Chris Hayes (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have spoken on a number of occasions in this parliament about human rights and particularly human rights abuses as they occur in Vietnam. As you are aware, my constituency largely consists of former Vietnamese refugees. On this occasion I would like to speak more specifically about the allegations of the International Labour Rights Forum concerning forced labour centres that are operating in Vietnam under the guise of drug rehabilitation centres. I believe this is an area where greater international investigation must be made, as the state of the treatment of these people is unclear. I have made representations to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kevin Rudd, in relation to this, asking the Australian government to also be part of inquiring into these allegations. Whilst I believe that organisations such as the International Labour Rights Forum certainly do a fantastic job in identifying and pursuing issues of human rights, I do acknowledge that both the World Bank and the United Nations agency deny any knowledge of these forced labour camps existing.

In this speech I will refer to the claims of the International Labour Rights Forum. If these claims are true, I believe that as parliamentarians we have a duty to inquire into, speak up about and particularly take a stance against any abuse of human rights, particularly under the guise associated with these allegations. Today the International Labour Rights Forum records 40,000 men, women and children being held against their will in forced labour centres in Vietnam under the guise of rehabilitation. The conditions are difficult with the impossibly high quotas to work under and very cruel penalties, I am advised, are exerted for failing to meet these quotas. I have been advised that people are forced by the government to work for little or no pay, are beaten and are denied food or held in isolation cells while work targets are not being met. I have been advised by the International Labour Rights Forum that the centres are disguised as providing treatment for drug users.

By the way, most of the victims are brought on the basis of a single positive urine test and are picked up during street sweeps. These people can be detained in these forced labour camps, as I understand it, for anything up to five years without receiving any trial before the appropriate courts. The Vietnamese government, as I understand it, argue that this is therapy and they believe that by having them processing things such as nuts or by sewing garments this type of activity will move drug users from the streets and into these rehabilitation centres where they can get the help that they need. Having looked at the conditions associated with these allegations, you would have to conclude that they are certainly issues which would mainly be associated with our notion of sweatshops.

These centres receive a large amount of funding. They certainly receive funding from the US government in respect of the presence of an emergency plan for AIDS relief and from the US Agency for International Aid; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; the World Bank; the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime; and the Australian Agency for International Development, AusAID. It would be devastating if these allegations from the International Labour Rights Forum were true and that these so-called rehabilitation centres were, in fact, exploiting the funds that they receive from their various donors who generously provide the funds thinking that they are targeted to help people reform from drug induced problems. The Vietnamese government state that their compulsory drug rehabilitation is humane, effective and beneficial for drug users, the community and society in general and that their practices are in line with drug treatment principles set by the US, the UN and the WHO. (Time expired)