Cambodian Anti-Sweatshop Campaigner Murdered

Chea Vichea [BugMeNot], popular leader of Cambodia’s independent trade union movement and outspoken activist for the rights of textile workers in his country, was murdered recently by three bullets at point blank range, while he was reading a newspaper at a café in a Phomn Penh street. Vichea was responsible for the placement of a complaint with the ILO’s Committee of Freedom of Association in the wake of the sacking of more than 30 textile factory workers, including Vichea himself, who were also union members. Vichea claimed that the workers were fired because of their union membership. The report was scheduled to be made public the day after the murder