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In 2013, only seven gangmasters were convicted for operating without a licence. "I have no idea how we will get out of this situation," she says. All I can think of is the Chinese cockle-pickers, poor sods. The detective who led the investigation into the tragedy said the deaths had "lived with him" ever since. "Sometimes I think if he hadn't died I would live a better life.". "I don't know how I will be able to pay for him if he succeeds. The death of her husband Dong Xinwu has left them with a debt of 240,000 yuan and no breadwinner to pay it back. With China's economy racing along at double-digit pace and huge inflows of cash from overseas, this region has never had it so good. How can the Chinese and the UK governments say that it is not their responsibility? 2023 BBC. When foreign tourists ignore the warnings not to drive onto - Reddit Her house-cleaning job brings in just 600 yuan (40) a month. In October 2013, it stopped monitoring some industries including forestry or apprenticeships and contract cleaning in the food industry when it should be expanding to include sectors with the worst working conditions. Oneupmanship does not come much more literal. And well beyond 2004 cockle pickers have had to be rescued. The creditors have taken over the dead couple's house, using it as a storeroom for their goods. "The accident was a disaster for me. The report also called for the scope of the GLA to be widened. "There is a constant threat and risk of people being abused like this and dying because they're being forced to work in dangerous conditions," he added. The deaths 10 years ago of 23 Chinese cockle pickers who were searching for a "better life" has had a lasting effect on all those associated with the Morecambe Bay disaster. If I am dead, I will never be able to repay them.". But if something goes wrong, there is no bankruptcy law and scarcely any safety net - a poverty alleviation allowance of 3 per month per child is all that local government pays in cases of great hardship. "Each family lends about 5,000 yuan (330). Last time I was back there, word quickly got round and before I knew it there were 10 of them pressing me to repay our debts. Even in grief there is competition. No purchase necessary. 17 cockle pickers of eastern European origin were saved at the River . Even so, small expenses quickly mount up. . Mr Gradwell claimed other similar disasters could still occur because people are willing to exploit the poorest in society for their own ends. Mr Sheridan wants to see its remit extended into industries including social care and construction. An unusual artwork dedicated to a unique man that entertained people visiting Cambridge while raising money for charity. So why are the authorities unable to prevent this kind of situation arising? "They kept on and on at her. "From time to time I wake up in the night with a panic attack and remember them. All rights reserved. Gangmaster Lin Liang Ren would drive the workers to Morecambe from Liverpool and visit casinos while the men and women toiled through the night. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. "The scenario of migrant workers being promised a better life by working for a gangmaster on farms in the UK but then finding they're paid far less then they've been promised less than the minimum wage isn't uncommon." They used houses and shops in Shirley in Solihull, and Dudley to run their operation, it said. But they need education to lift them to a level where one of them can repay the debt, which will be passed on to the sons - as is customary in this part of the world. Winner will be selected at random on 06/01/2023. Misery appears to be what he is used to. The deaths 10 years ago of 23 Chinese cockle pickers who were searching for a "better life" has had a lasting effect on all those associated with the disaster in Morecambe Bay. One of them, Li Hua, was within seconds of becoming a victim. In this boring Europe, I miss you and mother and our relatives very much. AI chatbots 'may soon be more intelligent than us', Russia troop deaths hit 20,000 in five months - US, Palestinian hunger striker dies in Israel prison, 'My wife and six children joined Kenya starvation cult', On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. Xu says her brother went overseas after his mother was diagnosed with cancer. In 2006, Liverpool gangster Lin Liang Ren was convicted of the manslaughter of the 23 . The creditors have stopped charging interest, but they are a presence that the children cannot ignore. Offer subject to change without notice. ", Among all the people I meet in Fujian, Lin has come the furthest to talk but appears to have the lowest expectations. The combination of rising flood waters and ferocious incoming tide meant the trapped cockle-pickers "didn't stand a chance", a sands expert said. Is climate change killing Australian wine? Morecambe Bay cockling disaster, 2004 - BBC Archive [3] The favoured area for cockle picking is close to the low tide line near the confluence of the Keer Channel and the Kent Channel, approximately 3.5 kilometres (2.2mi) north of Morecambe. Cheetham says the Gangmasters Licensing Act, passed in 2004 after the tragedy, hasn't changed things much. The deaths 10 years ago of 23 Chinese cockle pickers who were searching for a "better life" has had a lasting effect on all those associated with the disaster in Morecambe Bay. The pair, who operated from houses in the West Midlands, had hidden 22,000 they . [18], The 2007 folk song "On Morecambe Bay" by folk artist Kevin Littlewood tells the story of the events. The Morecambe disaster was recognised as a crime by a British court. "One women supports two children and me. "Look at this house. Jeremy Clarkson Jokes About Dead Chinese Cockle-Pickers It seems workers have little confidence in reporting abuse to the GLA: "They don't seem to do much with the intelligence," a source told me. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Yet, 10 years on, campaigners say workers are still being dangerously exploited in the UK. These lenders, many of whom are poor themselves, charge interest of about 10% a year. They need to be repaid. The court heard three weeks after the sisters were released from prison in 2011, they were arrested in Bath after trying to pass off 20 notes that had been withdrawn from circulation. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). Research led by Durham University last year found evidence that the numbers of people trafficked for labour exploitation would soon exceed those brought to the country for sexual exploitation. The creator, artist Anthony Padgett stated that the sculpture was designed to inspire walkers venturing along the bay. I was just lucky.". The cockle permit scheme, under which holders have to complete a safety course and learn about intertidal fishing, was introduced in December 2003, just eight weeks before the disaster. Effective regulations would benefit both migrant and local workers. All were working illegally, picking cockles for hours on end to send money back to their families. At a rough wooden table inside, she shows me the family photo album. Her salary of 1,200 yuan (80) a month, from a Singaporean trading company, would normally ensure a modest but secure existence in Fujian. We are so poor. BRITAIN: The bodies of some of the 23 Chinese cockle-pickers drowned at Morecambe Bay last February finally returned to their home villages last week. Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF. The Praying Shell artwork, carved in limestone, sits above the site where 23 Chinese cockle pickers working for. Select from premium Cockle Pickers Work At Morecambe Bay of the highest quality. At the moment, it is impossible. "That was taken just days before he set off to Europe," she says, breaking into tears. "Our thoughts really are of sadness for the families. But the Japanese police were very good. Mr Gradwell claimed other similar disasters could still occur because people are willing to exploit the poorest in society for their own ends. Morecambe's RNLI crew worked for 22 hours during the search and rescue operation. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. The family is still in trouble. Tide kills 18 cockle pickers. He said he "kept waving" at the helicopter. Jeremy Clarkson slammed for mocking deaths of 23 Chinese cockle-pickers Widow Lin Meiqin, who lives in China's Fujian province, has never remarried after her husband Lin YouXing died in the bay at the age of 38. The uncle, who earns 1,500 yuan per month, has repaid 20,000 yuan, but still owes 150,000. Ghosts is a 2006 drama film directed by Nick Broomfield, based on the 2004 Morecambe Bay cockling disaster. The Praying Shell - Bolton-le-Sands, England - Atlas Obscura Twenty years ago, the two-storey, red-brick building was probably the envy of the neighbourhood. [12], The 2006 film Ghosts, directed by Nick Broomfield, is a dramatisation of the events leading up to the disaster. A sculpture of a praying man overlooking Morecambe Bay has been unveiled. "We all came for the same reason. The eldest son has done his best to honour that final wish, but it is becoming more difficult. One grandmother is still crying as I prepare to leave. There is a common misconception that donations to the cockle-pickers' families will go into the pockets of the "snakehead" gangsters who smuggled the victims into Britain. There are some outlets just 10 minutes from here and I hear they pay OK, about three or four yuan [20-25p] an hour. Clifford Coonan was . "Sometimes I think if he hadn't died I would live a better life.". After they have paid the rent and utilities, there is barely enough for food. He wants to quit school and start work so that he can begin repaying the debt. Chen's mother wails when she sees me and falls to her knees to beg for help. Romania: Castles, Ruins, and Medieval Villages, Iceland in Summer: Journey Through a Fabled Land, Monster of the Month w/ Colin Dickey: Mokele-Mbembe, Accidental Discoveries: A Celebration of Historical Mistakes, Antiques and Their Afterlives: Stories from the Collection of Ryan and Regina Cohn, Monster of the Month w/ Colin Dickey: Satanists, Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tale Writing With Anca Szilgyi, Gourds Gone Wild: Growing and Crafting Gourds With Gourdlandia, Playing Ancient Games: History & Mythology With John Bucher, Secrets of Tarot Reading: History & Practice With T. Susan Chang, Why 18th-Century Scots Performed Mock Human Sacrifices Over Cake. "When my son came back home, he thought she was still asleep." His evidence helped convict Lin Liang Ren of 21 counts of manslaughter, facilitating illegal immigration and perverting the course of justice. The garden was designed and built by young volunteers from the Princes Trust and the fire service in Morecambe. They were staying at a hotel in Chippenham in Wiltshire and staff found 22,000 hid in a locker during routine checks. Back then, I assumed that the cries would end after a few hours or weeks or months. "He told us the water was up to his neck and asked us to pray for him," says his wife. File photo: Lancashire Police. In 2004 23 cockle-pickers drowned after becoming trapped by rising tides in the Lancashire bay. I wish you and my son health and safety. The families I meet in Fujian are all after pity - it is their last hope - but they are not equally able to press their case for sympathy, charity and compensation. "Please help us. She was always crying. The 21 cockle pickers who were killed in Morecambe Bay in February died from drowning, an inquest has heard. "But my mother almost never stops crying. The only decorations on the walls are some Christian posters and a portrait of her dead husband, Lin Guoguang. Li was lifted by violent waves as he struggled to swim against the tide. Sometimes, relatives help out so that her children do not starve. The gang Li called them snakeheads demanded an initial cash payment (the equivalent back then of 10,000) and it was explained to him that he. "There is no precedent All we can do is wait.". They did not do anything illegal once they got to the UK. By The Newsroom. On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. Photograph: Jonathan Watts, Audio slideshow: Jonathan Watts visits the families of the cockle pickers who died at Morcambe Bay three years ago. This abandoned limestone quarry now provides visitors with multiple, breathtaking viewpoints. Today, it is one of the oldest structures in a community of new factories and villas. I can't sleep with worry." My only hope is that all of the family stay safe and healthy. Morecambe Bay cockling disaster's lasting impact - BBC News In fact, the snakeheads were paid off long before the accidents. She supports a daughter with learning disabilities, an unemployed husband, an elderly father, a sister who became mentally ill after being raped, and, since February 5 2004, a nephew. An industry source has informed me of numerous cases of gangmaster abuse over the past decade, from the hospitality industry to food processing and agriculture, saying that little has been done to change the situation. In almost every home, it would start up almost as soon as I - or any other visitor - entered the house, and continue until we left. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The UK Fujian Association gave 10,000 yuan (about 660) to many of the victims, but this was barely enough to pay for the funerals. "It was very harrowing. Sole survivor cockle picker slave of Morecambe disaster - The Sun She refuses. Her husband's death meant instant ruin. They realise we have problems," says Chen. We left our families to make a better life. She condemns the snakeheads for luring her brother and his sister overseas, she accuses the Chinese authorities of inhumanity because they would not let her see the bodies before they were cremated, and she is dismayed that Britain is treating the dead more as criminals than as victims. I was on my own and then a helicopter came.". The headlines from China were full of disbelief. Inset: bodies being removed after the disaster. Yet many of the underlying causes, and especially the role of gangmasters, remain unresolved. He said: "I think a lot about those who didn't survive, particularly at Chinese New Year, because it happened around that time. To put her two children through school, she has borrowed more money, taking her debt to more than 300,000 yuan (19,900) . And the amount that we owe is growing all the time because we cannot pay interest. And perhaps some fatty scraps of meat. But we quickly ran out of things to eat so I had to start working again. It was first described to me in February 2004 as one of China's most beautiful and deeply distressing forms of art. "We will probably never know where the money was hidden for the last few years but we are convinced it was kept from the original people-trafficking operation and other related crime.". The monthly interest, 1,000 yuan (66), is three times Lin's rent. 'I heard them screaming as they drowned around me - The Sun Artist Isaac Julien: 'I didn't know if I'd live on until the 90s. A lot In the under-regulated world of the booming cockling trade, a local gang culture had been developing since the 1990s, evolving into a turf war. Going under | Crime | The Guardian Mandarin, Fuzhou dialect, English. The family has had to move. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The families' huge debts are now owed to relatives, friends and neighbours. On the evening of 5 February 2004, at least 21 Chinese illegal immigrants were drowned by an incoming tide at Morecambe Bay in North West England, while harvesting cockles off the Lancashire coast. In the early negotiations with Mr Chang, the local gang boss, Li was told the journey would take only a few weeks and that, at the end of it, he would be guaranteed work in a factory or restaurant. Morecambe Bay. This barely covers half the interest payments. All she does all day is collect rubbish for recycling so we can get a little extra money," explains Chen. Almost a decade after the disaster, Mr Hua said he still has panic attacks. He earned a lot in his first year and wrote to say that he was happy in Britain. Cockle pickers - Morecambe Bay - 2004 - GLAA - Gangmasters and Labour It was the eight-year-old who found the body. "Dad's only wish is that you study harder and harder and never act too proud. "The tragic deaths of twenty-three young Chinese cockle pickers in Morecambe Bay on the Lancashire coast have been attributed to the machinations of global capitalism. Gone_Gary_T Jazz Record Requests Additional comment actions. "Well, actually, slavery is here and now in the UK and the research which I've done with colleagues suggests there may be upwards of 10,000 people at any one time in the UK in conditions which we would class as modern slavery.". "Perhaps," she says with a shrug. "The only way I can bear life now is to imagine that he is still alive.". My children are suffering. Police said they were part of a money-laundering gang that made 4m and had assets in the UK, Thailand and Norway. Ten years after the cockle pickers' tragedy, we are still focusing on the arrival of migrants, not their rights, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Video, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, Met Gala 2023: Stars celebrate Karl Lagerfeld, Shooting suspect was deported four times - US media, Yellen warns US could run out of cash in a month, The 17 most eye-catching looks at the Met Gala, King Charles to wear golden robes for Coronation, HSBC says 1 bank buyout boosted profit by $1.5bn, More than 100 police hurt in French May Day protests. Lin Liang Ren was jailed for 14 years in 2006 after being found guilty of manslaughter and helping the cockle pickers break immigration laws. And, of course, the debt from the dead woman's passage to Britain still hangs over them. And with that, he slips back into the background. Is climate change killing Australian wine? 2023 BBC. Under this government's war on regulation and "red tape", migrant workers continue to be subjected to exploitation at work. These early 19th-century kilns were used to make coke, a key Ingredient in steel production. The events of that . Each time one of the children catches a cold, the family must pay a few hundred yuan for medicine. The court heard Freeman removed the money before police were able to catch up with him, and drove it to a house in Solihull where Bo Li's boyfriend, John Bowkett, 65, lived. I don't know how we can go on. Video, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, Met Gala 2023: Stars celebrate Karl Lagerfeld, Shooting suspect was deported four times - US media, Yellen warns US could run out of cash in a month, King Charles to wear golden robes for Coronation, HSBC says 1 bank buyout boosted profit by $1.5bn, More than 100 police hurt in French May Day protests. The interview over, I ask if I can take some pictures of the mother, grandmother and son. He believes the small gangmasters not following the rules may get caught, but the large ones are still out there. Dependants Son Cai Zhixiang, 16, daughter Cai Huiling, 13 Debt 150,000 yuan (9,940) Monthly income 2,000 yuan (132). Some 30 cockle pickers set out at 4 pm. For its part, the GLA accepts exploitation exists in other industries and insists it could be more of an "effective deterrent" with extra resources. A sculpture of a blood drop designed to honor those that have donated the precious liquid. Aerial shots of large-scale calligraphy counterpoint to the thermal imaging footage from the rescue services to Morecambe Bay. The victims' families - especially their children - are being punished, even though they broke no law themselves. But they are not stupid. Morecambe tide faster than a man can run | The Scotsman All rights reserved. His father went overseas to earn enough for his tuition. They cook a little extra and bring some for us. I have a serious disease. This month he takes university entrance exams, but his mother says she cannot afford the application fee, let alone the costs of tuition if he gets a place. "But we did not make any dent into these wider criminal gangs who traffic people around the world," he said. [9][1], At the subsequent hearing, British cocklers returning to shore on the same evening were reported to have attempted to warn the Chinese group by tapping their watches and trying to speak with them. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. In sharp contrast, the dead man's mother is almost silent. The sculpture can be easy to miss. Often mistaken as a commemorative statue, this sculpture has become a memorial of sorts, honoring the deaths of 23 Chinese cockle pickers who died in Morecambe Bay working for criminal organizations. Bo and Yan Li were jailed in 2009 for a scam linked to the deaths of the cockle pickers in Morecambe Bay in 2004. My husband is dead. We left our families to make a better life. A unique sculpture calls the outside of this steakhouse home. When he died it was such a loss. The main thing is to be able to look down on your neighbours. To earn money, I have to endure the depths of bitterness. ", She shows me round her home. The 23 deaths at Morecambe Bay highlighted the serious risks being taken by low-paid workers and the cavalier attitude of those supposedly responsible for them, but in Parliament efforts were already under way to tackle gangmasters. "We are really poor. The sculpture was actually imagined before the tragedy occurred in 2004. Birds have nested in the roof. The pair, who operated from houses in the West Midlands, had hidden 22,000 they had made and tried to spend it when they got out of prison. Inside Out is broadcast on Monday 3 February at 19:30 GMT on BBC One North West and nationwide for seven days thereafter on the iPlayer. She has not broken any laws, but the death of her husband in Morecambe has made her a fugitive from the family's creditors. On 5 February, Chinese cockle pickers were at work in the dark but facing the incoming tide. [16][17], In 2010, artist Isaac Julien released his film Ten Thousand Waves about the disaster. Slavery 'worse' 10 years after Morecambe Bay tragedy - BBC News The authorities were so pleased with the outcome of Operation Lund (as the case was called) that investigators won last year's top criminal justice award. My uncle, auntie and grandfather help me. BBC News. A month or two after arriving, he was dead - the youngest of the Morecambe victims. Mr Guy said: "At that stage they effectively came into a sea of bodies. In fact, these . After he turns 18 next year, we won't be able to keep him in education." Chen says she has sold her wedding jewellery and persuaded the creditors to stop charging 10% interest. Soon after he turned 19, he went to England. The only contribution we made to the families is that because we did recover the people we gave them some closure - rather than people being lost at sea.". Everyone was panicking, they got out of the vehicle and tried to swim. Read about our approach to external linking. The events of that night left indelible memories for everyone involved - from the sole Chinese survivor and witness - to the lifeboat crew who found themselves confronted by a "sea of bodies". Languages. THE death of the cockle-pickers in Morecambe Bay has added to its reputation for being a deadly area for the unwary. Her miserable red-brick cottage grovels at the feet of neighbouring multi-storeys - designed in a European style with Greek pillars and pediments. He knows the creditors will never stop coming after him. The workers were all illegal immigrants, mainly from the Fujian province of China, and have been described as being untrained and inexperienced. Five of them depend on Yu's father's factory salary of 750 yuan. She breaks down again. On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. ", At last year's trial in Britain, the boy wrote to the judge. Read about our approach to external linking. But now she is furious at those who have left her alone with such a burden. Chinese cockle pickers who died in Morecambe Bay, northwest England in 2004. "It still makes me sad whenever I come here. They didn't beat me, not even once.". He said: "The water covered the wheel and the vehicle couldn't move. The children looked lost, disbelieving. Are UK Asian gangs secretly exploiting cockle pickers? Inside Out talks to Li Hua, the only cockle picker to be rescued alive from the Morecambe Bay cockling tragedy 10 years ago, "But the water was flooding so quickly some were dragged right away under the water.". She shows me two photos of the father, Xu Yuhua, and mother, Liu Qinying, taken a week or so before the disaster. When he returns home, he locks himself in his room. When he died it was such a loss. Rescue teams continue their search over Morecambe bay, where many cockle pickers are feared dead after they were trapped by the rising tide in. He died in Lancashire, so his mother killed herself in Fujian. And Lena Chen - a Chinese woman living in Britain - sends a small amount of money before each spring festival. A NORTH West Tory MP remained defiant today over an offensive joke about the Chinese cockle pickers who drowned in Morecambe Bay. Nick Broomfield, who made the 2006 film Ghosts about the tragedy, set up the Morecambe Victims Fund with the Guardian journalist Hsiao-Hung Pai last August aimed at raising 500,000 for the victims' families. Jonathan Watts hears the stories of eight victims' families plunged into debt and despair, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. 82 Cockle Pickers Work At Morecambe Bay Premium High Res Photos ITV received a Bafta for its coverage of the seven-month trial, which ended in march last year. Chen says that is impossible now. The Morecambe Bay cockle pickers: Market failure or - ResearchGate

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