On this occasion of the 122 nd International Labor Day, a day dedicated around the world to the struggle for economic and social justice for workers, we the Members of Parliament from the Sam Rainsy Party join together with workers throughout the Kingdom of Cambodia to pay tribute to a noble defender of the rights of Cambodian workers. Chea Vichea, former President of the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia , was assassinated on January 22, 2004, after years of intimidation and threats. |
|
 |
On this occasion, we respectfully re-submit our petition to the highest consideration of His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni our most sincere and earnest request that Chea Vichea be considered as a National Hero for his life-long dedication to both the basic dignity of workers and the recognition of their contributions to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our nation. We strongly believe that the time has come for His Majesty to seriously reconsider who should truly be honored in Cambodia because we have suffered for too long at the hands of those who have murdered our people and exploited our natural resources for their own gain. Yet, some of these men are bestowed medals and honors while true heroes remain unrecognized. What country honours people based solely on money and power? |
| Also on this occasion, we join with all those workers and citizens who demand that justice be finally given to Chea Vichea, his wife and, his two children. We demand that the murder of Chea Vichea be re-investigated, taking into account the testimonies provided by key witnesses. | |
| To this date, the murder of Chea Vichea remains unresolved due the lack of political will by the Cambodian government. The cold-blooded murder of Chea Vichea and the charade conducted by the Cambodian courts to frame two innocent men for a crime they did not commit is an affront to our workers' struggle for justice and democratic principles. | |
Chea Vichea was a dedicated and fearless union leader with strong principles of justice. He gave birth to the workers' movement in Cambodia . His murder was intentionally aimed to instill fear into the heart of the workers and inhibit them in their fight for justice. But instead his spirit lives on. Chea Vichea fought for justice for workers and for society as the whole. May we finally honour him as the hero he truly was and, as the national hero our country so badly needs to guide it to be the prosperous country all Cambodians rightfully deserve after decades of struggle. At the end ……justice will prevail.
|
|
