Star Online Report
Human Rights Watch (HRW) today urged
global retailers to support and compensate the victims of Tazreen where
at least 111 garment workers were burned alive two years ago.
“Global clothing brands tied to a Bangladesh factory that caught fire two years ago should immediately support full and fair compensation for workers and families of the dead,” the international rights watchdog said.
The call was made through a press release today, two years into the devastating fire incident of Ashulia’s Tazreen garments.
The watchdog slammed global retailers who “paid nothing, claiming the factory was making or storing their products without their knowledge or authorization.”
HRW said it wrote to five companies – Dickies (USA), Sears (USA), Disney (USA), Teddy Smith (France), and Walmart (USA) – who refused to compensate for the victims and their families after the fire. “Till date they have not replied.”
“Companies should not claim that just because they did not know their products were in Tazreen they have no responsibility to the victims,” sid Brad Adams, Asia director at HRW.
“The UN Guiding Principles clearly state that all firms have a responsibility to conduct due diligence throughout their supply chain, and provide a remedy to anyone affected by human rights violations.”
“The victims of Tazreen, like those of the Rana Plaza tragedy, need a huge amount of support. Many of the survivors might have escaped the flames, but their lives are ruined,” he added.
“Bangladeshi activists who entered Tazreen garment after the fire also found labels, clothing, and documentation connected to C&A (Belgium), Edinburgh Woollen Mill (UK), El Corte Ingles (Spain), Sean Combs/Enyce (US), Karl Rieker (Germany), KiK (Germany), Li & Fung (Hong Kong), and Piazza Italia (Italy),” HRW said.
“HRW wrote to each of these companies in November 2013, but one year later, none have replied.”
Of these firms, Karl Rieiker, Piazza Italia, Edinburgh Woolen Mills, KiK, El Corte Ingles, and Enyce said they had or would make charitable donations to the victims, it said.
“Only two of the brands, Europe's C&A and Li and Fung of Honk Kong, are believed to have made meaningful attempts to compensate the survivors and relatives of those who died.”
An appeal to raise funds for the many victims of the Rana Plaza tragedy has also failed to raise the necessary amount of money, HRW said.
“It is important that a system is put in place to ensure that the right amount of support goes to the right people,” HRW’s Adams said. “The survivors of the Tazreen Fashions and the Rana Plaza catastrophes need and deserve long term help.”
Star
file photo shows the charred machines after a devastating fire that
killed 112 workers at Tazreen Fashions in Ashulia, on the outskirts of
the capital, Dhaka.
“Global clothing brands tied to a Bangladesh factory that caught fire two years ago should immediately support full and fair compensation for workers and families of the dead,” the international rights watchdog said.
The call was made through a press release today, two years into the devastating fire incident of Ashulia’s Tazreen garments.
The watchdog slammed global retailers who “paid nothing, claiming the factory was making or storing their products without their knowledge or authorization.”
HRW said it wrote to five companies – Dickies (USA), Sears (USA), Disney (USA), Teddy Smith (France), and Walmart (USA) – who refused to compensate for the victims and their families after the fire. “Till date they have not replied.”
“Companies should not claim that just because they did not know their products were in Tazreen they have no responsibility to the victims,” sid Brad Adams, Asia director at HRW.
“The UN Guiding Principles clearly state that all firms have a responsibility to conduct due diligence throughout their supply chain, and provide a remedy to anyone affected by human rights violations.”
“The victims of Tazreen, like those of the Rana Plaza tragedy, need a huge amount of support. Many of the survivors might have escaped the flames, but their lives are ruined,” he added.
“Bangladeshi activists who entered Tazreen garment after the fire also found labels, clothing, and documentation connected to C&A (Belgium), Edinburgh Woollen Mill (UK), El Corte Ingles (Spain), Sean Combs/Enyce (US), Karl Rieker (Germany), KiK (Germany), Li & Fung (Hong Kong), and Piazza Italia (Italy),” HRW said.
“HRW wrote to each of these companies in November 2013, but one year later, none have replied.”
Of these firms, Karl Rieiker, Piazza Italia, Edinburgh Woolen Mills, KiK, El Corte Ingles, and Enyce said they had or would make charitable donations to the victims, it said.
“Only two of the brands, Europe's C&A and Li and Fung of Honk Kong, are believed to have made meaningful attempts to compensate the survivors and relatives of those who died.”
An appeal to raise funds for the many victims of the Rana Plaza tragedy has also failed to raise the necessary amount of money, HRW said.
“It is important that a system is put in place to ensure that the right amount of support goes to the right people,” HRW’s Adams said. “The survivors of the Tazreen Fashions and the Rana Plaza catastrophes need and deserve long term help.”
Published: 10:20 am Monday, November 24, 2014
Last modified: 3:01 pm Monday, November 24, 2014
