Phnom Penh (dpa) – A group of international garment manufacturers is calling on Cambodia to investigate the February 20 shooting of three garment workers. A letter to the Commerce Ministry urged “a full and transparent investigation” to “hold those responsible for injuring workers accountable.” It was signed by prominent firms including Gap Inc, Columbia Sportswear, PUMA SE and the American Apparel & Footwear Association. “We are alarmed that the state of unrest has become increasingly violent and is continuing across other industrial sites,” it said. The shooting took place at the special economic zone in Bavet City near the Vietnamese border. The government said the local governor was the chief suspect and had been stripped of the position, but he has not been arrested. That raised concerns of political tampering in the judicial process. The provincial court ordered the suspect to appear for questioning on March 16. The International Labour Organization said Cambodia's failure to arrest the gunman had left international buyers “extremely concerned.” The garment industry is key to Cambodia's economy, earning 3.75 billion dollars last year, the International Monetary Fund said. The United States and the European Union are the two main markets for garment exports. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/8kvxR Tags: Cambodia, Garment, Labor, Shooting, Unrest Section: East Asia
