PHNOM PENH (Reuters) – The U.S. embassy in Cambodia mentioned on Tuesday it was involved by police action against workers protesting layoffs at a casino run by a Hong-Kong listed agency after a union chief was taken away within the newest collection of detentions.
Thousands of workers have been on strike since final month in entrance of Nagacorp Ltd’s lodge and casino advanced in Phnom Penh, demanding the reinstatement of 365 staff who have been let go in April.
Chhim Sithar, president of Labor Rights Supported Union of Khmer Employees of NagaWorld (LRSU), was arrested as she stepped out of her automobile to affix the strike, witnesses mentioned.
“It’s a brutal arrest against such a younger courageous girl,” Chak Sopheap, government director of Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), instructed Reuters.
On Monday, 15 workers have been picked up along with 9 detained on New Year’s Day who’ve been charged with endangering social safety.
In a tweet on Tuesday, the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh mentioned it was involved by makes an attempt to suppress the protests.
“We are following intently the troubling arrests of
@NagaWorld union members for his or her peaceable expression and urge authorities to listen to residents, not silence them. Freedoms of speech, meeting & affiliation are assured within the Cambodian structure.”
Phnom Penh police have named Chhim Sithar because the ringleader of the strike and accused her of ties to overseas organisations attempting to destabilise the casino operations, the most important within the nation.
Police have beforehand mentioned the strike is prohibited and urged the workers to finish the agitation.
The firm says that it was implementing a “mutual separation plan” for workers as a part of efforts to enhance value effectivity due to disruptions brought about by COVID-19.
(Reporting by Prak Chan Thul; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
