Photo: From a CENTRAL report on labour rights violations.
MSN joined with 162 other international labour and human rights organizations in signing a joint open letter calling on the World Bank to enforce its policy of zero tolerance for retaliation and condemn the Cambodian government’s assault on human rights organizations, including the Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (CENTRAL) and Equitable Cambodia.
In June 2024, CENTRAL published a report on the barriers to freedom of association in Cambodia’s garment, footwear and travel goods industries and included a series of recommendations for improving the monitoring work of the Better Factories Cambodia program (a joint program of the International Labour Organization and the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank).
Since the release of the report, pro-government unions have falsely accused CENTRAL of threatening current and future investment in the country’s garment industry, protested outside their offices and called for an audit of CENTRAL’s finances.
On June 28, 2024, the Ministry of Interior requested that the National Audit Authority of Cambodia (NAA) conduct an audit of CENTRAL and a “national security” audit was launched on July 15, 2024. CENTRAL’s program manager Khun Tharo also faces charges of public defamation.
The joint open letter calls on the Board of the World Bank Group to verify that the legal harassment against CENTRAL and Equitable Cambodia has stopped before approving any new investments in Cambodia.
Both the Cambodian government and the World Bank responded to the Cambodian Journalists Association’s article about the demands, but concrete actions are still needed to adequately address the situation and protect human and labour rights in the country. A World Bank Group representative said that they will work with appropriate parties to address complaints that relate to their investments.
For more information:
- Cambodia: Joint statement urging World Bank action on civil society reprisals (FIDH)
- International NGOs Urge World Bank to Condemn Cambodian Government’s Alleged Harassment of Two Local NGOs (Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association)
- Background: Independent Worker Rights Organization CENTRAL faces attacks in Cambodia (MSN)