Workers to Strike for Minimum Wage

Garment workers at about 40 factories in several provinces and around Phnom Penh, who have subsequently failed to meet their demand for a minimum wage from $75 to $93, are now on strike to continually request for that. The strike is planned to hold within a whole week, from Monday, 13 to 19 September 2010 in Kandal, Banteay Meanchey, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu province and districts in Phnom Penh.

Police Broke up Villagers from Boeung Kak Lake

Around 200 people from Beoung Kak area in 8 villages, Srah Chork commume, Daun Penh district, on August 23, 2010, were planning to organize a public forum at the National Institute of Education in order to discuss together and find out way to solve their problems of which they said it resulted from the sand dredging by Sukaku Inc to fulfill the lake; and at the moment it is flooded all over. However, the plan was prohibited by Srah Chork authorities.

Union Leaders to Face Legal Action

Resuming the request of increasing minimum wage, which once held in a public forum on July 25, 2010, Cambodian Labor Confederation President Ath Thun said that he would plan to hold the other strike to protest against the latest government’s decision of the industry’s minimum wage. The schedule of the strike was due on August 25, 2010.

Police Broke off Protest at Premier’s Mansion

On August 8, 2010 around 100 villagers from Kois Kralor district, Battambang province came to Phnom Penh to hold protest in front of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s mansion in order that they could request the premier to intervene on their problem of which their land has been grabbed by a group of officials. However, instead of getting support, they were prohibited and forcedly forced to move out of the area by a group of about 50 police officers, garden securities and plain-clothes officials from Daun Penh district.

Workers Violently Assaulted in Protest

Serious rights violation took place on July 27, 2010, in Sen Sok district where around 3,000 PCCS workers had been protesting in order to demand the Malaysian factory owner (boss) to give a chance for their union leader to go back to work again after she had absurdly been suspended. Those workers were planning to protest until they could reach their goal. However, they failed to do that because the authorities used a group of around 100 district police officers to force them to go back to work.

Garment Workers Banned from Access to Public Forum

On July 25, 2010 Ath Thun, the president of the Cambodian Labor Confederation, organized a public forum in front of the National Assembly. The purpose of the forum was to demand an increase to minimum wage. The government had recently offered an increase to $65 a month, but workers were asking from between $75-$93 so that they could afford a better standard of living.

Police Banned Romeas Hek Villagers from Protesting

On May 24, 2010 about 200-300 villagers from a contested land area in Svay Rieng were banned on the way from aiming to protest in front of provincial court in order to demand the release of a representative Yea Yeng, who was arrested and sent to prison for illegally detaining people, including one military police officer and two Peam Chaeng Rubber company staff.

Villagers in Kratie Protested before Premier House in Phnom Penh

On May 17, 2010 about 150 villagers were coming from Kratie province in order to protest against their land being grabbed by several private companies, Huot Sambat, TTY, CT Men and Sovan Rithy, in front of Botom Vortey Pagoda in Chaktomok commune, Daun Penh district, Phnom Penh.

Police Banned Human Rights Training in Mondulkiri

Yet again, a training course on Health and Human Rights for ethnic minority villagers was banned on April 29, 2010 at 12:00 at noon by a group of commune police officers. The training was organized by provincial human rights organization, Adhoc; and the police officers were led by Mr. Rith Bunsoeung, communal police chief.

Boeng Kak Villagers’ Request for Land Title Ignored

About 60-70 people from eight villages around Boeng Kak Lake in Srah Chork commune, Toul Kak and Daun Pend district, Phnom Penh gathered March 22, 2010, around 8:00 AM, in front of Phnom Penh Municipal Hall, holding photos of Prime Minister Hun Sen, his wife Bun Rany Hun Sen, Senate President Chea Sim and slogans written in Khmer scripts to seek help from people in the photos regarding the confrontation of being evicted; and to ask for legal title from the government because they have been living in the area for a long time. In addition they also wanted to clarify the case of intervention from the National Land Conflict Resolution Committee and the Cabinet of Office of Councils of Ministers, which requested Sukaku Inc, Company to halt its sand dredging, waiting until fair and just resolution made in advance.

Enthnic People Called after Joining in CCHR Public Forum

At least 9 indigenous people in Bousra commune, Pech Chreada, Mondulkiri province were summoned to visit at the Commune Office on March 4, 2010 by Bousra communal chief after they had participated in a public forum held by the Cambodian Center for Human Rights on February 25, 2010 on Human Rights and Development.

Teachers Reacted against the Ban of Meetings

On 24 February 2010 the Cambodia Independent Teachers Association appealed to the Ministry of Education to withdraw a currently order, which banned school teachers and education officers from assembling on school space to talk about social situations or political issues.

In a release that day, Mr. Rong Chhun the president of the above association accused the ministry of violating the Cambodian Constitution on assembly and freedom of expression. He added that his association has played as a significant partner with the government in reinforcing good governance and developing education system with better quality in the educational institution in Cambodia.

Two Victims Summoned for Questioning over Allegedly Attempted Killing Case

Two more people were summoned on February 23, 2010 by the Siem Reap Provincial Court for questioning as witnesses over a land conflict in Chikraeng commune, Chikraeng district, Siem Reap province of what the nine people, who have been arrested and in jail, faced a new charge of an attempted killing related to the event on March 22, 2009.

Demonstration At Jin Chan Factory Violently Broke Up

At least about 40 Jin Chan garment factory workers were assaulted by Daun Penh district policemen on January, 2010 as they were protesting against the factory that did not give their salary for three months, in Toul Kak commune, Daun Penh district, Phnom Penh.

Villagers Meeting Banned and Intimidated

A meeting between local villagers and a community based organization, called Community for Peace Network (CPN), in a village was troubled and stopped by police and local authorities on Sunday, October 18, 2009. The meeting was held in Pleak village, Chikreng commune, Chikreng district, Seam Reap province, in order to seek solution for 11 local villagers, who were arrested regarding the violence over land in March 22 of the year.

Criminal Law Restricts Freedom of Expression

Worries and criticism exists politicians, rights defenders, both national and international NGOs about new Penal Code, which was finally ended on Monday, October 12, 2009; especially articles about freedom of expression, which becomes the target of incitement lawsuit, resulted in imprisonment from six months to two years as well as the fine from one to four million Riels.

Demonstration Law Restricts on Freedom of Assembly and Expression

New Law on Demonstration was successfully passed on October 21, 2009 by 76 out of 101 members of parliament, who participated in the meeting.

Mr. Yim Sovann, a lawmaker from Sam Rainsy Party, said that those 76 parliamentarians were from CPP, FUNCENPEC and Norodom Ranarith party; whereas his party [and Human Rights Party] did not vote for the law because it is likely to violate freedom of expression.

A March Plan by Rong Chhun Prevented

On October 5, 2009 was the World Teacher’s Day. More than 100 teachers from 17 provinces in Cambodia gathered together in Phnom Penh to celebrate the ceremony and request the government for increasing teacher’s salary up to 1million riels per month, but the assembly was not allowed as planed in front of former Assembly Office building.

Air Shot to Break out Demonstration in Kampong Speu

Samroang Torng district police, Kampong Speu shot into the air on May 21, 2009 in order to suppress some 1,000 garment workers as they had been doing demonstration for 4 days in Sang Wu Factory. The demonstration was to ask the factory owner to respect for Cambodia Labor Law; however, the boss of the factory did not show up to solve this problem at all.

Ex-workers of NAGA World Not Allowed to Hold Press Conference

A planned press conference to hold on July 31, 2009 by 14 former NAGA workers was not allowed by Phnom Penh authorities as the second time. The conference was to hold in front of NAGA World, the first largest casino in Cambodia for the reason that the 14 people, also union group leaders, known as negotiating group for common interest of all laborers, were able to express their opinions over the work condition, demand that they be allowed to start their job again.