Friday, May 02, 2008

May Day: The opposition party is making demands

Sam Rainsy addressing workers on Labor Day (Photo: SRP)

May 01, 2008

By Leang Delux and Ky Soklim
Cambodge Soir Hebdo

Translated from French by Luc Sâr
  • The opposition party placed the workers in the center of its demands.
  • It asked the government to increase the minimum salary to $75 (per month).
  • Sam Rainsy also spoke to the workers, advising them to vote “for a party that defends them, respect them, and support them.”
  • Once again, he also asked that Chea Vichea be honored with the title of Workers Hero.
For the past week, Prime minister Hun Sen repeated that he was welcoming the International Labor Day. At the same time, he also suggested to the workers and the owners to celebrate on 01 May.

However, the prime minister was cautious. He does not want to see unrest. “Let’s try to avoid using this International Labor Day to undertake actions that could affect public order, or the security in the kingdom,” he wrote in an open letter published on 24 April.

The Free Trade Union of Workers in the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC) did not hold a march on 01 May. Instead, it organized a banquet for its members in Phnom Penh, where about 400 people were invited. Chea Mony, FTUWKC President, wanted to address 3 proposals to the government leaders during this Labor Day: “The government must include the $6 subsidy, given recently to the workers, to their (permanent) salary. Furthermore, it must quickly set up a labor tribunal.” Finally, he demanded the freedom for the two who were falsely accused of the murder of Chea Vichea, his brother and former FTUWKC President. On this topic, he also sent a letter to the king, dated 29 April, asking the latter to grant his brother the status of Workers Hero.

The SRP, which threatened to demonstrate on 01 May, delayed its action without announcing a new date. In a press release dated 30 April, the SRP demanded for the reduction in the price of gasoline. Furthermore, it wishes to see the setup of free medical service, and the setup of a labor tribunal, just like the FTUWKC does. “There will not be any lasting economic growth as long as the government does not have the will to uproot corruption, and as long as the workers are exploited,” the SRP wrote.

The opposition party placed the workers in the center of its demands. It asked the government to increase the minimum salary to $75 (per month). Sam Rainsy also spoke to the workers, advising them to vote “for a party that defends them, respect them, and support them.” Once again, he also asked that Chea Vichea be honored with the title of Workers Hero.

On its part, the Cambodian Confederation of Unions (CCU) reminded Hun Sen about the difficult living conditions faced by the poor. “They lack food because everything cost too much,” Rong Chhun, CCU President, said in a letter he sent to Hun Sen.

According to Rong Chhun, hunger threatens civil servants and workers. If the government does not act on this issue, social and politic order in the country will be threatened, he warned. Finally, he called for an improvement in the labor conditions for teachers and factory workers, and he also called for a respect of the labor law in the (garment) factories.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nothing is stronger that the people power.

Anonymous said...

we all stand firmly together .we can encourage anything possible.
please put your mighty hand to save our cmbodian and our right as khmer. yuon must gone away from our system .

Anonymous said...

Hey, gorilla fuckers, stop politicizing our holidays! We want some rest after a year of hard work, not getting into propaganda shits.

Anonymous said...

politicizing is the way to develop the nation.NOT BY KILLING THE POOR.

Anonymous said...

Stop killing the poor. Give them a break, you barbarian!

Anonymous said...

Don't stop him. This is demcracy! Sam Rainsy need suppoters. He need power. Thus, let him to trick poor workers. OK?

Anonymous said...

Nope, we can't let anyone abused our people. We have the duty to protect them from Ah Savage and Barbaric Sam Rainsy.

Anonymous said...

come onman 10:am motherfucker what's the hell....u 1,,,,youn's pussy ...or ur mom pussy.

Anonymous said...

Ah Sam Rainsy should be arrested for vote buying.

Anonymous said...

Hey you very same Viet pimp/parasite @8:49 PM, 10:58 AM, 4:07 PM,

You Viet-born pimp/parasite ought to quit pretending to be Cambodian and speaking out for Cambodian.

You Viet-born pimp/parasite hurts you Viet-plunderer long enough.

You Viet-born pimp/parasite must know that the Cambodian people knows your true color and the world too sees and knows you Viet's true color, very well if I may add!

So take your boat, and head on home down the Mekong river...and don't ever look back.

Nothing in Cambodia (for you Viet-born pimp/parasite) is worth dying for!!!

You hear me, Viet plunderer?

Anonymous said...

Hey you very same Youn pimp/parasite @2:40PM, 4:05PM, and 5:22PM,

You Youn-born pimp/parasite ought to quit pretending to be Cambodian and speaking out for Cambodian.

You Youn-born pimp/parasite hurts you Youn-plunderer long enough.

You Youn-born pimp/parasite must know that the Cambodian people knows your true color and the world too sees and knows you Youn's true color, very well if I may add!

So take your boat, and head on home down the Mekong river...and don't ever look back.

Nothing in Cambodia (for you Youn-born pimp/parasite) is worth dying for, okay???

Anonymous said...

Nope, we can't let anyone abused our people. We have the duty to protect them from Ah Savage and Barbaric psychopath Chhkout Jrook Hun Sen.

Ah psychopath Chhkout Jrook Hun sen should be arrested and be taken in jail for vote buying.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Sam Rainsy never acknowledged the current Cambodian government as an acceptable regime to his personal standard; he stirred for more controversial point of politic. How has he done during his passes two or three decades to improve Cambodia as a Cambodian citizen? Or getting the Cambodian government to impasses any law to substantiate the positive progress of the Cambodian government policy? There is always the poor and unemployment everywhere in this global earth, but most of the affluent (public image) people will strive to make those suffering ease the pain, take for instant Mr. Bill Gates, Mr. Chuck Feeney, and Mr. John Rockefeller all these people never wanted to get involve with politic but have helped improving the lives of the poor and unemployed everywhere. They even influence the world to listen to their causes. If he (the Sam) can’t influent the Cambodian government to positively modify their policy as a politician, maybe he can do it as a civilian instead? Let other fresh politicians risking their chances (Kem Sokha, Lon Rith…), step up for the challenge? Maybe not, so, as long as Mr. Sam Rainsy is the opposition there will be Mr. Hun Sen as the prime minister.
(Let’s hear it from the neutral point of viewers)
By K4K

Anonymous said...

That does make a lot of senses.

Anonymous said...

To 12:14AM

Oh come on! Who doesn't know that AH HUN SEN is the archenemy of Mr. Sam Rainsy! Do you remember the attempt by AH HUN SEN government to assassinate Mr. Sam Rainsy in the grenades attack in 1997 which killed 20 Cambodian people and injured over 100 Cambodian people including American citizen? Of course you don't fool!

It is a fact that AH HUN SEN can never change his human nature because he had been condemned as the Vietcong slave for life! How do you go about in dealing with a human who is condemned!

If you know any better you wouldn't compare Mr. Bill Gates, Mr. Chuck Feeney, and Mr. John Rockefeller to Mr. Sam Rainsy because these people are very rich and they are millionaire and billionaire who live in free democratic society! But for Mr. Sam Rainsy who lives under dictatorship system and has nothing in term of material value and all that he has are the bravery and the will power, the democratic value and principle, and the belief in fighting the injustice for the Cambodian people!

The whole issue here is not about Mr. Sam Rainsy! It is about what he brings to the table for discussion about how Cambodia and Cambodian people can move forward in catching up with the rest of the world community in term of politic, economic, and the democracy and eventually military too!

Nobody can tell Mr. Sam Rainsy to quit and only Mr. Sam Rainsy can tell himself to quit!

Anonymous said...

No, no one remember anything about PM Hun Sen attempting to assassinate anyone. You must got PM mixed up with Ah Khmer-Yuon murderers.

Anonymous said...

Fuck you Vietcong bitch!

The fucken reason you don't remember because you chose not to remember and it is simple as that!

Anonymous said...

The B-52's and agent "orange" inherited gene....that what it is 9:54PM.

These Viet parasites on KI-Media can't remember shit: it's called CRS "can't remember shit" symptom.

And see you Viet parasite, you've learned something new from the outside of your commy world, see?