Three Cambodian workers were killed on Friday and several others were injured when police opened fire on striking garment workers in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh.
According to eye witnesses, shots were fired after the workers blocked a road south of Phnom Penh, and clashed with the police,
The textile workers have been protesting and demanding the minimum wage be doubled.
Cambodia has around 500,000 workers in the garment industry, which is a key source of national income.
The workers are demanding a minimum wage of $160 (£97) a month. The government has offered an increase to around $100 (£60).
Chan Soveth, an activist from rights group Adhoc, told a foreign news agency that security forces “used rifles and other things to crack down on the strikers” at Friday’s protest.
On Thursday, Cambodian soldiers broke up another protest by striking garment workers, with witnesses saying some protesters were hurt.
The industrial action comes after the government faced weeks of protests by the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) that demands Prime Minister Hun Sen step down. CNRP has called for a new election and alleged vote fraud in the last election.
In recent weeks, they have been joined by the garment workers.
