The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), along with the Fair Labor Association (FLA), the Ethical Trading Initiative, and a broad range of apparel and footwear brands and retailers sent a letter to Cambodia's Minister of Commerce H. E. Cham Prasidh expressing concern over recent violent unrest that continues to plague Cambodia.
Most notably, during a recent incident in the Manhattan Special Economic Zone (SEZ) on Feb. 20 three female workers were shot and injured.
“We are alarmed that the state of unrest has become increasingly violent and is continuing across other industrial sites,” the industry coalition wrote. “We had hoped that the agreements set out by the local authority were satisfactory enough for all parties to settle their differences and begin to rebuild industrial peace.”
“We respectfully urge the Royal Government of Cambodia to conduct a full and transparent investigation into the recent activities in the Manhattan SEZ and hold those responsible for injuring workers accountable,” the industry coalition continued. “We hope the government will redouble efforts to create a safe and stable environment for workers and businesses in the country. We will continue to stand by Cambodia through this period and support constructive dialogue between all parties that respect the rule of law and guarantee workers a fair and safe working environment.”
View the full letter to the Cambodian Minister of Commerce on the AAFA website.
In 2011, Cambodia was the 6th largest supplier of apparel to the United States at nearly $2.6 billion.
