Groups Demand Fair Court Verdict for 23 Cambodian Workers, Activists

Workers' unions, rights groups and a consortium of international clothing brands have called for a fair verdict for 23 textile workers and activists charged over their links to a deadly strike ahead of a court decision Friday.

The 23 are facing charges of “causing intentional violence” and “damaging property” during the opposition-backed strike and face up to five years’ imprisonment as well as fines from U.S. $1,000 to $2,500 if convicted.The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), which had monitored their trial, said the court hearings revealed "a complete lack of any incriminatory evidence, serious concerns relating to the independence of the court [and] repeated violations of the defendants’ fair trial rights."

Ahead of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court verdict Friday, the CCHR also raised concerns that some of the detainees who were wounded during the January strike which led to a government crackdown were deprived of immediate medical care.

The 23 were arrested following the crackdown on an opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP)-backed strike by workers demanding higher wages, which left five people shot dead by security forces and nearly 40 wounded.

“If the 23 are found guilty, it will do little besides illustrating that the judiciary in Cambodia is not independent, and only partial to the interests of the elite and the Royal Government of Cambodia,” CCHR project coordinator Chhunly Chhay said in a statement Thursday.Chhunly Chhay said that while the defendants were standing trial “despite a serious lack of evidence,” no security personnel had yet been investigated or even questioned about the violence that occurred in January.

“After … five days of hearing, it is clear that the judicial system of Cambodia is not a tool for justice but a tool to repress opposition voices,” he said.“In light of the lack of evidence, we call for the acquittal of the 23, for their immediate release and for a prompt and independent investigation into the excessive use of force by state security forces.”

Brands, unions weigh in

On Monday, 30 international clothing brands and trade unions confronted the government about the trial of the 23 protesters, according to a statement by IndustriALL Global Union, which represents workers worldwide in the mining, energy and manufacturing sectors, and which was present at the meeting.

“Brands and unions also expressed their concerns that the trial of 23 protestors … must be based on evidence and stand up to international scrutiny,” the statement said.“There is a question mark over evidence of direct links to damage to property by the 23 detainees, while IndustriALL sources have cast serious doubts about the impartiality of judicial proceedings in their trial.”

IndustriALL cited sources as saying that the detainees are set to receive prison sentences of two to three years when they are sentenced on Friday.“If these rumours are true, it will seriously damage the reputation of Cambodia’s judicial system internationally and who knows what reaction it will generate on the streets of Phnom Penh,” said the group’s general secretary Jyrki Raina.

The brands and unions also urged the government that “those who shot at demonstrators ... be brought to justice” and asked “that worker actions, such as peaceful strikes and demonstrations, are not met with violence.”

Trial and health concerns

CCHR said that documentary video of the incident presented by the prosecution as evidence at hearings for the 23 “did not show any of the defendants,” while many of the questions focused on establishing whether they were present at the protests.

It said that while the prosecution questioned the accuracy of defendants’ testimonies, it ignored “evidence that many of the defendants’ original statements were obtained under duress.”“These questions and the defendants’ answers alone are not sufficient to prove guilt … As such, any guilty verdict made against the 23 accused will be untenable,” it said.

Additionally, CCHR highlighted concerns for the physical and mental health of some of the defendants, who have repeatedly been denied bail.The group said cited Center for Labor Rights of Cambodia activist Sambath Piseth, who had raised concerns about his hand, which was broken during his arrest, and his difficulty breathing.

CCHR also highlighted the plight of one of the detainees, Vorn Pao, president of the Independent Democracy of Informal Economy Association (IDEA), who repeatedly raised concerns about his health, and who had collapsed during one of his hearings.The two are among four human rights activists in the group of 23 facing additional charges of “instigation” of acts of violence and damage of property during the strike.

Key industry

At Monday’s meeting with Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Keat Chhon and senior government officials in the capital Phnom Penh, the delegation of global brands and trade unions also expressed international concerns on the treatment of Cambodian garment workers.In their joint statement, IndustriALL and the brands—including H&M, GAP, Puma and Levi’s—said that Cambodia was “at risk of losing its status as a strategic sourcing market” due to the concerns.

According to IndustriALL, one major clothing brand revealed during the meeting that it had cut its sourcing from Cambodia by 50 percent in the past year due to concerns about political instability and human rights violations in the country.The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that Levi’s had “cut back its Cambodia sourcing to minimize supply-chain risk and ensure delivery,” citing company spokeswoman Amber McCasland.

Around a half million people work in Cambodia’s garment industry, which earns some U.S. $4.6 billion a year producing goods for Western clothing firms, but workers often work long shifts for little pay, trade unions complain.It is the country's biggest employer and key export earner.Cambodian garment unions are fighting to increase the minimum wage from U.S. $100 to U.S. $160 per month.

Monks protest over institute

 

A group of about 100 people, including 50 or so monks, attempted to march yesterday to protest outside Phnom Penh’s Buddhist Institute, but were thwarted by droves of military police and district security guards on Sisowath Quay.No violence occurred as Independent Monk Network leader But Buntenh called off the march after vocally denouncing the government, which he alleged was selling off the institute’s land to casino operator NagaCorp. 

The march came despite the Ministry of Cult and Religion insisting on Tuesday that the destruction of part of the entrance and wall surrounding the institute was only to assist the construction of an electricity substation on the institute’s grounds by NagaCorp and Electricite du Cambodge.

The substation will be used to power a new addition to the casino across the street from the institute, and the government hasn’t sold or leased any of its land, the ministry said.

As the monks and protesters marched up Sisowath Quay yesterday afternoon, Seng Somony, spokesman for the Ministry of Cult and Religion, attempted to stop them from advancing further, brandishing copies of documents detailing exactly what the government had agreed to with NagaCorp.

“If NagaWorld does not follow this contract, I myself will bring all of you to protest in front of NagaWorld,” he said.He added that the government was engaging with the project for development purposes and the destruction of the wall had only occurred in order to avoid the pillars collapsing during underground construction work for the electricity substation.However Buntenh, speaking through a loudspeaker, would not buy that argument.“We want the government to issue a land title to the Buddhist Institute to guarantee that it is not sold in the future. Or else protests against the selling-off of state property will spread throughout the country,” he told the crowd, which included Boeung Kak community members. 

The group tried to continue marching onwards but were met with barricades and assembled military police, in addition to security guards.A standoff ensued, with Meas Samnang, an adviser to the Ministry of Cult and Religion, allegedly lobbing insults at the monks from inside the ministry compound.The crowd, which in turn accused the official of disrespecting Buddhism, had to be calmed down by Somony, who said that the ministry would “educate him” to be more respectful.

NagaCorp announced in February it would invest $369 million in its new Naga2 casino opposite the institute.Earlier this week, a manager at the institute said visitors to the centre had dropped from an average of 30 a day to about three since the construction began.

Brands’ eyes on verdicts of 23

 

As 23 men accused of violent crimes stemming from demonstrations earlier this year brace for a verdict against them today, civil society groups are alleging that no credible evidence was presented by the prosecution during the entire trial.Nearly five months after soldiers arrested 10 men at a protest in front of Yakjin garment factory on January 2, and 13 others on Veng Sreng Boulevard a day later, the 23, as they’ve come to be known, face sentencing on crimes ranging from incitement to intentional violence. At least four workers were shot dead by state security forces during the deadly garment strikes.“The consensus among civil society is there’s not one shred of evidence that can be used to convict any of the 23 of the crimes they’re accused of,” said Joel Preston, a consultant from the Community Legal Education Center, which is providing legal representation for some defendants.

Preston said a guilty verdict and harsh sentencing could result in a major backlash in the international community – namely, from clothing brands that source products from Cambodia.

Today’s verdict comes at the end of a jam-packed week of labour-related talks and negotiations, which were made more tense by the looming court date.After a Monday meeting between government officials, an international labour union and brands that include Puma, H&M, Gap Inc and Levi Strauss, the buyers released a statement saying the verdict should hinge on evidence that holds up to international scrutiny.The statement warned that instability in the garment sector could result in Cambodia losing its “status as a strategic sourcing market”.IndustriALL Global Union general secretary Jyrki Raina reported after the meeting that one of the four major brands had already cut orders from factories in Cambodia by 50 per cent.Global brands’ specific interest in Cambodia’s garment sector practices confounded Ministry of Labour spokesman Heng Sour.

“If the international brands are concerned about the 23 [defendants], then why are they not concerned about their [business] in countries where conditions are much worse than [in] Cambodia?” Sour asked.Yesterday also marked the end of a workshop on a draft union law attended by representatives from unions, industry and the government.The ministry will take comments into consideration and possibly hold another workshop before the draft legislation goes before the National Assembly, Sour said.

Vietnam's ‘golden population' begins to fade

Viet Nam is still experiencing a "golden population structure". This means that for every two people working, there is only one dependent person. However, the Vietnamese population is ageing rapidly. What are the population challenges faced by Viet Nam?
Viet Nam started to step into the so-called golden population structure in 2007 and it is predicted that it will last for about 30-40 years. The structure is a chance to use the plentiful human resources for socio-economic development and improvement of the human resource for increasing social welfare, health care, education and job for future.
The golden population structure has created not only opportunities but also challenges to the country as the labour force was big in quantity but low in quality due to lack of skilled labourers and limits in management skills.
In addition, there is a rapidly ageing population. This is unavoidable in every country with socio-economic development and big improvements in people's lives. Viet Nam's population is ageing at historic speed due to growing life expectancy and reduced births and deaths.
Viet Nam is facing a growing imbalance between boys and girls at birth. There are now significantly more boys born than girls. How will this affect society?
The sex imbalance has become a hot topic in the mass media since 2006. The increase is expected to have many unexpected effects on society and security - especially when the young start thinking of marriage.
A surplus of males would probably lead to the breakdown of family structures. It would force many men to marry late and many to have no chance of finding a partner.
The sex imbalance not only lowers the position of women but also deepens gender inequality. For instance, many women would have to marry earlier, increasing the chances of divorce and remarriage for women. There is also the likelihood of prostitutes becoming commonplace to ease the situation - and more human trafficking. So, the sex imbalance is an important way of measuring levels of gender inequality.
What are the future population risks faced by Viet Nam?
There are two existing problems, including the present rapid increase in population and the trend towards a more aged population. The country's population was 90 million in 2014 and is forecast to increase to 120 million in 2050.
This growth could put pressure on the nation's already declining natural resources. High population density in urban areas is already creating pressures on traffic, health care, education and the environment. And all of these fields are becoming overloaded.
The second challenge is the ageing population. There is an increasing number of elderly people living alone and many more old couples. The elderly also have to spend an average of eight times more on medical services due to their increasing years.
The biggest challenge for the health-care system is that the country has only one national geriatrics institute. It is situated in Ha Noi. There are a few geriatrics facilities in some provincial hospitals.
The ageing population increases pressure on the healthcare and pension system because retirees are generally living much longer than a decade or so ago.
The monthly pension and social welfare are an important income source for the elderly, however coverage [because the country's rate of people involvement in social insurance was low] of these programmes is still low.
With a society with an ageing population, job structure will change [because retired people or the dependent people will be bigger than those still in working age] and create heavier economic burdens for the younger generation. All these difficulties will be a huge challenge if we do not draw up proper policies and strategies.

PM counsels perseverance and peaceful means of defending sovereignty

China’s rig has been moved to a new location but it still lies entirely in the exclusive economic zone of Vietnam.

The head of government stressed that the Party, the State and the people of Vietnam are determined to defend the country’s sovereignty by all peaceful means and in accordance with international law.
"The Constitution affirms that the country’s independence and sovereignty are sacred and inviolable, so they cannot be traded off for anything. In accordance, I have stated unequivocally that Vietnam will never relinquish its independence and sovereignty for some kind of elusive, dependent peace and quasi-friendship," the Prime Minister reiterated.

As China moved its illegal drilling rig to a new location, one which is still entirely in the exclusive economic zone of Vietnam, the Prime Minister outlined three sets of solutions for the coming days.
On the field, the vessels of the Vietnamese law enforcement forces must always be available at the new location. "Though Chinese ships will continue ramming ours, we must stay resolute and maintain our restraint," the Prime Minister said. He went on to inform attendants that, to date, 30 ships of Vietnam’s law enforcement forces had been damaged by attacks by Chinese ships. The Prime Minister appreciated the frequent presence of dozens of independent fishing boats near this area to help assert the country's sovereignty.On the diplomatic front, the Prime Minister insisted that Vietnam will persevere and continue the fight at the highest level to make clear the wrongdoing of China, and will continue to demand that Beijing pull the rig out of Vietnam’s waters.With the struggle over public opinion, the Prime Minister asked the relevant bodies to provide complete, truthful and convincing evidence of the wrongful acts of China to the international community.

"Legal actions are also peaceful means. This approach will be used at the right time, in accordance with the UN Charter and international law," he added.
Reviewing Vietnam’s actions over the past month, the Prime Minister said that Vietnam had contacted China’s representatives over 30 times to ask them to withdraw the rig from Vietnam’s waters. Vietnam has informed the international community of China’s misconduct as well as Vietnam’s good will efforts to solve the tensions by peaceful means. Voices from the international community have expressed their support for Vietnam and condemned China's actions.
Deputy head of the Central Information and Public Relations  Committee, Mr. Nguyen The Ky, said in a recent month, four foreign news agencies and 14 international newspapers sent reporters to Vietnam to cover the news of China’s illegal actions in Vietnamese waters.
Economic cooperation continues

Vietnam will continue to attach importance to friendly cooperation with China and Chinese in other fields in a normal way, the Prime Minister noted.He cited two specific examples to demonstrate this spirit: the active participation of the Vietnam delegation, led by Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan, at an international conference in Shanghai; and most recently, the operational launch of a steel plant with a capacity of 500,000 tons, and 49% Chinese funding, in Lao Cai Province.
"The fight for sovereignty must continue but business cooperation will be still maintained," said the Prime Minister.Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang said many power and chemical projects with the participation of Chinese contractors are still being implemented normally. And trade across the Vietnam-China border areas is still bustling.

Thai military releases former interim PM days after coup

 

Former interim Thai Prime Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan is among the latest batch of people that the military has released following last week's coup, a military officer said Thursday.Also among the 31 people recently released was former Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, Col. Sirichan Ngathong told reporters.The military had summoned, and in some cases detained, scores of political officials and other prominent figures after the May 22 coup, which the military carried out after months of unrest that had destabilized the elected government and caused outbursts of deadly violence in Bangkok.But the sudden intervention by the armed forces -- the latest in a series of coups that have punctuated modern Thai history -- has been criticized by human rights activists and foreign governments, including the United States.

Small groups of protesters also have gathered in Bangkok in recent days, with demonstrators calling for democratic elections. But security forces sealed off one of the main protest sites -- a monument -- on Thursday, days after the officer who led the coup suggested that the military wouldn't tolerate public displays of dissent indefinitely.Boonsongpaisan was interim prime minister when the military conducted the coup. The military, which tore up the country's constitution and declared martial law, says it so far has summoned at least 280 people, and about 200 of them -- including former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra -- turned themselves in.

The military says it has released about 155 people so far, including Yingluck, who was in office when the current phase of political turmoil began in November.Yingluck, who was removed from office by the courts earlier this month, was released from a military facility over the weekend after she followed a summons to report to military authorities on Friday.A military source said Yingluck was asked to "help us maintain peace and order and not to get involved with protesters or any political movement" and now has freedom of movement and communication. But a close aide to Yingluck disagreed with the assertion that she was free to move and communicate.

 

The military has said it would impress upon the summoned people the negative consequences their actions have had for the country in the sometimes bloody conflict of the last seven months.

Detainees determined to have no significant link to conflict and who find "common ground" for the good of the country will be released, a military spokesman previously said.

The recent unrest was driven by months of protests against Yingluck's government.

The protest leaders said they wanted to rid Thailand of the influence of Yingluck and her wealthy brother, the exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was deposed in the country's last military coup in 2006.

The siblings' powerful political movement, which has dominated elections for more than a decade, draws its support from Thailand's populous rural regions in the north and northeast.

But it is unpopular among the Bangkok elites, who accuse it of buying votes through ill-judged, populist policies.The protesters who campaigned against Yingluck's government claimed Thailand needed reforms to be imposed by an unelected council before any further elections could take place.

With the military's intervention, they appear to have gotten their wish, although some of the protest leaders were taken into custody after the coup.On Monday, the officer who led the coup, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters there was "no set time period" for when new elections might be held, and he outlined the steps he said his junta plan to take, including setting up a committee to introduce reforms.

READ: Thai general warns protesters after announcing royal endorsement