In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
“Surely ˹for˺ Muslim men and women, believing men and women, devout men and women, truthful men and women, patient men and women, humble men and women, charitable men and women, fasting men and women, men and women who guard their chastity, and men and women who remember God often—for ˹all of˺ them God has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.” The Holy Quran, 33:35
CAIR Calls on Amazon to Sever Ties with Suppliers Linked to Uyghur Forced Labor | CAIR Urges Pres. to Sign Anti-Lynching Bill | CAIR Celebrates International Women’s Day
CAIR Calls on Amazon to Sever Ties with Suppliers with Links to Uyghur Forced Labor in China
Muslim civil rights group urges CBP and SEC to investigate Amazon’s business activities in Uyghur Region
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on Amazon to cut ties with suppliers with links to forced labor in China and urged the State Department to investigate Amazon’s business activities in the Uyghur Region.
“Amazon’s alleged use of suppliers with links to forced labor and the genocide of Uyghurs in China would be shameful, immoral and possibly illegal,” said CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw. “The federal government must conduct a thorough investigation of Amazon’s business activities in the Uyghur region, and Amazon must stop operating in that region.”
McCaw also noted that China has agreed to allow a UN visit to the Xinjiang region and called on the UN human rights chief to produce a thorough investigative report on China’s activities based on information gathered without Chinese government interference or influence.
A new report released by Tech Transparency Project (TTP) accused Amazon of working with suppliers in China with alleged links to forced Uyghur labor. TTP found that Amazon’s public list of suppliers includes five companies that have been linked directly or indirectly to forced labor of ethnic minorities from China’s Xinjiang region.
That report states in part:
“In China, programs euphemistically called ‘labor transfers’ move workers from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, a predominantly Muslim area in western China, to factories in other parts of the country. Experts say these programs are often coercive and connected to a network of mass internment and reeducation camps in China. In at least some cases, Uyghur laborers are not allowed to leave factory facilities or return home of their own accord.”
Amazon even allegedly continued to include Esquel Group on its supplier list for more than a year after the U.S. government-imposed sanctions on an Esquel subsidiary for involvement in forced labor in China.
CAIR is specifically calling on the Department of Justice, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to investigate Amazon’s business activities relating to China and its genocide targeting Uyghur Muslims.
[NOTE: CBP is responsible for determining that importers like Amazon comply with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act’s requirements that merchandise from China was not produced using forced labor. Public companies like Amazon must also disclose their activities in Xinjiang to the SEC as part of their annual reports.]
CAIR Celebrates International Women’s Day
Today, we honor and celebrate women around the world, including Muslim women who have made incredible achievements for our community, our country and the world.
CAIR-WA Stands with Burien Islamic Community After Center Rammed in Hit and Run Incident
Watch CAIR-WA’s News Conference
Video: CAIR-Washington Stands with Burien Muslim Community After Mosque Hit-and-Run Incident
CAIR Welcomes Unanimous Senate Passage of Anti-Lynching Bill, Calls on President Biden to Sign Into Law
Passed yesterday the evening, the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act states that a crime in which conspiracy to commit a hate crime results in death or serious bodily injury can be prosecuted as a lynching. The bill was passed in the House on February 28.
In a statement, CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw said:
“Lynching is one of the ugliest stains on the history of this nation, and for more than 100 years, lawmakers have tried and failed to make it a federal crime. They have finally succeeded. We welcome the Senate’s unanimous passage of this important and historic act, and we urge President Biden to immediately sign it into law.”
CAIR Joins Call for Public Apology by South Carolina Official Who Wore Confederate Flag T-Shirt at Event
Greenville County Councilmember Lynn Ballard wore the shirt to an event in a predominantly Black neighborhood. Ballard posted a photo online of himself wearing the shirt but has since deleted that post. He now says he did not realize the shirt included a Confederate flag and will address the issue at an upcoming county council meeting scheduled for March 15.
“Even if Councilmember Ballard did not realize that his shirt included an image of the Confederate flag, he should still publicly apologize for the discomfort and offense that the flag of treason and white supremacy caused for those participating in the event,” said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.
CAIR Supports Legislation to Drop Louisiana Confederate Holidays
State Rep. Matthew Willard (D-New Orleans) has prefiled House Bill 248, which would remove Robert E. Lee Day and Confederate Memorial Day from Louisiana’s list of legal holidays. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Judiciary. The state’s legislative session begins March 14.
“We support this and all other efforts to end the public celebration of the Confederacy’s legacy of systemic anti-Black racism, slavery and white supremacy,” said CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw.
Bill to Help Protect Historic Black, Native Cemeteries Backed by CAIR