Workers claim abuse as China adds Zimbabwe to its scramble for Africa

[Jackdaws]

Workers claim abuse as China adds Zimbabwe to its scramble for Africa
Workers on Robert Mugabe's pet construction project say they suffer regular beatings and miserable pay and conditions

The construction site north of Harare has also become the lightning rod for another source of simmering resentment – Chinese labour practices.

Surrounded by a perimeter wall that runs for a kilometre through what was once farmland, the shadowy military academy is being built by a Chinese contractor whose managers are accused of meting out physical punishments, miserable conditions and meagre pay.

"The beatings happen very often," said a 28-year-old carpenter, wearing blue overalls as he made the long walk home after a 14-hour shift. "They ill-treat you and, if you make a mistake, they beat you up.

"I saw some men beaten up yesterday. A guy complained: 'You're not treating us like human beings,' and the Chinese replied: 'You should appreciate we've come to assist you.' They beat him up and he was fired."

Some of the Chinese have "nice homes inside" while others live in wooden shacks just outside the complex. The Zimbabweans and Chinese rarely mix, he added. "They don't speak English so we use sign language. The Chinese eat off plates, then give us the leftovers."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/02/china-zimbabwe-workers-abuse

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Any such treatment of workers is despicable, and I condemn it.

Here is the source of the article:

Workers claim abuse as China adds Zimbabwe to its scramble for Africa | World news | The Guardian

Robert Mugabe is welcomed to Beijing by the Chinese president, Hu Jintao. China plans to invest up to $10bn in Zimbabwe over the next five years, more than in any other country. Photograph: Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images

 

[Jun]

Workers claim abuse as China adds Zimbabwe to its scramble for Africa
Workers on Robert Mugabe's pet construction project say they suffer regular beatings and miserable pay and conditions

The construction site north of Harare has also become the lightning rod for another source of simmering resentment – Chinese labour practices.

Surrounded by a perimeter wall that runs for a kilometre through what was once farmland, the shadowy military academy is being built by a Chinese contractor whose managers are accused of meting out physical punishments, miserable conditions and meagre pay.

"The beatings happen very often," said a 28-year-old carpenter, wearing blue overalls as he made the long walk home after a 14-hour shift. "They ill-treat you and, if you make a mistake, they beat you up.

"I saw some men beaten up yesterday. A guy complained: 'You're not treating us like human beings,' and the Chinese replied: 'You should appreciate we've come to assist you.' They beat him up and he was fired."

Some of the Chinese have "nice homes inside" while others live in wooden shacks just outside the complex. The Zimbabweans and Chinese rarely mix, he added. "They don't speak English so we use sign language. The Chinese eat off plates, then give us the leftovers."

Workers claim abuse as China adds Zimbabwe to its scramble for Africa | World news | The Guardian

So, the Chinese use sign language to tell them 'You should appreciate we've come to assist you.'?

 

[Jackdaws]

So, the Chinese use sign language to tell them 'You should appreciate we've come to assist you.'?

I assume some translators are in place but of course most of the communication might be happening through sign language. Having said that one must not trivialize the issue.

 

[Abhishek_]

so it is no longer the white man's burden, not it's yellow man's