? If so, what can be done about the allegations of China’s forced labor camps, torture, and almost no wages?

Letter From Chinese Forced Labor Camp It was found in K Mart Halloween decorations

Image: OregonLive.com

The note was found by Julie Keith. The emotional letter had been sitting inside the package of a K-Mart 17 ’Totally Ghoul Piece Graveyard Kit” that Ms. Keith purchased a year ago to decorate her home. She did not use it last year. However, this past Halloween, Julie decided to open the box. That’s when she discovered the folded, handwritten note wedged between styrofoam skulls and bones.

“Sir: If you occasionally buy this product, please kindly resend this letter to the World Human Right Organization. Thousands people here who are under the persicution of the Chinese Communist Party Government will thank and remember you forever.”

The letter continues, adding allegations of the horrible conditions under which the laborers are working;

15 hour workdays
seven days a week (no holidays)
low wages of 10 yuan per month (that works out to about $1.60 per month in U.S. dollars)

For the record, China Daily reports that the average monthly salary for workers in that country ranges from 2742 to 4672 / yuan per month (or $440 to $750 per month). A salary of 10 yuan per month would be less than 5% of what the poorest regions are paying workers.

The author claims that many of the laborers are there for 1-3 years as punishment, although they were not afforded a trial. And poor work (in the eyes of the supervisors) often triggers torture and rude remarks.

There is also a charge in the unsigned letter that workers are forced to be there in retaliation for being Falun Gong members (something that is not approved by the CCPG – Central China Power Group).

Can this unsigned letter, alleged to be from a Chinese forced labor camp be real? It is difficult to say. However, one expert on human rights in China believes claims made in the letter match charges they have seen before. The Oregonian reports that Sophie Richardson of Human Rights Watch made the following comment:

“We’re in no position to confirm the veracity or origin of this. I think it’s fair to say the conditions in the letter certainly conform to what we know about conditions in re-education in labor camps.”

If the letter is accurate, and forced labor camps are churning out products for K-Mart or any American retailer, that’s not just a moral problem, it is also against the law. Since 1932, the U.S. does not permit importation of “convict-made goods.” The code – 19 U.S.C. 1307 is quite clear and also includes products made in labor camps in its definition of “convict-made.”

“Forced labor”, as herein used, shall mean all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty for its nonperformance and for which the worker does not offer himself voluntarily.”

The Portland newspaper’s investigation included calls to government agencies that have started digging deeper into the charges made in the letter. The paper also reached out to Sears Holdings (the parent company of K-Mart) for comment on a possible violation of the U.S. Trade laws.

Sears issued the following response.

“Sears Holdings has a Global Compliance Program which helps to ensure that vendors and factories producing merchandise for our company adhere to specific Program Requirements, and all local laws pertaining to employment standards and workplace practices. Failure to comply with any of the Program Requirements, including the use of forced labor, may result in a loss of business or factory termination. We understand the seriousness of this allegation, and will continue to investigate.”

Sears has launched an investigation into the charges, the U.S. Customs Agency has been engaged, and Human Rights Watch is also looking into the letter. Yet, there is not an expectation of fast answers to the questions raised by the letter found inside “Totally Ghoul” Halloween decorating kit.

And yet, the mysterious missive seems to have sparked a change in the woman who found it. Julie Keith is now checking the labels of virtually everything she buys. She told the Oregonian:

“If I really don’t need it, I won’t buy it if it’s made in China. This has really made me more aware. I hope it would make a difference.”

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Comments (29)

TaterSalad
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 8:45pm
However, The President, Barack Obama is silent and will remain silent. He will have a “deep bow” to the Chinese Premier for this letter going public and will apologize yet again!

http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/122612-638399-america-goes-from-beacon-to-bought-on-china.htm

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David1967
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 7:25pm
“Help, I’m being held prisoner in a Chinese cookie factory.”
I bet we may see more of those soon. The thing is it is hard not to buy MADE IN CHINA now days. Some much of what we use everyday is made there. And a lot of people just do not have the money to buy USA even if the item is made here to start with. I do not see any answers coming forth anytime soon.

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funcub
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 5:52pm
There is something even worst than forced labor camp in China. The Chinese government is killing prisoners for their organs. There is a white house petition at wh.gov/5Jmn about organ harvesting from Falun Gong believers in China. Everyone should sign it! It is a CRIME against humanity!

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Ordinary44
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 5:44pm
Read the bottom of the letter, some are there for having different beliefs aka Christians. This would explain why the writer knew English so well. Many “English” programs there are sponsored by churches and mission groups.

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sizzlinsexybeckster
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 9:38am
Only buy from thrift stores and antique stores and garage sales. Don’t buy anything new… unless toilet paper.

About 15 years ago while on job interviews a small foreign company was trying to talk me into keeping my unemployment benefits and working for them for free. They didn’t want to pay me. It was a job with a mortgage broker and I of course didn’t take the job, but I investigated it myself and nobody was getting paid. He would tell these people they get commission only but never paid them. This happens way more than you people realize. Loads of people in the US are getting screwed over with employers.

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dimart
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 5:07am
I find it fascinating that this letter is written in perfect English (and look at the handwriting, the “y’s” in particular) by a poor Chineese victim. If this was aimed at anyone but Walmart who is soooo disliked by the left I could get a little more excited about it’s truthfullness, but alas. it’s always Walmart! Not buying it for a moment – utter fail…

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- BlessedONE333
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 10:08am
  lol I take it you didn’t realize that many Chinese are taught English?
  
  This looks like a real note, plus it would be easy to find out if it was real or not, go to the LABOR CAMP listed on the note – duh
  
  Report this comment
betterpart
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 3:38am
…And the communist-loving, terrorist-sympathizing AOL HUFFPOST wants American honeymooners to visit China, as cited on their “Destinations’ page.

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- TEARS FOR AMERICA
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 10:16am
  My aunt and uncle went to China a few years ago and they regretted it horribly. They ate mostly rice, the other looked like dog food, they had beautiful jade pieces stolen from them and the entire trip was all around dismal. There is more slave labor there than we could imagine..why are there Chinese factory workers throwing themselves off tall buildings just to end their misery? And all the while these people suffer horribly, our State Department and administration use little of their bully pulpits to support freedom but prop up a communist regime.
  
  Report this comment
- The_Pointy_End
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 1:59am
  Our State Department and administration are full of communist. It is a known fact that Obama’s mother and grandparents were communist. His farther was an anti-imperialist (meaning anti-west). So his father hated the west and his mother was a communist. With this upbringing what mindset do you think is running this country? Why on earth would Obama defend freedom?
  
  Report this comment
Becks_Art_Obama_In_PeePee
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 2:19am
“Was Your Christmas ‘Made In China?’ Read a Letter Alleged to Be From a Forced Chinese Labor Camp”

You mean “Communist China”.
Think it … it’s Communist China. Write it … it’s Communist China. Speak it …
It’s COMMUNIST CHINA !!

You mean “Communist China slaves”. Think it … it’s Communist China slaves. Write it … it’s Communist China slaves. Speak it …
It’s COMMUNIST CHINA SLAVES !!

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- TurboCat
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 5:06am
  It sure is, and it’s pure evil. What goes on in North Korean gulags is unspeakable. Same with Iran, etc. That’s why I have ZERO patience with the perpetual and professional “victim” groups that we have here, Code Pink and the like. Ungrateful malcontents. They truly disgust me. They really need an attitude adjustment.
  
  Report this comment
nesmond
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 1:45am
The useful idiots who prop up obama and his ilk think America will do socialism better. We will be the shining example of a socialist utopian society and all the world will want to be just like us. I don’t know what gave them that idea. This president certainly has done nothing but shown a deep down hatred of the free market. Death panels on obamacare, his rabid pro-choice stance and his desire to take away second amendment rights point to a president with all the humanity of a Josef Stalin or Mao Tse-tung. I wonder what those useful idiots will say when they are no longer useful to the cause and are “selekted” to be euthanized right alongside those of us who tried in vain to warn them.

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paultard
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 12:55am
This is the New World Order! Remember, the people who are redesigning America are modeling us after CHINA.. WHY? because they have control over their people.. Obama worked for Henry Kissinger who groomed him for the presidency. Dr. Kissinger stated Obama would be the perfect candidate to introduce the New World Order to America.. This was all pre-planned well in advance of any election..

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SmellyDog
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 10:44pm
Nobody cares. It didn’t happen here to them. They want that free Obama money twice a month so they can get to Wal Mart and buy all that cheap stuff! Ugh

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- Wisdom7
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 12:20am
  “They want that free Obama money twice a month so they can get to Wal Mart and buy all that cheap stuff! Ugh”
  
  Listen, repeating this nonsense makes you just as guilty as the left of repeating nonsense. The story was about K-Mart not Walmart. Either way, to state that everyone that shops at said stores wishes for “free Obama money” is asinine. If you want to change hearts and minds, it all starts with one’s self. By the way, when I was in Denver awhile back I bought a couple of hats at the Bass Pro store. They were not exactly cheap. Guess where they were made? China. Does that mean I want free Obama money? Look around! You can hardly buy anything that isn’t made in China.
  
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rsanchez1
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 9:31pm
They sure are educated in English for being born in China and living and working in a forced labor camp.

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- Chuck Stein
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 9:45pm
  They obviously did not GROW UP in the labor camp. They got an education before they proved politically unreliable in some way. Very likely that the very same education that enabled them to write decent English was also a factor in their political “crime.” Cambodia was the most extreme example of that situation.
  
  Report this comment
SovereignSoul
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 6:22pm
I guess there’s no questioning that the Chinese have the ‘Right to Work’

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700P
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 3:54pm
And that my friends is a little dose of Marxist Reality

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- calypsocoral
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 2:22pm
  @700P
  
  Love the avatar, man! Combining anti-Obama politics and Megadeth = PURE WIN!
  
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ginger100
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 3:52pm
Standards Immelt would like to bring to communist red amerika

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BlackCrow
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 3:47pm
When Sam Walton was running WalMart he did everything possible to carry goods made in this country even working with them to make small companies become competitive with imports. Now his children and grandchildren have brought us this all so they can be wealthy. Sam would be ashamed of his company and his family.

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- FunFunFun
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 8:34pm
  Third Generation Curse? When privileged children rule, trouble starts.
  
  Report this comment
gyro
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 3:32pm
more investigaion
didnt vote obama ? your future ?

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Sickandtiredofextremists
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 3:19pm
Don’t send it to the Obama administration…………………..they like the idea of convict labor. We are headed for it, my friends. Our time is a’comin’.

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- blanco5
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 6:49pm
  Not the murderers, rapists, etc, but the ones who speak out against the government will be the forced labor.
  
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nardo2210
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 3:18pm
Sir: If you occasionally read this blog, please kindly repost this to the World Human Right Organization. Thousands people here who are under the persecution of the O’ Bammy Party Government will thank and remember you forever.

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BODYBAG
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 3:02pm
Someone NEEDS to stay on this. Stay on it like a dog gets hold of a pants leg and doesnt let go.
These companies need to be charged. Maybe this is a glimpse of the coming doom of sh*ty Chinese made products imported here to WalMart, K-Mart, etc.

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