Arrest
of bloodied
union worker sends message to visiting dignitaries as to the state of
freedom
of expression in Cambodia
The
Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) condemns
the beating and arrest of a peaceful demonstrator, Long Panha, by the
authorities today at Wat Botum in Phnom Penh. Mr. Long, an employee of
the
Cambodian Confederation of Unions (CCU), was taking part in a peaceful
demonstration by employees of the Tai Yang (recently renamed Tai Nan)
factory who
had gathered in Phnom Penh’s Freedom Park early this morning with the
intention
of walking to Wat Botum to submit a petition to the Cabinet of Prime
Minister
Hun Sen calling for a resolution to an ongoing dispute with the factory.
Today’s
protest was the latest in a series of protests that
have held since 25 June by the workers from the factory who are calling
for,
amongst other things, higher levels of compensation than that offered by
the
factory for the severance of their contracts following the change in the
factory’s name. At around 7am, approximately 500 workers from the
factory
gathered in the capital’s Freedom Park. After an hour of speeches from
individuals including CCU President Rong Chhun, the workers moved to
walk
towards Wat Botum to submit their petition. They were immediately
surrounded by
a force of between 200 and 300 military police in riot gear who had been
waiting nearby and were prevented from leaving the freedom park. After a
short
stand-off, it was agreed that twenty representatives would be permitted
to
leave the Freedom Park and to deliver the petition at Wat Botum.
After
submitting the petition at Wat Botum, the twenty
representatives – a group that included Rong Chhun and Long Panha –
refused police
requests to vacate the adjoining public park, explaining that they
wanted to
rest for a short time after walking across town. Police and military
police
surrounded Rong Chhun as the workers tried to usher him from the area,
fearing
that he would be arrested. In the melee that followed, a mixed group of
police
and military police turned on Long Panha, beating him viciously across
the head
with batons. He was pulled to the ground and held in a prone position,
blood
gushing from his face, before being hauled by his arms and legs into the
back of
a nearby police van which sped him from the scene to the office of the
Phnom
Penh Police Commissariat. At the time of writing, Mr. Long remains in
police custody.
Responding
to
today’s events, CCHR President Ou Virak commented:
This
incident
represents yet another shameful attempt by the Phnom Penh authorities to
silence peaceful protestors in an effort to present a picture of
stability in
the country to visiting dignitaries. In attacking Long Panha in this
manner,
the authorities have succeeded in giving visiting representatives from
the
countries of ASEAN as well as from China, Japan, South Korea and the
United
States a very clear example of the consequences that peaceful protestors
in
this country face, when they gather together to call for fair and
equitable
treatment.
For
more information, please contact CCHR President Ou Virak via telephone
at +855
(0) 12 40 40 51 or e-mail at ouvirak@cchrcambodia.org
Please see this release
attached in English, a Khmer version will follow shortly.
Also attached are two
photographs of a bloodied Long Panha as he is being put in the back of a
police van today at Wat Botum.
The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) is a non-aligned, independent, non-governmental organization that works to promote and protect democracy and respect for human rights throughout Cambodia. For more information, please visit www.cchrcambodia.org.
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 | CCHR Press Release - Arrest
of bloodied union worker sends message to visiting dignitaries as to the
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