Global Voices » Mong Palatino

Southeast Asia: Restoring Historic Towns

Mong Palatino — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:42:50 +0000

Dr. Apiwat Ratanawaraha writes about several projects in Southeast Asia that seek to restore historic towns and promote cultural tourism. Some of the ongoing projects are located in Singapore’s Boat Quay, Malaysia’s Georgetown, and Thailand’s Chiang Mai

Southeast Asia: Climate Change and Smallholder Farmers

Mong Palatino — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:56:16 +0000

The World Agroforestry Centre has released a study on the climate change adaptation options for small farmers in Southeast Asia.

Saudi Journalist Detained in Malaysia for ‘Offensive' Tweet

Mong Palatino — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:51:33 +0000

Saudi journalist Hamza Kashgari was stopped at Malaysia's airport after Saudi Arabia ordered his arrest. The journalist is accused of sending a twitter message that ‘insulted' Prophet Mohammad

Reporter Found Dead in West Papua

Mong Palatino — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:32:56 +0000

Reporters Without Borders condemns the killing of a journalist in West Papua and the attack on local reporters in Indonesia.

Myanmar: Human Rights Violations Persist Despite Reforms

Mong Palatino — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:50:12 +0000

After a six-day mission to Myanmar, U.N. Human Rights Rapporteur Tomas Ojea Quintana releases his report about the continuing human rights problems in the country despite the reforms implemented by the government

East Timor Presidential Candidates

Mong Palatino — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:43:40 +0000

Centru Jornalista Investigativu Timor Leste uploads the list of presidential candidates in East Timor who have registered with the Court.

Thailand: Scholars Press for Lese Majeste Law Reform

Mong Palatino — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:49:36 +0000

An open letter signed by 224 international scholars, writers, and activists was sent to Thailand Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra expressing grave concern over the use of Lese Majeste Law to stifle dissent in the country.

Vietnam's “Bad Education Stories” of 2011

Mong Palatino — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:57:59 +0000

VietNamNet Bridge posts an article about the “bad stories in the education sector in 2011.” Some of the bad stories include cases of corporal punishment, school bullying, and low performance of schools.

What Makes Vietnamese Coffee Unique?

Mong Palatino — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:38:30 +0000

Nathan Beyerlein writes about the coffee culture in Vietnam and learns the difference between Vietnamese coffee from its Western counterparts.

Vietnam: Database of Political Prisoners

Mong Palatino — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:28:38 +0000

Vietnam Reform Party publishes Voices of Conscience, a document containing summaries of individuals in prison for political charges in Vietnam.

Indonesia: Reform of Juvenile Justice System

Mong Palatino — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:11:26 +0000

Leopold Sudaryono writes about the proposed reforms to Indonesia's juvenile justice system after numerous cases of children arrested and prosecuted of petty crimes were reported in the media

Thailand: Flood Impact on Rice Production

Mong Palatino — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:42:08 +0000

Aim Sinpeng writes about the impact of last year's massive flooding in Thailand on the country's rice production. Thailand is the world's largest rice exporter.

Cambodia: Mass Fainting in Garment Factories

Mong Palatino — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 03:35:41 +0000

The Asia Floor Wage network is organizing Cambodia’s first ever People’s Tribunal on Minimum Living Wage and Decent Working Conditions for garment workers. The tribunal is scheduled on February 8, 2012, in Phnom Penh:

The garment industry in Cambodia represents 90% of all exports. However, despite its relative economic importance, workers receive only half of what is needed to safely support their families and the statutory minimum wage is currently the lowest in the Mekong region.

One of the major issues which will be discussed is the poor working conditions in factories which resulted in fainting incidents in numerous workplaces:

Another issue of concern currently facing garment factories and their workers has been mass fainting. In 2011 year alone, the Free Trade Union has reported some 2,300 workers fainting in 5 Cambodian factories… Investigations and company statements have varied in their conclusions on contributing factors, but many have highlighted physiological causes such as low blood sugar, malnutrition, dehydration, food poisoning and over-exertion.

Workers of King First Factory rushed to hospital after fainting. Photo from Community Legal Education Center on Facebook.

Joel Preston identifies the prominent global customers of King First Factory:

In the same year, King First Industrial confirmed their list of major customers and customer base to include:

“Wal-Mart, Target, Reebok, JC Penny, Urban Outfitters, Simply Vera, Abercrombie & Fitch, Anthropology, Cold Water Creek, Chico's, Catherines, Express, Federated/May Department Store, P.V.H, Hollister, Ruehl, L&T, Cato, George, Bisou Bisou, Greendog, Lane Bryant, Alfant, Charter Club, Metro 7, East 5th and American Rag.”

Despite the gargantuan profits being reaped by Cambodian garment factories, their parent companies and international buyers alike, King First Industrial Co. Ltd seems unable to provide their workers with a safe and healthful working environment. Contraventions of occupational health and safety expectations are interrelated to the pitiful wages that these workers receive.

The Community Legal Education Center also posted photos of workers who fainted in factories owned by Hung Wah (Cambodia) Garment Mfg. and Huey Chuen. The Fair Labor Association investigated the fainting cases in Huey Chuen and discovered that workers were compelled to work for very long hours:

Management and workers indicated that for the period March 27 to April 9, workers completed four hours of overtime on weekdays as well as on March 25, April 1, and April 8. Workers on the second floor indicated they felt compelled to work all night starting at 7 a.m. on Friday morning and finishing at 7 a.m. on Saturday morning. They also indicated they worked on Sunday 27 and April 3. Workers on the first and fifth floor did not work overnight but did work four hours of overtime on weekdays and Saturdays and Sundays.

LTO Cambodia thinks the mass faintings could be a case of mass hysteria:

The mass fainting are, for lack of a better term, ‘mass-hysteria,’ but by that I don't mean to diminish their significance. These factory workers are largely poor young women, often country girls, working in gray, stuffy, unpleasant conditions, homesick, pressured by family and harsh supervisors and doing mind-numbingly repetitive work for very little money (averaging $55-$61/month,) often for long hours.

Campaign to improve conditions of garment workers. Photo from Clean Clothes group.

Aside from the fainting issue, the tribunal hopes to address the complaints raised by 200,000 garment workers in Cambodia who went on strike last year. Below are the other goals of the tribunal:

- Establish the State of Decent Labour Standards, specifically focusing on Women Workers, in the global garment industry including the issue of fair pricing for manufacturers
- Present the impact of gender as a factor in determining the political economy of the global supply chain
- Provide leverage for building worker collectivity with bargaining power within the global supply chain and contribute to strengthening grassroots mobilization
- Contribute to strengthening the conditions of workers, in particular women workers, in the garment global supply chain

A petition was initiated urging H&M clothing company to join the tribunal:

H&M decided when cotton prices rose during 2010 and 2011 that they would kindly cover the costs so their customers wouldn’t suffer higher prices. Unfortunately, the courtesy doesn't extend to their suppliers working in Cambodian garment factories, 90% of whom are women.

Cambodia: Number of Families Involved in Land Disputes

Mong Palatino — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:51:08 +0000

According to the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, there are 47,000 families which have been embroiled in 223 land disputes in Cambodia.

Cambodia: Photos of Senate Elections

Mong Palatino — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:48:26 +0000

Lauren Crothers posts pictures of the recent senate elections in Cambodia. The pictures were taken at Boeng Trabek high school in Phnom Penh.