Opposition leader Sam Rainsy visits Muth Savy, the victim of police shooting at the Bright Sky factory strike, at the hospital. Muth Savy was shot in the back by police. Now, Khieuv Sopheak, the ministry of Interior spokesman attempts to shift the blame on what he calls "provocateurs." US-based Gap Inc. is a main customer of the Bright Sky garment factory. Because of the shooting perpetrated by cops hired by the factory, up to 1,000 workers will lose their jobs as Bright Sky decided to lay them off after closing their night shift. (Photo: SRP)Saturday and Sunday, October 21-22, 2006
NA Calls for Bright Sky Probe, 1,000 to Lose Jobs
By Prak Chan Thul and Erik Wasson
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
National Assembly Investigation Commission Chairman Yim Sovann has asked Interior Minister Sar Kheng to investigate the violence at Phnom Penh's Bright Sky garment factory on Monday night that left one worker hospitalized with a gunshot wound.
"We request an investigation...and legal measures to be taken against the criminals who committed the violence on the innocent workers," SRP lawmaker Yim Sovann said in a letter sent to Sar Kheng on Friday.
Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak said that the Interior Ministry investigation is already ongoing into the Bright Sky affair.
"We do not need any letters from any Excellencies," he said.
Muth Savy, 24, claims she was shot in the back by police during protests at the factory on Monday night, when heavily armed officers fired weapons and used batons and rifle butts to disperse a crowd of seven hundred protestors.
Police and factory management claim the police acted in self-defense after being pelted by rocks and bottles.
Khieu Sopheak said Muth Savy could have been shot by provocateurs.
"The authorities shot into the air, there was maybe another bullet from someone else who is not an authority. We fear there were hidden forces," he said.
One of Bright Sky's main buyers, the US-based Gap Inc, is also investigating the violence.
Gap Inc Global Partnerships manager Naurin Muzaffar, who is based in Pakistan, said by telephone on Friday that her company is very concerned about the shooting.
"We are investigating this incident at the factory thoroughly," she said.
"The role of the police and how they have conducted themselves is something that buyers are concerned about."
On Friday, Bright Sky announced that it will shut its night shift operation, thereby eliminating from its staff most of the seven hundred workers who took part in the protest
Bright Sky owner Albert Tan said that the decision will result in the lay off of about 1,000 workers.
"We are closing the night shift, we cannot afford it any more," Tan claimed. "My managers do not want to work that shift any more."
Free Trade Union President Chea Mony, whose union organized the protest over temporary labor contracts, demanded layoff compensation for those who would lose their jobs and said that his union would sue Bright Sky, which he accused of using police to suppress his union.
Adhoc investigator Chan Soveth said the family of Muth Savy also plans to sue the authorities that shot her.
"We request an investigation...and legal measures to be taken against the criminals who committed the violence on the innocent workers," SRP lawmaker Yim Sovann said in a letter sent to Sar Kheng on Friday.
Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak said that the Interior Ministry investigation is already ongoing into the Bright Sky affair.
"We do not need any letters from any Excellencies," he said.
Muth Savy, 24, claims she was shot in the back by police during protests at the factory on Monday night, when heavily armed officers fired weapons and used batons and rifle butts to disperse a crowd of seven hundred protestors.
Police and factory management claim the police acted in self-defense after being pelted by rocks and bottles.
Khieu Sopheak said Muth Savy could have been shot by provocateurs.
"The authorities shot into the air, there was maybe another bullet from someone else who is not an authority. We fear there were hidden forces," he said.
One of Bright Sky's main buyers, the US-based Gap Inc, is also investigating the violence.
Gap Inc Global Partnerships manager Naurin Muzaffar, who is based in Pakistan, said by telephone on Friday that her company is very concerned about the shooting.
"We are investigating this incident at the factory thoroughly," she said.
"The role of the police and how they have conducted themselves is something that buyers are concerned about."
On Friday, Bright Sky announced that it will shut its night shift operation, thereby eliminating from its staff most of the seven hundred workers who took part in the protest
Bright Sky owner Albert Tan said that the decision will result in the lay off of about 1,000 workers.
"We are closing the night shift, we cannot afford it any more," Tan claimed. "My managers do not want to work that shift any more."
Free Trade Union President Chea Mony, whose union organized the protest over temporary labor contracts, demanded layoff compensation for those who would lose their jobs and said that his union would sue Bright Sky, which he accused of using police to suppress his union.
Adhoc investigator Chan Soveth said the family of Muth Savy also plans to sue the authorities that shot her.
6 comments:
Voila, c'est la security social au Cambodge sous Hun Sen. Les montagnards ne comprended jaimais comment est la security. IL est toujours come ca soit un autre 20 ans sous Hun Sen. Venez investers, prenez vos agents pour investir au Cambodge !!!!!
AH HUN SEN police are such a coward for shooting a woman!
This is neoliberalism in effect. We are all quick to blame the factory, blame the government, blame the police. But these are all proximate causes. The real reason for this is capitalism's bottom line: cheap labour. Multinationals need cheap labour to keep product prices down, and Cambodia provides this for them. When wages are disputed, the government comes in with all guns blazing, meanwhile Western donors (while ocassionally critical of Hun Sen, more often) welcome him wih open arms (a la John Howard in Australia) and the money continues to flow into Cambodia and Hun Sen's pockets. Its a sick game called "capitalism" and right now the West loves Hun Sen because he plays so well.
Yeh...Yeh...Yeh....
Is it a capitalism or Is it a free market? There are no such thing as a true capitalism or a true free market!
The free democratic world pay AH HUN SEN to use Cambodian people as slaves! That is why Cambodia have sex slaves, slave labors, and slaves to AH HUN SEN or the Vietcong...Cambodia had become a slave country. It is no different than that during the Khmer Rouge!
AH HUN SEN is treating Cambodian people no less than his slave!
I don't need to say anymore!
"Police and factory management claim the police acted in self-defense after being pelted by rocks and bottles".
"We fear there were hidden forces" From Khieu Sopheak quote, we definately know who is Ah Khieu Sopheak hidden forces is!
There is only two in Cambodia who hold power (the military & police) in Ah Sopheak case it his group (police)who hold power and have gun which they are not reluctant to use and to shoot innocent people/workers.
He and his group the Hun Sen's groups actioned are the same as the Khmer Rouge.
Guys, Guys, terms such as "slave labor" areall relative, if wages are able to support a living then where is the slavery?. The fact is Cambodia supplies the demand for cheap products, - why are so many bought from Cambodia and other South East Asia origins?, - because labor costs are cheaper than in the "West", - as long as that is the case then jobs are provided to Cambodians who otherwise would have no work and no means to support their families and loved ones.Kill that demand by increased labor costs and the demand will go elsewhere - Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan, India,there are plenty of willing recipients - and what will the poor Cambodians do without work and a salary, - will the unions take care of their families?, - I think not.The textile industry is but a fragile start point of many if not all developing economies, don't kill it, - nurture it and from there Cambodia can grow into auto manufacturing, electronics manufacturing and even Pharmaceuticals production, - high value items that can support higher labor costs, - meanwhile garments cannot support such levels because of the competitive geographic environment within Asia, so please, for the sake of the Cambodian citizen, do NOT politicize this issue and throw around accusations of colonialism or slave labor,we will only hurt ourselves in the long term.
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