Original report from Phnom Penh
21/05/2007
Kandal provincial police Monday dispersed a group of striking workers who were demanding management of the River Rich Textile factory allow 10 union representatives return to work.
The workers had been on strike for several days, disrupting traffic and affecting public order, officials said.
The president of the Cambodia Alliance of Democratic Labor Union of Garment Workers, Ath Thun told, VOA Khmer more than 100 police officers dispersed about 200 workers. Several were wounded, he said.
"At about 8 o'clock, the police force and riot police were ordered to come and arrest 10 people, and one of my representatives was brutally chased in front of all my workers," he said. "There were scuffles, and some even fled to rented apartments."
Clashes lasted until noon, he said, when UN representatives arrived and settled the dispute.
"If the owner does not respect [the law] and does something bad, [the police] do not help us, but if we are on strike, they threaten us," Ath Thun said.
Police denied any injuries were incurred, but Kandal First Deputy Police Chief Sau Sothun said the strike had created anarchy that the police needed to deal with.
No one was arrested, Sau Sothun said, but three worker representatives had been summoned to the court for questioning.
The workers had been on strike for several days, disrupting traffic and affecting public order, officials said.
The president of the Cambodia Alliance of Democratic Labor Union of Garment Workers, Ath Thun told, VOA Khmer more than 100 police officers dispersed about 200 workers. Several were wounded, he said.
"At about 8 o'clock, the police force and riot police were ordered to come and arrest 10 people, and one of my representatives was brutally chased in front of all my workers," he said. "There were scuffles, and some even fled to rented apartments."
Clashes lasted until noon, he said, when UN representatives arrived and settled the dispute.
"If the owner does not respect [the law] and does something bad, [the police] do not help us, but if we are on strike, they threaten us," Ath Thun said.
Police denied any injuries were incurred, but Kandal First Deputy Police Chief Sau Sothun said the strike had created anarchy that the police needed to deal with.
No one was arrested, Sau Sothun said, but three worker representatives had been summoned to the court for questioning.
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