Most people who are sent to the cotton fields every year understand the viciousness of the practice; however they are unable to speak their mind for fear of losing their jobs. Most people believe that at least those, who work in hospitals, clinics, schools and kindergartens should remain at their workplaces where they do a lot of good for the people rather than be mobilized for the cotton harvest.

An employee of municipal services returned from the cotton fields with an acute osteomyelitis. He had a prior history of a leg fracture and doctors had strictly forbidden him from putting too much weight on the leg or experiencing extreme cold temperatures. His superiors, however, disregarded doctors’ orders completely and sent him cotton harvesting for 10 days straight with overnights in a remote region of Yylangyz, where the very basic work, rest and hygienic conditions were not met.

Tens of thousands of teachers, doctors, mailmen, bank, factory and other industrial employees throughout the country are forced to stop their work and join the battle for the harvest. For example, on August 30, 500 employees of a regional hospital were taken to the fields; those sent to the fields were the medical staff finished with their shift, nurses and medical assistants.