Related to the peaceful demonstration, Kiev Sopheak, the spokesman for the Ministry of Interior said Thursday, September 9, 2010 that the workers have rights to hold peaceful demonstration and they would not face any actions at all if they [the workers] abided by the law. The authorities, he added, would not deploy police at any garment factory if the workers did not commit violence or destroy the private property of the factory.
However, up to Tuesday, September 14, the second day of the strike, there were problems taking place at some factories. Police were sent to prohibit the protest. They seized megaphones; and some factory employers warned to take legal actions against them [workers].
Kong Atet, the secretary general of Cambodian Labor Confederation (CLC) and Ath Thun, the president of CLC reported to the media that some workers were locked in factories and blocked of access to entering the factory.
Mr. Kim Im, a SANG VO worker representative, in Trapeang Korng commune, Samrong Torng district, Kampong Speu province claimed that at least out of 3,000 workers, 700 to 800 did not agree to go to work on Monday, September 13. They would rather stand outside the factory. During the protest, the district police did not allow them to speak into the microphone and threatened to confiscate megaphone and arrest.
Whereas those who work at Chou Sing Garment Factory in Prek Leab commune, Reussei Keo district, Phnom Penh, were treated the same. Miss. Iem Chanbony, vice president of Thoimea Thebtey Union, asserted that about 1,500 out of 3,000 workers participated in the strike there. Some workers were locked in the factory. They were not allowed to go out into the protest.
According to the report on CEN, at least 8 workers had been brought to police office for a long while for questioning before they were released that day. There was minor clash between police and workers. It reported the same things that megaphones were grabbed; protests were threatened to arrest and locked in factories.
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