Illegal logging is widespread in Cambodia, and efforts to prevent it have had only a limited impact. Much of the wood is destined for China.
Why has PM not sent his “ärmy”of students to protect Prey Lang?
National Public Radio report:
http://www.npr.org/2013/01/29/170580214/as-china-builds-cambodias-forests-fall
Workers rally for living wage
US$150 minimum wage for garment factory workers is feasible according to research; current minimum wage is US$61.
Profit made by H&M, GAP, Puma and other big brands is close to US$1 billion/year from Cambodian workers.
US$2 billion is spent on administrative costs, transportation and others including unofficial fees= corruption.
Workers’demands for US$150 and other benefits must be met through transparent dialogues and negotiations and not court orders and police crackdowns.
Radio Free Asia report in Khmer : http://www.rfa.org/khmer/indepth/oppinion-to-increase-worker-wage-01262013033216.html
This powerful video tells the truth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hlMKKFUJ2NQ
A child cutting sugar cane for sugar factory
MPs from Sam Rainsy Party made the following request to the prime minister to improve working conditions in tycoon’s sugar plantation:
1/ to ensure a monitoring system for the recruitment of workers to prevent child labor;
2/ monitoring of working conditions inside the sugar plantation;
3/ ensure workers’ rights to organize union according to the Labor Law;
4/ to allow visit of the factory by local authorities;
5/ the sugar factory should compensate farmers made landless;
6/ the sugar factory should train farmers in buy their cane sugar at market price
Today, the Battambang court sentenced Mok Ra, a Sam Rainsy Party commune councilor in Battambang to 8 months in prison and fined him 5 milllion riels.
Mok Ra was accused of illegally recording a phone conversation during the Senate election in 2012 while in fact he was talked into selling his vote to the ruling party.
At the time, SRP filed a complaint with the provincial electoral committee and Mok Ra was awarded 5 million rieles.
The case: https://sochua.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/secret-srp-recording-to-be-probed-by-court/
the judgment of the Batttambang court today shows a clear mockery of justice. Mok Ra will take his case to the Appeal Court.
I was alerted of the desperate situation of the farmers in these 3 communes, in May 2011.
Two years later, with not a single dime invested, the company is renting the farmers’land to the farmers at US$100/year.
Farmers are in serious debt.
Today, farmers desperately called again as the company’s tractors have cleared more land.
The village chief and his wife physically assaulted a villager. Case sent to ADHOC.
Speaking to CPP deputy village chief who is sued by the company for farming on company’s land. When the PM students came to measure his land, he lost all but 10 hectares of his original 30 hectares.
Community meeting with farmers who are not able to pay rental fees to the company.
Radio Free Asia report: http://www.rfa.org/khmer/indepth/land-dispute-between-villager-and-private-company-01182013031222.html
Mu Sochua: MP & Human Rights Advocate 