【新唐人2011年11月7日訊】國際人權組織「人權觀察」發表一份調查報告，嚴厲指責在贊比亞投資的中國礦業公司無視工人權益，嚴重違反當地勞工法。但中共外交部發言人洪磊在例行記者會上否認這項指控。有學者指出，中共官員顛倒黑白，新聞發言沒有經過調查，極不負責任。
「人權觀察」這份超過100頁的報告書，是「人權觀察」在去年﹙2010年﹚11月到今年﹙2011年﹚7月期間，對四家中國公司進行三次調查的結果。而這四家中國公司，都是中國的國有企業「中國有色礦業集團」下屬的子公司。
報告披露，在這些由中國公司經營的礦場裡，礦工每天超時工作，有時工作時間長達18小時，而且公司對礦井下的安全規章不聞不問。礦道中換氣量嚴重不足導致煙塵迷漫，讓礦工很容易得上肺病，而且損壞的安全設備不予更換，那些拒絕去危險作業面工作的礦工則經常被威脅炒魷魚。
深圳當代社會觀察研究所所長劉開明：「中國企業的習慣仍然是，可能把在中國國內的習慣帶過去。他們習慣就是跟政府搞好關係，跟政府搞好關係就可以了，而不管工人的情況，也不管社區的這種意見。」
調查報告引述受訪的贊比亞礦工的話，礦工說：中國老闆只想著產量，要求礦工365天，天天工作，對安全根本不關心。如果有工傷死亡，空缺第二天就會被人頂替。他們還採用收買或威脅的方式，防止礦工向政府上報事故或其他問題。另外，參加工會活動的礦工受到威脅:「可能會被開除」。
權利運動負責人胡軍：「中共現在在把它的一些掠奪的理念，對社會破壞的一些方式方法向國外進行擴散。這個我覺得國際社會應該更多的來注意到這件事情。」
「人權觀察」負責人貝克萊還指出：調查發現中國公司經營的贊比亞銅礦中，很多在健康和安全方面無視工人權益的做法，與「人權觀察」在中國國內看到的很多違反勞工法的情況非常相似。
但中共外交部發言人洪磊在例行記者會上卻極力辯駁。
胡軍：「中國的官員和新聞發言人都是喜歡顛倒黑白，這是一貫的事情，他們的説話你要反著來看。如果說他連自己的國民都不去尊重，更何況是非洲國家。他連自己的國民都去迫害，都去殘忍的屠殺的話，那對其他地區的人那就可想而知了。」
劉開明也認爲，洪磊這樣的發言沒有説服力，因爲他違背了沒有調查就沒有發言權的基本原則。
劉開明：「我想洪磊先生並沒有到過這個企業，也沒有跟企業的這些工人和工會來交流。那他怎麽知道這個礦厰並沒有違反當地的法律，並沒有侵害工人的利益呢？顯然我覺得這樣的回應是不負責任的。」
近年來中共大幅投資贊比亞，但是由於中國公司經營的企業工作條件差，工資待遇低，並沒有受到贊比亞平民的歡迎。因工資等問題導致的勞資衝突時有發生。最嚴重的一次是去年十月，在中共投資的銅礦工作的11名贊比亞工人，因要求改善工資待遇和工作條件，而遭到中共管理人員的槍擊。
銅礦資源開發是贊比亞的經濟支柱。贊比亞新任總統薩塔在今年九月競選期間，曾嚴厲批評中共投資的經營方式，並且說，中國企業經營的銅礦發給當地工人的是「奴隸級別的工資」。
這次「人權觀察」組織在報告中也敦促薩塔兌現他的競選諾言，採取果斷行動整治中資公司。
新唐人記者秦雪、李明飛、王明宇採訪報導。
Report: Zambia』s Chinese-Run Mines Violate Labor Laws
International human rights organization
“Human Rights Watch" issued a report that
severely criticized the Chinese invested mining companies
in Zambia, saying they ignore workers』 rights and seriously violate local labor laws.
The Chinese Foreign Affairs spokesperson Hong Lei denied
the allegations at a press conference.
Scholars indicated that the Chinese official was lying and
his statement, without an investigation, was very irresponsible.
The report by “Human Rights Watch" runs over 100 pages.
It detailed the results of three research missions
to Zambia』s four Chinese copper operations in November 2010 and July 2011.
These four Chinese companies in Zambia are subsidiaries of
China Non-Ferrous Metals Mining Corporation,
a state-owned enterprise under the authority of
China』s highest executive body.
The report reveals that workers in these Chinese-run mines
work overtime every day,
sometimes up to 18 hours working time, and mine safety and
regulations are subject to companies』 indifference.
For instance, inadequate ventilation results in hazy smoke
in the mines that can lead to serious lung diseases,
failing to replace workers』 damaged protective equipment,
and routinely threatening to fire workers who refuse to work in unsafe places.
Director of the Institute of Contemporary Observation in Shenzhen, Dr. Liu Kaiming: “It』s the habit of the Chinese enterprises.
They might have continued their habit in China.
Their habit was to create good relations with the government.
It is enough to maintain a good relationship
with the government.
They don』t care about the situation of the workers,
or the opinion of the community. “
The report cited underground miners』 words,
“They just consider production, not safety.
If someone dies, he can be replaced tomorrow,”
“At times, Chinese managers bribe or threaten miners
to keep them from reporting accidents or other problems
to the government』s Mines Safety Department,”
and union representatives are threatened to be fired.
The head of Human Rights Campaign in China, Mr. Hu Jun:
“Communist China is now spreading its (predatory) concept
a number of ways via social disruption, overseas.
I think the international community should be more aware of
this situation.”
Africa Director at Human Rights Watch, Mr. Bekele,
also pointed out: “Many of the poor health and safety practices
we found in Zambia』s Chinese-run mines look strikingly
similar to abuses we see in China.”
But Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei
has refuted these claims at a press conference.
Hu Jun: “Chinese officials and the press spokesman are
in favor of reversing right and wrong, which is a consistent behavior.
Whatever they say you should look at it the other way.
If he does not even respect his own people,
let alone countries in Africa, he even persecutes their citizens, slaughters them cruelly,
then you can imagine what this official would do to people
in other areas. “
Liu Kaiming does not believe that Hong Lei』s statement
is convincing, because he violated the rule of speaking rights.
He did not have the right to speak
since he did not investigate the claim.
Liu Kaiming: “I don』t think Mr. Hong Lei has ever been
to this business, or has any exchange with these workers or unions.
How would he know if these mines did not violate local law,
or endanger miners』 interest? Obviously I think his reply was irresponsible. “
China has quite a substantial investment in Zambia
in recent years,
but because of poor working conditions and low wages,
they have not been welcomed in Zambia.
Labor conflicts over wages occur quite often.
The most serious one was in October of last year.
13 Zambian copper workers were shot by Chinese managers
over a demand to improve wages and working conditions.
Copper is Zambia’s main economic resource.
Zambia’s new president Sata severely criticized
the Chinese investment operations during the election ampaign in September this year
and referred to the wages that Chinese companies pay
local workers as “slave wages."
In the report, “Human Rights Watch" also urged Sata to act
on his campaign promise to crack down on illegal Chinese labor practices.
NTD reporters Qin Xue,Liming Fei and Wang Mingyu
