We seek justice for Cambodian garment workers shot at Puma supplier factory 


2013-05-18   CLEC

On Monday February 20, 2012, an unidentified male shot three female factory workers while a protest was taking place in front of the Kaoway factory in the Manhatten Special Economic Zone (MSEZ) of Bavet District, Svay Rieng Province, Cambodia. The main purchaser from the Kaoway factory was, and still is, Puma SE, the German based athletic shoe company. The unidentified male was later recognized to be the Bavet town governor, Chhouk Bandith. Even after admitting to the authorities that he was the shooter, Chhouk Bandith’s arrest was first delayed, and then the Court of First Instance promptly dropped the charges.

 
 
 

Garment Factory Collapse in Cambodia: At Least 3 Dead, 10 Injured and More Unaccounted For 


2013-05-16   CLEC

Only hours after international brands signed onto the Bangladesh Building and Fire Safety Agreement, a building collapse at Asics supplier, Wing Star Shoes Co. Ltd has claimed the lives of at least 3 Cambodian garment workers, injured at least 10 and left many more unaccounted for.

 
 
 

Garment Industry Wage Survey: $100 per Month - Not Too Much to Ask 


2013-05-02   CLEC

The Community Legal Education Center (CLEC) would like to express its extreme dissatisfaction with the current result of garment industry wage negotiations. Further, CLEC commends the draft law put forward by Opposition lawmaker, Mr. Son Chhay which proposes a monthly minimum wage of US$150 for Cambodian garment workers. We support and commend the draft as a prominent step towards the institution of a living wage in Cambodia. Further, in light of the upcoming election we encourage trade confederations to help their members to familiarize themselves with the proposed legislation and the benefits it would provide them.

 
 
 

The Boeung Kak concession should be a solution for all remaining residents 


2013-05-02   CLEC

The Boeung Kak community and the undersigned civil society groups call for the inclusion of all remaining families into the 12.44ha concession area by the former lake. A new plan unveiled today by the community shows in detail how this could be achieved in a just and equitable fashion.

 
 
 

An Open Letter to International Garment Brands Sourcing from Cambodia 


2013-05-01   CLEC

May 1, 2013‐ On this International Labor Day, we, the undersigned civil society groups call upon all international garment brands sourcing from Cambodia to publicly denounce two recent baseless judicial decisions related to the garment sector. The first is the recent imprisonment of Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun. The two men were scapegoated and wrongly convicted in the 2004 murder of labor leader Chea Vichea. The second is the government’s failure to appropriately prosecute Chhouk Bandith, a well- connected former town governor who shot and severely injured three female garment factory workers.

 
 
 

Bangladesh Building Collapse - Stop Murdering Workers 


2013-04-26   CLEC

The Community Legal Education Center (CLEC) shares our deepest sorrows and sadness with the factory workers and factory workers' families for their loss and suffering experienced in this tragic time. We condemn the utter disregard taken towards the health and safety of the factory workers in the factories housed in the Rana Plaza building in Savar, Bangladesh, a suburb of the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka. 

 
 
 

Joint Statement - Investment Projects and Land Concessions 


2013-04-12   CLEC

CCHR, CLEC and the NGO Forum on Cambodia release a Mini-Report following the Roundtable
Discussion on “Investment Projects and Land Concessions” held on 29 March 2013, during which the new General Manager of Koh Kong Sugar Industry Co Ltd announced the return of disputed land.

 
 
 

Denial of Release Pending Appeal Highlights Political Interference in the Court System 


2013-03-27   CLEC

March 27, 2013 - LICADHO, Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT), Equitable Cambodia (EC), and Community Legal Education Centre (CLEC) express their deep disappointment at the Supreme Court’s failure to release Boeung Kak land rights activist Yorm Bopha on bail.

 
 
 

Appeal Court Orders Release of Mam Sonando, Kan Sovann & Touch Ream 


2013-03-14   CLEC

Phnom Penh (March 14, 2013) – We, the undersigned civil society groups, welcome the Court of Appeal’s long-overdue decision today to release independent radio station owner Mam Sonando and his two co-appellants, Touch Ream and Kan Sovann, but caution that a long road remains to rehabilitate Cambodia’s democracy ahead of National Assembly elections in July.

 
 
 

Walmart and H&M: Kingsland Workers will Commence Hunger Strike 


2013-02-27   CLEC

The Community Legal Education Center (CLEC) would like to express its concern for the health and well-being of workers at Kingsland Garment Cambodia Ltd. Yesterday, workers issued a letter to Walmart and H&M representatives informing that they will commence a hunger strike on Thursday, 28 February, 2013.

 
 
 

Violent Crackdown at E-Garment 


2013-02-07   CLEC

The Community Legal Education Center (CLEC) toughly condemns the violent crackdown on the peaceful strike at E-Garment factory on Wednesday 6 February, 2013. At 10am, striking workers at the factory located in Kandal Province were attacked by 30 military police officers. Seven of the women workers were injured. One woman who is 5 months pregnant had to be taken to hospital for treatment.

 
 
 

Corporate Social Deniability: Walmart and H&M Refuse to Take Responsibility for Kingsland Workers 


2013-01-30   CLEC

The Community Legal Education Center (CLEC) and the Workers Information Center (WIC) are appalled at the response from international retail giants, Walmart and H&M, who refuse to accept any responsibility for the almost US$200,000 in lost wages and indemnity owed to former employees Kingsland Garment (Cambodia) Ltd.

 
 
 

International Rights Groups call for solution in Labor Dispute at Cambodian Walmart Supplier  


2013-01-19   CLEC

On January 18, international human rights and labor groups released at statement expressing support and seeking redress for some 200 garment workers locked in a dispute with Kingsland Garment Cambodia Ltd., a supplier of the global clothing brands Walmart and H&M. The workers are owed approximately $200,000 in wages and indemnity by Kingsland, a Hong Kong-based company.

 
 
 

Walmart and H&M Supplier Fails to Attend Conciliation with Kingsland Employees 


2013-01-18   CLEC

We, the undersigned members of civil society, international labor support organizations and trade unions express our extreme discontent that Kingsland factory owners have failed to attend conciliation regarding outstanding payments of almost US$200,000 owed to Kingsland employees.

 
 
 

Scapegoats Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun Unjustly Back in Jail 


2012-12-27   CLEC

We, the undersigned organizations, condemn in the strongest terms the unexpected decision by Appeals Court Judges Chhoun Sunleng, Seng Sivutha and Khoun Leang Meng to uphold the Phnom Penh court’s grossly unfair verdict against Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun. The two were arrested by Ministry of Interior police officers in the hearing room and sent back to jail earlier this morning.

 
 
 

Preparations Being Made for Deportation of 165,000 Cambodian Workers in Thailand 


2012-12-11   CLEC

According to reports of a meeting between officials from Thailand and Cambodia the Thai Ministry of Labor confirmed preparations were underway to urgently deport 165,000 Cambodian migrant workers who have not completed the National Verification Process prior to December 14, 2012.

 
 
 

Thousands Set to Mark International Human Rights Day in Cambodia 


2012-12-10   CLEC

Phnom Penh, December 8, 2012- Nearly 62,000 Cambodians will gather on Dec. 8, 9 & 10 to mark International Human Rights Day (IHRD) – including hundreds who will convene another day in front of the National Assembly in Phnom Penh to present petitions to the country’s lawmakers.

 
 
 

TARGETED: MASS FAINTING OF MORE THAN 140 CAMBODIAN GARMENT WORKERS  


2012-11-22   CLEC

Last week on 15 November, 2012, the Community Legal Education Center (CLEC) monitored yet another incident of mass fainting in the Cambodian garment industry. Over two days more than 140 Cambodian garment workers fainted in factories located in Phnom Penh’s, Vattanac Industrial Park II. Among the factories implicated were Moha Garments Co. Ltd, Dongdu Textile (Cambodia) Co. Ltd, Papillion Textile (Cambodia) Co. Ltd and Newpex Co. Ltd.

 
 
 

Cambodia: Stop disrupting civil society events and restricting freedom of expression and assembly ahead of ASEAN Summit 


2012-11-15   CLEC

We, the undersigned civil society organizations, strongly urge the Cambodian authorities to immediately end the ongoing intimidation, threats and harassment of organizers, venue owners and participants involved in civil society events in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh ahead of the 21st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and the 7th East Asia Summit. We strongly urge the Cambodian authorities to respect the fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly in accordance with their constitutional and international obligations, in particularly in view of rising concern that it will heighten its crackdown on these fundamental freedoms ahead of the two summits.

 
 
 

CLEC Condolence to the King Father Norodom Sihanouk 


2012-10-17  

CLEC Condolence to the King Father Norodom Sihanouk.

 
 
 

Statement of the Phnom Penh Workshop on Human Rights and Agribusiness in Southeast Asia: Making the Bali Declaration Effective 


2012-10-11   CLEC

The 31 participants of this workshop drawn from Asian National Human Rights Institutions from Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Timor Leste, Myanmar and South Korea and supportive civil society organisations, met in Phnom Penh between the 9th and 11th  October 2012, to review national and regional progress with putting into effect the Bali Declaration on Human Rights and Agribusiness, convened by the Indonesian Human Rights Commission Komnas HAM, with the support of Forest Peoples Programme and SawitWatch, and hosted by the Community Legal Education Centre. 

 
 
 

Phnom Penh Court Sentences Independent Radio Station Owner to 20 Years 


2012-10-01   CLEC

"This is a significant blow to freedom of speech in Cambodia," said Mr. Yeng Virak, Executive Director of Community Legal Education Center (CLEC). “That’s not only because this verdict silences Mam Sonando – and potentially impact on his radio station – but because it also has a chilling effect on others."    

 
 
 

Seven Years of Suffering The Story of a Former Cambodian Maid 


2012-09-06   CLEC

As a victim of labor trafficking, Sokleang is not in a proper mental state. She was a normal girl before working as a maid in Malaysia in 2005. Sokleang was 15 years old when she was recruited for domestic work. 

 
 
 

Two Days, Two Unjustified Pre-Trial Detention Orders For Prominent Land-Rights Advocates in Phnom Penh 


2012-09-06   CLEC

Phnom  Penh  (September  6,  2012)  –  In  the  past  three  days,  the  Phnom  Penh  Municipal  Court  has ordered  the  unjustified  pre-trial  detention  of  two  female  land  rights  advocates  in  unrelated  cases. These two incidents are the latest in a long string of incidents in which the courts have been wielded as a weapon to silence victimized communities.

 
 
 

ILO - Better Factories Cambodia to keep brands accountable for poverty wages 


2012-08-30   CLEC

ILO – Better Factories Cambodia to keep brands accountable for poverty wages

New report Clean Clothes Campaign and Community Legal Education Center evaluates decade of Better Factories Cambodia