BBC Documentary Reveals Children Digging Tin Ores In Dangerous Mud Pits Used In iPhones
In this article, the focus will be on the alleged abuse of children who work for tin mining in mud pits located in Indonesia. According to Business Insider's report, tin is used in the production of iPhones and iPads. Unfortunately, children literally swimming in mud pits were captured in the controversial documentary.
Illegal man-made islands are said to exist in Indonesia where in Apple's suppliers source out the tin ore from its muddy sea bed. Another shocking part of the documentary was the pictures of dead bodies of the tin miners who were victims of landslides. The bodies of the miners who were buried alive were excavated using mechanical diggers. Horrifying pictures of cadavers with heavily damaged bones and mouths full of sand were recovered.
The documentary also featured a young boy at the age of 14 who worked for the mud pits which posted dangerous working conditions. According to the interview, the boy that was found working in the mining site was there to assist his grandfather. Despite the critical working condition, with the mining pits being prone to landslides, workers still continued to work for Apple's tin ore suppliers.
Meanwhile, BBC reported that Apple was offended with the documentary which exposed conditions for workers in factories supporting Apple's devices. The tech giant's senior vice president, Jeff Williams, wrote an email to the broadcasting company. The email explained that the company found the documentary quite offensive and misleading. Williams also pointed out facts that will clear Apple from the alleged mishandling of workforce both in Indonesia and in China.
The tin miners that were exposed in the documentary sold the metal that they dug through middlemen. This would then clear Apple having no direct connection with the miners featured in the alleged video. However, Williams admitted that there are still some problems to be addressed and that the company will work hard in order to achieve a working environment where in workers get treated with utmost respect and much deserved dignity.