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Police kill one in Cambodian labor protest: witnesses

Cambodian riot police killed at least one person when they fired shots to disperse hundreds of protesting garment factory workers in Phnom Penh yesterday just days ahead of an Asian security summit in the city, witnesses said.

Security has been tightened in the run-up to general elections on July 27 and the arrival of foreign ministers from more than 20 countries, including the US, at an Asia-Pacific security summit next week.

Historically, elections in Cambodia are preceded by civil unrest. Opposition leader Sam Rainsy has built up a strong political following among the impoverished country's 200,000 mostly female garment workers.

A body lay sprawled in the street with a bullet wound to the chest. His work card, lying on his chest, identified him as Yoeum Ry, of the Terratex Knitting and Garment Factory.

Not far away, a motorbike was on fire, sending thick black smoke into the sky. Bricks, stones and AK-47 bullet casings littered the road.

"We just wanted to complain against the manager because he refused to negotiate with us," one female worker said.

She did not give the name of her factory but there are about 10 garment factories in the area in the south of the city, most foreign-owned and each employing about 1,000 workers.

"The manager always tries to get rid of anybody who tries to challenge them," said another, adding that the protest over pay had been urged by union representatives.

After the shooting stopped, the young workers gathered in sidestreets in an uneasy standoff with hundreds of police. They surged forward, many screaming, to remonstrate with police as an ambulance took the body away.

Police fired a warning shot to keep them back.

Officer Chan Sokhom said three riot police had been injured during the clash. A Red Cross ambulance worker said he had heard at least 16 police had been injured. And a human rights worker said he had seen two wounded civilians.

Cambodia's 220 garment factories produced about US$1.1 billion in exports, about 77 percent of the country's total, in 2001.
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