We Condemn Killing and Oppression for Workers in Cambodia!

Workers in Cambodia living in extreme poverty, intensity of workers exploitation in Cambodia is the same as Bangladesh. Labour monthly wages are fifty six euro for ten to twelve hours of daily work, whilst inflation was increased by three hundred percent in last two years, which has been recorded by government official department. Basic necessity prices has increased by three times of labour’s income but workers wages has remained the same as it was, whilst in the other side the owner of Garment and textile manufacturers in Cambodia are the biggest foreign currency earner and selling more than five billion US Dollars annual export industry, which has increased production by over 20% last year. Garment and textile factories make clothing for western brands which includes Adidas, Puma and Hennes & Mauritz (H&M), and partly owns them as well. Following the Cambodian governments decision, which they had refused to increase workers’ existing minimum wage, workers had been demonstrating peacefully and demanding an increase in the minimum wage up to 160 USD.

Wage of workers in Cambodia and Bangladesh are about one tenth of a euro a day, but the products they are making produces more than ten euro each. Cambodian and worldwide Owners of Garment and textile manufactures paying lowest wages to the workers to get more profit for them self. Owners of Garment and textile are getting five billion dollars profit annually and it has risen above 20% in last two years as well. However when worker asked to increase their wage up to 160 USD a month, owner of the manufactures used military police and killed at least six workers, injured dozens and around thirty have been arrested at Canadia Industrial Park in Phnom Penh the capital city of Cambodia. This brutal attack ordered under authority of Hun Sen the prime minister of Cambodia. Brutality of Cambodian Government against Garment and textile’s workers experienced that they are ready for any kind of pressure on workers, even killing workers to protect owners of manufactures.

Pressure rising, arresting, wondering and killing workers happened while IMF chief (Christine Lagarde) was in Phnom Penh the Capital city of Cambodia up until processing neoliberalism and the world trade Bank policies with corporation of Government on working class in Cambodia. Christine Lagarde was very happy with good conditions appropriated by Prime Minister’s (Hun Sen) while she left Cambodia towards other East Asian countries. Garment and textile worker went back to work but warned that if they don’t get positive answer for their demands, they will take the action to strike and demonstrate soon again.

We strongly condemn pressure rising, arresting, injuring and killing workers and sympathize with Garment and textile’s workers. This appalling use of extreme lethal force by military police must stop and should immediately release all those detained, and ensure that those responsible for the killings and violence are brought to justice.

Long live workers international solidarity

Down with the capitalists system

January 2014

Solidarity Committees with the Iranian Workers’ Movement- abroad

nhkommittehamahangi@gmail.com