While the strike at NagaWorld continues with 11 trade union leaders jailed and arrest warrants for 4 more issued, international pressure is escalating on the government of Cambodia to release the leaders and drop all charges.
- On February 16, five UN Human Rights Special Rapporteurs issued a press release criticizing the Cambodian government’s use of COVID restrictions to attempt to break IUF affiliate LRSU’s strike at NagaWorld Casino hotel: “authorities appear to have dressed up efforts to stifle peaceful and lawful labour action as public health measures. There cannot be one rule for striking workers and another rule entirely for the general public.”
- Earlier this month the IUF, sister global union BWI and activists from the Swiss NGO Solidar held a protest action in front of the Royal Embassy and Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Cambodia in Geneva to raise awareness of the struggle and to deliver a letter to the Ambassador reiterating the workers’ core three demands:
- Release the 11 jailed unionists and drop all charges
- Reinstate the 365 NagaWorld union leaders and members
- Negotiate in good faith with LRSU
Click here to add your support to the IUF/LabourStart campaign to release the jailed union leaders!
As the UN Human Rights Special Rapporteurs stated in their press release, “The manner that authorities have imposed restrictions on lawful and peaceful strikers based on public health concerns are unjustified, unnecessary and disproportionate in the given circumstances. Authorities should engage in peaceful and patient dialogue with the strikers rather than use heavy-handed measures.”
