Armed Frenchman set to be deported
IMMIGRATION police are preparing to deport a French man from Cambodia after they arrested him for overstaying his visa and causing a disturbance by destroying property.
Municipal police spokesman San Sok Seiha said on February 24 that the man had been identified as Sebastien Baudry, 43.
He was arrested on February 23 in Chroy Changvar commune of Chroy Changvar district because he was drunk and causing a disturbance by destroying property at his rental home.
He added that after the arrest the immigration police – working with Chroy Changvar district police – checked his rental house and found and seized additional evidence of other criminal activity such as three small packages of marijuana and a homemade rifle. In addition to that, his visa had expired in November 2020.
“The immigration police charged him with illegal overstay, drug possession, possession of an illegal weapon and destruction of property. Now, immigration police are preparing documents in order to expel him from Cambodia,” he said.
The deputy municipal police chief Tith Viseth said that the police had already warned
him once before about disturbing the peace and destruction of property in mid-2020.
“Because he is a repeat offender and his visa is now expired, it is necessary that he be deported from Cambodia,” he said.
He added that his department had informed the French Embassy to Cambodia about his case on February 23.
“The French Embassy supports Cambodia’s police and reminds its citizens here to obey Cambodia’s laws,” he confirmed.
The French Embassy declined to comment on the man’s case via Facebook.
Viseth said that the results of a urine test given to Baudry proved that he was under the influence of addictive substances at the time of his arrest.
Police also sent Baudry to the National Institute of Public Health to have him tested for Covid-19 before deportation. He is being detained at the district police station until the test results are returned.
THE US embassy has expressed appreciation of efforts by the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training in handling complicated labour issues which have arisen in the wake of recent economic disruptions. In particular, the ministry has overseen worker protections and improvements in working conditions.
Labour minister Ith Sam Heng hosted US Ambassador Patrick Murphy on February 23 to discuss cooperating on the implementation of trade integration policies and international labour standards.
In a Facebook post following the meeting, Sam Heng said Murphy had praised the ministry’s efforts to enact measures for the protection of factory workers affected by lay-offs.
Murphy lauded the provision of benefits and cash support payments made to suspended factory workers, settlements reached in cases of firms owing employee seniority payments and interventions on behalf of uncompensated workers in instances of factory closures or management absconding.
Sam Heng thanked the US for recognising the Kingdom’s progress in ensuring labourers rights of freedom of association and achieving working conditions in line with international standards, which have been key stipulations by the US for continued provision of trade preferences.
He noted that the ministries of Labour and Commerce have been pushing for the expansion of the Better Factories Cambodia project to include travel goods and bags, following favourable evaluations of working conditions in the garment and footwear sector.
Ministry undersecretary of state Ngoy Rith said after the meeting that due to cooperation between the two countries, the growth in exports of garment products such as clothes, shoes, travel goods and bags had increased 23 per cent last year, amounting to more than $6 billion in value.
“These figures demonstrate progress
by the Cambodian government since signing an agreement with the US to connect working conditions to international trade. The US continues to provide a big market for our garment and footwear industries,” he said.
Rith said Cambodia had recently received preferential tariffs on travel goods and bags, enabling the country to increase the number of such factories to 125 which will create more jobs by expanding export volume.
“Because we have done well, the US continues to support Cambodia by providing trade preferences and market access for our export products. We have much more work to accomplish together, and because we have worked well in partnership with the US, they have expressed appreciation for our efforts,” he said.
The two sides will continue to work on issues including labour trafficking, the elimination of child labour and protecting migrant workers. Additionally, they will work together to improve the capacities of labour inspections by government officials, according to Rith.
“Productive meeting today with labour minister Ith Sam Heng, we discussed the importance of enforcing laws that address exploitation and trafficking, and working together to advance freedom of association and other core labour values in Cambodia,” said Murphy.
US embassy spokesman Chad Roedemeier said that for 20 years, the ILO’s Better Factories Cambodia programme – with US and Cambodian government support – has helped reduce child labour and ensure good working conditions in garment factories.
“This programme has become a model for others worldwide, we applaud its successes and we look forward to its full expansion to Cambodia’s travel goods sector,” he said.
As labour rights are fundamental human rights, he added, the US and Cambodia share a mutual goal of reducing child and forced labour, including forms of modern-day slavery such as debt bondage.