DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “British trade minister to visit Cambodia next week” plus 7 more

PHNOM PENH, June 5 (Xinhua) -- British minister for trade and investment Lord Green would visit Cambodia next Monday in order to boost bilateral trade and investment ties, according to a media statement from the British Embassy to Cambodia on Wednesday.

"His one-day visit is to promote opportunities for British businesses and is part of a wider effort to enhance the support available to British companies to start trading in Cambodia and build on their existing activity," the statement said.

The minister's visit to Cambodia is a part of his two-week visit to Southeast Asia, which will also brings him to Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar.

In Cambodia, Lord Green would meet Prime Minister Hun Sen, the British Chamber of Commerce, and visit British companies already established in Cambodia, it said.

He would also be announcing the launch of a new British Alumni Association of Cambodia, the statement said, adding that he would visit several British companies operating in Cambodia.

Speaking before his visit to the region, Lord Green said, "With so many high growth and emerging markets, Southeast Asia presents an enormous opportunity for UK goods and services. Through our global network, UK trade and investment is able to give UK businesses intensive support."

Mark Gooding, British Ambassador to Cambodia, said trade between UK and Cambodia reached 750 million U.S. dollars in 2012, up 27 percent year-on-year and was expected to further grow this year.

"Lord Green's decision to visit Cambodia during his mission to Southeast Asia underlines the strong links and the potential for more trade between our two countries," he said.

The UK is the fourth largest investor in Cambodia. According to the report of the Council for the Development of Cambodia, since 1994 to 2012, Cambodia has received the UK's promised investment of 2.4 billion U.S. dollars.

PHNOM PENH, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Approximately 1,000 garment workers gathered in front of Kampong Speu Provincial Court on Wednesday to demand release of their eight colleagues who were arrested by police on Monday during a demonstration at a Taiwanese-owned garment factory, a trade union official said.

"Those workers hold a peaceful strike to demand the release of the arrested colleagues," said Om Lyna, a spokesman for Cambodian Free Trade Union of Workers (FTU), which organized the protest. " They are innocent; they had not incited violence during Monday's demonstration."

She said the FTU has hired a lawyer to defend the case.

About 100 security guards have been deployed at the court to maintain public order.

FTU president Chea Mony said Tuesday that the eight members including three FTU officials and five workers were arrested during a demonstration for pay rise at Sabrina (Cambodia) garment factory in Kampong Speu province, about 48 kilometers west of Phnom Penh.

The factory, employing more than 5,000 workers, makes clothing for U.S. sportswear company Nike.

Violence broke out on Monday at the factory when garment workers from rival unions clashed with each other, and with riot police.

Spokesman for the National Military Police Kheng Tito said Tuesday that the trade union should use legal means rather than staging a protest.

"They were arrested for inciting workers to trigger violence and destruction to properties in the factory during the demonstration," he told Xinhua. "We have video clips and photographs as evidences to support our arrest."

Garment industry is the country's largest foreign exchange earner, accounting for more than 80 percent of the country's export income. Last year, the country earned 4.6 billion U.S. dollars from garment export, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

PHNOM PENH, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Some 7,746 national and international observers have already registered to monitor July's general elections, according to the National Election Committee on Wednesday.

Among them are 7,720 national observers and 26 international observers, the committee said.

It added that the national observers come from 25 associations and non-governmental organizations, while the international observers come from 5 international organizations.

The committee said the deadlines for the registration of national and internationalobservers are July 18 and July 25 respectively.

Cambodia will hold general elections on July 28, according to the committee. Some 9.67 million eligible voters will cast their ballots for the 123-seat parliament.

Eight parties will run for the elections, including three major parties -- the ruling Cambodian People's Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen, the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party led by self- exiled Sam Rainsy, and the royalist Funcinpec Party headed by Princess Norodom Arun Rasmey, the youngest daughter of late King Father Norodom Sihanouk.

PHNOM PENH, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The government of Japan on Wednesday signed to provide a grant aid of 36 million U.S. dollars to Cambodia for a clean water project and a human resource development project.

Cambodian deputy prime minister and foreign minister Hor Namhong signed to receive the aid package from Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia Yuji Kumamaru.

According to a press statement, the amount of 33.4 million U.S. dollars goes for the expansion of water supply systems in eastern Kampong Cham province and northwestern Battambang province, and the remaining amount of 2.6 million U.S. dollars will support 24 Cambodian students to study in Japan for two years.

"The grant aims to assist Cambodia in water supply sector and capacity development for government officials," Yuji Kumamaru said at the ceremony.

Under the clean water project, water treatment plants and other related water supply facilities in both provinces would be constructed, he said, adding that currently, safe water access rate of Kampong Cham and Battambang still stands at only 33 percent and 31 percent respectively.

"Through the project, the water supply facilities in Kampong Cham and Battambang will be expanded and water supply ratio in both cities is expected to increase to 84 percent by the year 2019, " he said.

Hor Namhong expressed gratitude to Japan for the grant aid, saying that it was very important for Cambodia in social, economic and human resource development.

Since 1992, Japanese loan and grant aid to Cambodia have amounted to more than 2 billion U.S. dollars, according Japanese embassy to Cambodia.

PHNOM PENH, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Free Trade Union of Workers (FTU) warned Tuesday to stage a protest if the authority does not release its eight members who were arrested by police on Monday during a demonstration at a Taiwanese-owned garment factory, a union leader said.

"Three FTU officials and 5 workers at Sabrina (Cambodia) Garment factory in Kampong Speu province were arrested during a pay rise protest on Monday," FTU's president Chea Mony said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

"They did not incite or trigger violence during the demonstration, but police arrested them."

"We urge the authority to free them, or we will hold a non- violence protest to demand their release," said Chea Mony, whose trade union represents about 90,000 garment workers.

Violence broke out on Monday at the factory when garment workers from rival unions clashed with each other, and with riot police.

Since May 21, striking workers at the factory, which makes clothing for U.S. sports brand Nike and employs more than 5,000 people, had held protests The first violence occurred on May 27 and resulted in some injuries to police and workers.

The clashes on Monday led to the arrest of eight union members and several injuries on all sides, the spokesman for the National Military Police Kheng Tito confirmed with Xinhua on Tuesday, adding that the eight people were being detained and questioned at the National Police.

"The trade union should seek legal ways to help them, rather than warning to hold a protest," he said.

"The country has its law. They were arrested for inciting workers to trigger violence and destruction to properties in the factory during the demonstration, we have video clips and photographs as evidences to support our arrest."

"The trade union should not threaten to stage the protest to protect perpetrators, or it will encourage wrong-doers to continue breaking the law," he said.

Garment protests are common in Cambodia in order to demand wage increases and better working conditions. Currently, the monthly minimum wage for a worker is 80 U.S. dollars.

The industry is the country's largest income earner, representing more than 80 percent of the country's exports.

The latest report of the Ministry of Commerce showed that to date, the country has about 500 garment and footwear factories employing some 510,600 workers.

Last year, the country exported those products worth 4.6 billion U.S. dollars mainly to the U.S. and Europe, up 8 percent year-on-year.