Slavery in Shanxi province and the government's response

Recently there has been quite a bit of news about the discovery of enslaved workers at a brick kiln in Shanxi run by the son of the local Party secretary. The China Daily even reprinted a Reuters report (with one excision to downplay the role of the local Party secretary, and no credit given).

Here is an astonishing report of police indifference and collusion in the matter, which appears to be just the tip of an iceberg of widespread kidnapping and enslavement of children. The collusion of local police is not surprising, but even the most cynical will be shocked by the passivity of non-local police.

In response to all this, the government has taken swift measures: not to punish the perpetrators and their enablers, but to make sure that news about it is strictly censored and not allowed to embarrass the authorities.

Thanks to China Digital Times for the tip.