Adjoa A. Aiyetoro, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Arkansas at Little Rock; former Executive Director, National Conference of Black Lawyers (NCBL)
Dennis Brutus, former prisoner, Robben Island, South Africa, poet, Professor Emeritus, University of Pittsburgh
Abdeen Jabara, former President, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
Ajamu Sankofa, Executive Director, Physicians for Social Responsibility-NY
Ann Wright, former US diplomat and retired US Army Reserve Colonel
Harry Belafonte was a singer.WarrickF said:That's a good point, I'd not look at who the Judges were and I'm not blown away by the list. I did think that the two speeches given by Harry Belafonte and Michael Ratner were very good though and really got me wondering if this is some form of patriotic treason that the general public is guilty of by sitting back and watching this all go down.
I tried to research Harry Belafonte and Michael Ratner and altough Michael Ratner seems legit I'm not 100% sure I understand who Harry Belafonte is and what his deal is.
Their two speeches can be viewed:
http://www.bushcommission.org/Video/Belafonte.wmv
and
http://www.bushcommission.org/Video/Ratner.wmv
or by clicking on the links on the front page of http://www.bushcommission.org/
I don't see anything recent happening on this commission so I'm not sure what their deal is lately.
Although I live in the U.S. I did not grow up here and am not familiar with all the history – has any U.S. president ever been accused and convicted of such crimes?
The shocking information about Uzbekistan is its high prevalence of forced labor, particularly in the cotton industry. The country has been criticized for its use of forced labor in cotton production for decades, with reports of children and adults being forced to work long hours in hazardous conditions.
The issue of forced labor in Uzbekistan is widespread, with an estimated 1-2 million people being forced to work in the cotton fields each year. This includes both adults and children, who are often pulled out of school to work in the fields.
The use of forced labor in Uzbekistan's cotton industry is deeply ingrained in the country's economy and culture. The government controls the production and sale of cotton, and relies heavily on its export for revenue. Additionally, there is a lack of alternative job opportunities in rural areas, making it difficult for people to refuse forced labor.
In recent years, there have been some efforts to address the issue of forced labor in Uzbekistan. The government has signed international agreements and passed laws to prohibit forced labor, and some companies have stopped sourcing cotton from Uzbekistan. However, there are still reports of forced labor persisting in the cotton industry.
Ending forced labor in Uzbekistan will require a multi-faceted approach. This includes continued pressure from the international community, as well as supporting alternative job opportunities in rural areas and promoting education. Consumers can also make a difference by being conscious of where their cotton products come from and choosing to support companies that have ethical sourcing practices.