By Prak Chan Thul
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
A Free Trade Union activist claimed Wednesday that his leg was injured when he was shot at by an unidentified assailant while driving a motorbike on Monivong Boulevard on Tuesday evening.
Lay Chamroeun, FTU deputy president at Phnom Penh City Garment factory, said he was approached by six young men on three motorbikes at about 9 pm, and that one of them drew a handgun and shot at his bike. A fragment from the bullet hit Lay Chamroeun's leg, he said adding that he has not had hospital treatment.
"It was not a robbery, it might have been revenge," Lay Chamroeun said.
He also claimed that the shooting followed a disagreement with a manager on Tuesday.
"It might involve the factory because I complained a lot," he alleged.
Lay Chamroeun said that he has filed a complaint with Tonle Bassac commune police, but commune police chief Ouk Savouth said he could not confirm this because he was out of his office.
Sem Sokunthea, administration chief at Phnom Penh City Garment, dismissed speculation that the incident was linked to the factory.
"It might have been a personal dispute," she said.
Sem Sokunthea said that a factory manager had refused to give Lay Chamroeun a raise Tuesday because the factory was losing money.
"My manager normally likes to yell," she added.
The FTU issued a statement condemning the shooting, saying it was intended to intimidate the union.
This is not the first time that unidentified gunmen have opened fire on FTU officials.
In January 2004, FTU President Chea Vichea was gunned down in broad daylight by an unidentified gunman. Four months later, Ros Sovannarith, a member of the union's steering committee, was also shot dead in Phnom Penh.
The FTU has again been in the spotlight in recent weeks with its planned mass strike for Monday to call for increased salaries. The strike was cancelled after the Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia agreed to negotiate an increase in the minimum wage.
Lay Chamroeun, FTU deputy president at Phnom Penh City Garment factory, said he was approached by six young men on three motorbikes at about 9 pm, and that one of them drew a handgun and shot at his bike. A fragment from the bullet hit Lay Chamroeun's leg, he said adding that he has not had hospital treatment.
"It was not a robbery, it might have been revenge," Lay Chamroeun said.
He also claimed that the shooting followed a disagreement with a manager on Tuesday.
"It might involve the factory because I complained a lot," he alleged.
Lay Chamroeun said that he has filed a complaint with Tonle Bassac commune police, but commune police chief Ouk Savouth said he could not confirm this because he was out of his office.
Sem Sokunthea, administration chief at Phnom Penh City Garment, dismissed speculation that the incident was linked to the factory.
"It might have been a personal dispute," she said.
Sem Sokunthea said that a factory manager had refused to give Lay Chamroeun a raise Tuesday because the factory was losing money.
"My manager normally likes to yell," she added.
The FTU issued a statement condemning the shooting, saying it was intended to intimidate the union.
This is not the first time that unidentified gunmen have opened fire on FTU officials.
In January 2004, FTU President Chea Vichea was gunned down in broad daylight by an unidentified gunman. Four months later, Ros Sovannarith, a member of the union's steering committee, was also shot dead in Phnom Penh.
The FTU has again been in the spotlight in recent weeks with its planned mass strike for Monday to call for increased salaries. The strike was cancelled after the Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia agreed to negotiate an increase in the minimum wage.
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