Cambodia garment workers injured in clashes with police

Garment workers set up barricades as part of their protest

 

BBC News | 3 Jan. 2014

Police have opened fire on striking Cambodian garment workers, injuring several of them [killing 3!!!].

Police fired shots on Friday after the workers blocked a road south of the capital, Phnom Penh, and clashed with the police, eyewitnesses said.

The textile workers have been protesting and demanding the minimum wage be doubled.

Cambodia has around 500,000 workers in the garment industry, which is a key source of national income.

The workers are demanding a minimum wage of $160 (£97) a month. The government has offered an increase to around $100 (£60).

The industrial action comes after the government faced weeks of protests demanding Prime Minister Hun Sen step down.

The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) has led rallies and strikes calling for a new election and alleging vote fraud in the last election. In recent weeks, they have been joined by the garment workers.

Chan Soveth, an activist from rights group Adhoc, told AFP news agency that security forces "used rifles and other things to crack down on the strikers" at Friday's protest.

Military police spokesman Kheng Tito told AFP that the police cracked down on protesters after nine policemen were injured in the clashes.

Two protesters had been arrested, he added.