At least four people were killed and about 20 others wounded when police in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh opened fire to break up a protest by striking garment workers, demanding double the minimum wage. The clashes took place at Canadia Industrial Park in Phnom Penh, home to dozens of factories that make clothing for western brands that include Adidas, Puma and H&M Hennes & Mauritz. Workers at most of Cambodia’s more than 500 garment factories are on strike, demanding an increase in the minimum wage to £97 a month, double the current rate. The government has offered £60 a month. The garment industry is Cambodia’s biggest export earner, employing about 500,000 people, worth $5 billion a year. In 2012, Cambodia shipped more than £2.4 billion worth of products to Europe and the US. The government is in close alliance to the factory owners, whose exports fuel the economy and who are generally seen as financial supporters of Mr Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party. Many western brands outsource footwear and clothing to Cambodian factories, in part because labour is cheaper than China and even lower than neighboring Thailand and Vietnam.
Chuon Narin, deputy chief of the Phnom Penh Municipal Police, said “They are anarchists, they have destroyed private and state property. That is why our forces need to chase them out.”
Mak Vin, a 25-year-old worker, said he was among those protesting for more than a week over the wage issue. He said that yesterday morning, as the workers burned car tyres and shouted slogans, “hundreds” of armed police arrived and opened fire.” He said most workers were not cowed by the shooting, and would continue their strike.
The previous day at a different location, outside a Yakjin (Cambodia) Inc factory in another part of the city, when armed troops struck demonstrators with batons, wounding 20 people, troops broke up a demonstration outside a factory, beating demonstrators and arresting people, including Buddhist monks, according to witnesses from human rights groups. Yakjin is a maker of clothing for Gap and Walmart .
Violent suppression of social and political protest has not been unusual under Mr Hun’s Sen’s authoritarian government.
Chuon Narin, deputy chief of the Phnom Penh Municipal Police, said “They are anarchists, they have destroyed private and state property. That is why our forces need to chase them out.”
Mak Vin, a 25-year-old worker, said he was among those protesting for more than a week over the wage issue. He said that yesterday morning, as the workers burned car tyres and shouted slogans, “hundreds” of armed police arrived and opened fire.” He said most workers were not cowed by the shooting, and would continue their strike.
The previous day at a different location, outside a Yakjin (Cambodia) Inc factory in another part of the city, when armed troops struck demonstrators with batons, wounding 20 people, troops broke up a demonstration outside a factory, beating demonstrators and arresting people, including Buddhist monks, according to witnesses from human rights groups. Yakjin is a maker of clothing for Gap and Walmart .
Violent suppression of social and political protest has not been unusual under Mr Hun’s Sen’s authoritarian government.
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