A Cambodian union leader vowed to carry on fighting for workers’ rights after she completed a prison sentence for leading a strike at the country’s biggest casino.
Chhim Sithar (pic) was jailed after campaigning for the reinstatement of hundreds of workers laid off by NagaWorld casino in Phnom Penh, run by Hong Kong-listed gaming giant Nagacorp, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
She was first arrested in January 2022 at a protest near the casino and sentenced in March 2023 to two years in jail for “incitement” – a charge commonly used by Cambodian authorities against activists.
“Unfortunately, as of today, after nearly three years, our workers have still not gotten justice. Therefore, as long as there’s no justice, our struggle continues,” she said.
“We will continue our struggle, our fight for the rights to unions,” she said after being released from prison, saying the experience would not stop her fighting for workers.
“For me, the fear of losing our rights ... is more frightening than putting me in jail,” she said.
Chhim Sithar had a message for the international community, thanking unions and other supporters for their solidarity and urging them to continue to call attention to her union’s cause at meetings of the UN’s International Labour Organization and other forums.
“We do not yet have justice, so please continue to support and we hope that the government and the company will recognise the workers’ rights at the workplace,” she said. — Agencies
