The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition of 23 NGO members, strongly condemns the armed forces for cracking down on a peaceful strike made by garment factory workers while they were asserting their rights for better working conditions at Bright Sky Garment Factory, located along Veng Sreng Street, Dangkor District, Phnom Penh on October 16, 2006 at around 8.30pm.

At the scene, the armed forces violently cracked down on the strike, during which serious abdominal firearm injuries were sustained by a female employee from the factory named Muth Ravy, 24, while she was walking into Rainbow Factory, close to Bright Sky factory. Due to further action by the armed forces, two other workers named Neang Sovannaroth, 21 and his wife Nget Bora, 20, were physically beaten and arrested and brought to the Police station at Dangkor District Office.

CHRAC maintains that the action committed by the armed forces seriously violates human rights as well as national and international laws, especially curtailing the freedom of expression of the workers.

CHRAC strongly calls for the competent authorities, especially the municipality court, to immediately conduct an investigation into this event and to take legal actions against the perpetrators who physically injured some workers and furthermore, to release the workers who have been arrested and detained by the armed forces.

For more information, please contact:
▪ Mr. Thun Saray Chairman of CHRAC and President of ADHOC Tel: 016 880 509
▪ Dr. Kek Galabru President of LICADHO Tel: 012 940 645
▪ Mr. Sok Sam Oeun Executive Director of CDP Tel: 012 901 199
▪ Mrs. Nay Dina Executive Director of KID Tel: 012 924 286
▪ Mr. Chiv Youmeng President of KYA Tel: 012 772 271

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