Model of the Camko CityBy Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
28 October 2008
A group of construction workers attacked the offices of the Camko City development on the outskirts of Phnom Penh Monday night, lighting a car on fire and throwing stones through the windows of the offices, officials and workers said.
The angered workers are part of a workforce of more than 1,000 people who went on strike Monday, claiming they were owed wages for the month of October.
"The workers are angry enough to burn cars and throw stones because the person who is in charge of the wages told them a lie," Ham Samnang, a construction worker, said. "They promised to pay them by the 24th. Now it is the 27th."
Workers had no more money and were starving, he said, in addition to owing rent.
The workers earn between $80 and $150 per month, he said.
A group of the striking workers gathered inside the compound of Camko City Co. Monday and attacked the car of the company's South Korean general manager.
Company officials declined to comment Tuesday, but Lim Samnang, an advisor of administration at Camko City, said the company had erred by not paying the workers on time.
The company usually pays its workers before the 25th of the month, he said, but the payment is currently late by two days.
Police said no workers were arrested during the demonstration. Camko City is a South Korean investment of $2 billion developing 119 hectares of commercial and residential areas in Phnom Penh's Russey Keo district.
Sok Sovanareth, president of the Cambodian National Federation of Building and Wood Workers, said Tuesday the company should pay its workers on time to avoid violence.
The angered workers are part of a workforce of more than 1,000 people who went on strike Monday, claiming they were owed wages for the month of October.
"The workers are angry enough to burn cars and throw stones because the person who is in charge of the wages told them a lie," Ham Samnang, a construction worker, said. "They promised to pay them by the 24th. Now it is the 27th."
Workers had no more money and were starving, he said, in addition to owing rent.
The workers earn between $80 and $150 per month, he said.
A group of the striking workers gathered inside the compound of Camko City Co. Monday and attacked the car of the company's South Korean general manager.
Company officials declined to comment Tuesday, but Lim Samnang, an advisor of administration at Camko City, said the company had erred by not paying the workers on time.
The company usually pays its workers before the 25th of the month, he said, but the payment is currently late by two days.
Police said no workers were arrested during the demonstration. Camko City is a South Korean investment of $2 billion developing 119 hectares of commercial and residential areas in Phnom Penh's Russey Keo district.
Sok Sovanareth, president of the Cambodian National Federation of Building and Wood Workers, said Tuesday the company should pay its workers on time to avoid violence.
11 comments:
I believe someone in high rank worker stole the money.
Smele like ah Kwack!!!!
Camko project is a fraud at the begiging. Sok An is deceived by those South Korean businessmen. I once did business with them, they were not ethical in their business practices, and left bad image for me.
I also heard from a friend who renting construction equipments to them claimed that he was owed a lot of unpaid rental fees. So I personally believe that this project will not last long when also coincde with the current finnancial crisis.
I believe those of khmer people want the pol pot regime back,because that regime never make Cambodia country growing up and just need all khmer people live outside the city and eat together,work togehter and no nothing in the whole country.The khmer people like that has to live with Ing Sary,Douch,Kiev Samphon,in the jail with them forever.
CAMKO City is just a dream of south korea to make money, it will never happen to be true....even Dubai ... do you guy know about it... the buidings built for more than 10 millions people to live in, but now it has only 20%...one day game will be over..
7:41 AM
What a strange reasoning you have.
You still believe in Camko City. These workers do not earn much, and if they don't even have the money to pay them, maybe it's about time to wake up.
no strength to work but have strength to destroy!?!! silly
11:11 AM
You work for free? You smart guy.
Yes, yes, and "yes." I call this "people power." Yes, let's show them that we have the POWER to fight the evil.
Korean business: please don't spend another penny in your investment money in Cambodia. Invest elsewhere where you can trust, not Cambodia.
Now is the time to pull the plug. forget the project.
I don't care at all if you don't wanna to invest in srok kmer!!!
If you don't respect your promise to pay them, this is your result!
It should be like that for the feedback.
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