NEWS RELEASE: Seven Xinjiang project workers killed under severe weather conditions
November 29, 2022
在一场严重的暴风雪下，七名新疆建筑项目工人在回家的路上被杀害。中国劳工观察与其中一名遇难工人的家属和当地知情人士取得联系。
由于新疆阿勒泰地区的COVID病例增加，阿勒泰的一个国家公路项目的建筑工人于10月初向公司请愿，要求返回他们在福建省的家。然而，由于当局的COVID预防政策，工人们不被允许回家，直到11月26日，他们才最终获得许可。然而，这些工人在回家的路上被困于零下28摄氏度的暴风雪中。当地救援人员发现了这8名工人，并将他们转移到医院。在8名被困工人中，有7人死亡，1人幸存并被转移到ICU病房。
与当地知情人士的通信证实了这一事件，并告知CLW，由于建筑工地缺乏防寒措施，工人们才获准离开，前往气候温和的故乡。因此，当地政府采取了措施来掩盖这一事件。
中国劳工观察执行主任李强评论说，如果这些工人能够在10月份获得回家的许可，他们就不会通过。他进一步评论说，当局应该重新考虑COVID的限制性措施。
中国劳工观察于11月27日联系了新闻媒体，并向上述媒体提供了一些相关的消息来源，因为我们不希望这一事件被埋没。
新华社新闻报道 11月29日，但他们仍然需要详细说明这些工人在恶劣天气下被困的情况。 covered the issue on November 29, but they still needed to detail the conditions under which these workers were trapped under severe weather.
图片： 一位受害者家属的紧急请愿书
Translation:
SOS!
To the Government of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region:
This is a life-threatening request for help!!! Since the outbreak of COVID in Atlay Prefecture in early October, Kalaxilike highway project management office, located in the No. 217 National Highway, was said to have reported to upper management regarding the issue of having workers return to their home community. But the community administrative authorities had refused to provide said permission until November 26, 2022.
But the unexpected snowstorm on November 26 led to a traffic accident, killing seven workers. The only worker alive has been transferred to the intensive care unit and is under critical condition. Family members of the workers are all living in Fuqing city, Fujian Province. They have not been able to purchase flight tickets to Xinjiang because of the COVID policy. Therefore, we hereby urge the Government of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to offer the necessary support for the eight workers’ family members and help them prepare for funerals. All of the above mentioned writings are verifiable, and I’m willing to undertake all legal responsibilities for this request.
Petitioner: [Name redacted]
Tel: [phone number redacted] (For the sake of preserving immediate communication, please do not call this number unless there is an urgent situation)
*Featured photo sourced from the internet.