‘Burst’ of land disputes sees dozens of Cambodians charged: rights group
Cambodian authorities have charged nearly half as many villagers in land dispute cases in the first three months of this year as they did in all of 2013, a local rights group said Thursday, adding that most of the rows stemmed from government-granted land concessions. Following ...
Radio Free Asia News Staff
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/land-05082014175124.html
Sanctuary from the storm
Hidden at the end of a pathway that breaks off from Mao Tse Tung Boulevard in Phnom Penh is a temple of a different kind, where seances are sacrosant and French writer Victor Hugo – author of Les Miserables – is considered a saint. Worshippers there practise Caodaism, ...
Amelia Woodside and Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/sanctuary-storm
Rice sector credit boost
The government-backed Rural Development Bank (RDB) will lend $64 million to Cambodia’s agriculture sector in 2014, the bank’s top official said yesterday. Sun Kunthor, president of RDB, said most of the funding would be used to support growth in Cambodia’s rice sector as it strives to ...
Chan Muyhong
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/rice-sector-credit-boost
Cambodian deputy PM says strategic partnership with China creates more opportunities for businesses
The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Cooperation between Cambodia and China has been providing “more favourable conditions” for economic, trade and investment ties between the two countries, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister Sok An said on Sunday. ...
Xinhuanet News Staff
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-09/07/c_126962873.htm
Minister says wage agreement must be reached next month
Negotiations held on Friday between garment factory owners, union leaders and government officials failed to set a new industry minimum wage for next year, but a final decision will be reached by October 10, according to Labor Minister Ith Sam Heng. The tripartite Labor Advisory Council ...
Sek Odom and Holly Robertson
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/minister-says-wage-agreement-must-be-reached-next-month-68532/
GMAC claims on true wages ‘exaggerated’
The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) said in a statement this week that under the new minimum wage workers can actually earn up to $250 per month, though others were quick to label the figure exaggerated. The Ministry of Labour last week approved the new ...
Mom Kunthear and Sean Teehan
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/gmac-claims-true-wages-%E2%80%98exaggerated%E2%80%99
Three new witnesses called in Chut Wutty case
Three more witnesses have been summonsed for questioning over the fatal shooting of prominent environmentalist Chut Wutty and military police officer in Rattana, rights groups said yesterday. in Kongchit, Koh Kong provincial coordinator for rights group Licadho, said yesterday that deputy prosecutor Srey Mak Ny had ...
Second Eviction Protester Jailed In Two Days
Police and court officials yesterday questioned, charged and imprisoned elderly woman involved in the long-running land dispute at the Borei Keila community in Phnom Penh, a day after an anti-eviction protester from Boeng Kak community met a similar fate. in both cases, police and court officials ...
Immigration police fine and arrest immigrants at construction site
The Department of Immigration conducted a raid yesterday on a construction site in the capital near Wat Phnom. in all, officials checked 61 workers for valid permits. ...
James Reddick
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/14995/immigration-police-fine-and-arrest-immigrants-at-construction-site/
Labour orders issued by PM
Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday issued extensive orders to unions, factories, workers and authorities to rid the garment industry of violent strikes, roadblocks and rights violations he says are threatening public order. “There have been many strikes and demonstrations at factories recently, and, in some cases, ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/2013032964789/National/labour-orders-issued-by-pm.html
Officials Move to Bring Unruly Garment Subcontractors in Line
Citing a government investigation that revealed factories colluding with unlicensed subcontractors to use unethical labor sources including prisoners, Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh has asked the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia to urge adherence to labor law. Rehabilitation programs meant to teach vocational skills such ...
South China Sea Will Not Surface at Asean
Cambodia, in its role as Asean chair, has decided that the thorny issue of the South China Sea will not be on the agenda at next month’s Asean Summit in Phnom Penh, CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap announced yesterday. “Cambodia is a neutral country, and based on ...
Some unions slam strike threat
A group of pro-government and independent unions have condemned an announcement by Free Trade Union (FTU) president Chea Mony, who last week told the press that members of his union and others would hold mass strikes and protests if acting president of the Cambodia National ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/25523/some-unions-slam-strike-threat/
Union, Factories No Closer to Mediation Deal
The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) and the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers Democratic Union (CCAWDU) remained at odds yesterday over an expired deal to cut down on strikes despite an appeal from some major brands that they renew the arrangement. GMAC Chairman Van Sou ...
UN envoy focuses on land disputes in Cambodia
A UN envoy has called on the international community to pay more attention to human rights issues in Cambodia. The call comes amid ongoing land disputes and legal harassment of activists. Surya Subedi is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia and has submitted ...
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-10-01/an-cambodia-human-rights/4289544?section=business
Workers claim intimidation
About 4,000 employees at one of Asia’s largest garment-processing factories have stopped work, as union workers demand the company sever ties with a shareholder who ordered a military police presence there. Workers at SL Garment Processing (Cambodia) Ltd began demonstrating on Monday, about two weeks after ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/workers-claim-intimidation
Garment Sector Stable Despite Workers Leaving Jobs
The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) yesterday said a recent exodus of workers from factories in Phnom Penh to the provinces over concerns related to a recent military build up in the capital would not threaten stability in the sector. Ken Loo, secretary-general of GMAC, ...
Media Groups Call On ‘Political Elite’ to Protect Reporters
More than a dozen journalism and human rights groups have called on Cambodia’s political forces to protect journalists and guarantee citizens’ access to an open and unobstructed press during the current political unrest. in a statement released Wednesday, the Cambodian Center for independent Media, along with ...
Lindsey Peterson
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/media-groups-call-on-political-elite-to-protect-reporters-45436/
Cambodian dam feeding false hopes
RATANAKIRI PROVINCE, Cambodia – “I prefer the dam to the fish,” says middle-aged farmer Ton Noun, when asked his opINion on a proposed 400 megawatt dam on the Sesan river near his home IN northeastern Cambodia. Then he chuckles and asks, “What fish?” That’s because ...
Michelle Tolson
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/SEA-02-181213.html
Cambodia to establish first civil aviation school
Cambodia planned to set up the first ever Civil Aviation Training Center with South Korean assistance in order to boost development of air transport industry and tourism, a spokesman said Saturday. “South Korea agreed to provide 10.1 million U.S. dollars in grant aid to Cambodia for ...
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-10/12/c_132793377.htm