Arizona woman finds note from ‘Chinese prisoner’ in Walmart purse

By Rahul KalvapalléNational Online Journalist  Global News

An Arizona woman made a harrowing discovery when she opened the zipper pouch of a purse she purchased from Walmart — what appeared to be a note written by a stricken Chinese prison labourer.

Christel Wallace of Sierra Vista, Arizona found the note in the purse she bought for her daughter-in-law Laura Wallace, KVOA reports.

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The note, which Laura shared on Facebook, claims to be a cry for help from an inmate languishing in Yingshan Prison in Guangxi, China, according to this translation provided by the Huffington Post:

 “Inmates in the Yingshan Prison in Guangxi, China are working 14 hours daily with no break/rest at noon, continue working overtime until 12 midnight, and whoever doesn’t finish his work will be beaten. Their meals are without oil and salt.

Every month, the boss pays the inmate 2000 yuan [about $290], any additional dishes will be finished by the police.

If the inmates are sick and need medicine, the cost will be deducted from the salary.

Being a prisoner in China is even worse than being a horse, cow, sheep, pig or dog in the U.S.”

The authenticity of the note hasn’t been verified.

Walmart’s supplier standards state that all labour involved in producing and supplying products for sale at its stores must be voluntary.

A spokesperson told KVOA that the retail giant is unable to comment on the note “because we have no way to verify the origin of the letter.”

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Laura Wallace told KVOA that she hopes the note will help raise awareness about working conditions in penal labour camps.

“I don’t want this to be an attack on any store… That’s not the answer,” she said.

“This is happening at all kinds of places and people just probably don’t know.”