Unions, SRP Cry Sound Sabotage in K. Cham
By Kuch Naren
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The Sam Rainsy Party and union officials have accused authorities in Kompong Cham province of blasting music at top volume through a large sound system to sabotage a meeting about labor rights they were trying to hold Saturday.
But police countered Sunday that officials were simply trying to host an 8 am dance party for the rubber plantation workers in Chamkar Leu district.
Prominent SRP member Mu Sochua and Cambodian Independent Teachers' Association President Rong Chhun were trying to tell 100 plantation workers under a tent in Tampom village about unionization when the village chief arrived with a truck laden with nine large speakers, said Sam Sreymon, deputy director of the Free Trade Union.
"We organized this meeting to educate rubber workers about the Labor Law," she said. "But unfortunately for us, a village chief tried to disrupt our meeting by playing music loudly."
Village chief Soth Han, who also arrived with several armed police officers, first told the workers to leave the tent, Sam Sreymon said. When the seminar moved to a location a few hundred meters away, Soth Han plugged in his speaker's inside the tent and turned his music on full-blast, she added.
Soth Han could not be reached for comment. But district police chief Um Leang Heng said police were sent to the seminar to ensure security, and that the village chief just wanted people to have a good time.
"I heard that the village chief played music for a dance party on Saturday, which was their day off, so the company wanted the workers to have fun," he said.
Mu Sochua said Soth Han unplugged her microphone while she was trying to speak. Soth Han remained in the tent, but his music continued to drown out the seminar", she said. She added that about 50 rubber workers were frightened by the village chief's behavior and left.
But police countered Sunday that officials were simply trying to host an 8 am dance party for the rubber plantation workers in Chamkar Leu district.
Prominent SRP member Mu Sochua and Cambodian Independent Teachers' Association President Rong Chhun were trying to tell 100 plantation workers under a tent in Tampom village about unionization when the village chief arrived with a truck laden with nine large speakers, said Sam Sreymon, deputy director of the Free Trade Union.
"We organized this meeting to educate rubber workers about the Labor Law," she said. "But unfortunately for us, a village chief tried to disrupt our meeting by playing music loudly."
Village chief Soth Han, who also arrived with several armed police officers, first told the workers to leave the tent, Sam Sreymon said. When the seminar moved to a location a few hundred meters away, Soth Han plugged in his speaker's inside the tent and turned his music on full-blast, she added.
Soth Han could not be reached for comment. But district police chief Um Leang Heng said police were sent to the seminar to ensure security, and that the village chief just wanted people to have a good time.
"I heard that the village chief played music for a dance party on Saturday, which was their day off, so the company wanted the workers to have fun," he said.
Mu Sochua said Soth Han unplugged her microphone while she was trying to speak. Soth Han remained in the tent, but his music continued to drown out the seminar", she said. She added that about 50 rubber workers were frightened by the village chief's behavior and left.
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