Cambodia trade union leader murdered: TUC protests

HE Mr Hor NamboraHead of Mission
Royal Embassy of Cambodia
28-32 Wellington Road (Wellington Building)
St John's Wood
London NW8 9SP

Your Excellency

Investigate the murder of Hy Vuthy, leader of the Free Trade Union of the Workers of Cambodia (FTUWKC)

The TUC, which represents people at work in Britain through our 63 unions and their 6.5 million members, supports the call of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) for the Cambodian authorities to open a proper investigation into the murder of Hy Vuthy, 36, a leader of the Free Trade Union of the Workers of Cambodia (FTUWKC) who was shot dead on 24 February. I would be grateful if you could convey this call to your country's government, and let me know what action has been taken by the authorities.

The FTUWKC received information that Hy Vuthy was killed shortly after successfully negotiating with a company for a one-day holiday on the occasion of the Khmer New Year. According to reports, he was shot three times by two unidentified assailants on a motorbike as he drove home on Saturday morning. His family was also subjected to an attack by persons throwing rocks at their home.

This latest murder follows a series of attacks on trade unionists in your country, which has an unenviable reputation for severe violations of trade union rights. Your country's international reputation will continue to suffer unless the government takes the proper steps to ensure the rule of law, and bring to justice the real perpetrators of this, and other, killings.

Vuthy's case is the third murder of an FTUWKC representative since the murder in 2004 of Chea Vichea, former president of the FTUWKC. In that case, the credibility of Cambodian justice system has been seriously compromised by the holding of two innocent persons in prison. The two were condemned on 1 August 2005 by a Phnom Penh court to 20 years imprisonment on the basis of 'confessions' obtained by force. No genuine piece of evidence was presented at the trial linking the two men to the murder.

We understand that the European Commissioner for External Relations and Neighbourhood Policy has indicated that the European Commission shares our concerns over the murder of Chea Vichea and the overall situation for the trade union movement and the Cambodian justice system.

I am copying this letter to the UK Government Minister responsible for both South East Asia and for trade union and other human rights, and making its contents public. I would be grateful for your speedy reply.

Yours sincerely

Brendan Barber

General Secretary