Ministry of Labour to Investigate Brick Kilns in Cambodia

• 19 October 2018
• Local News
• 2549 Views

The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training(MLVT) said that it will investigate recent claims of modern slavery in Cambodia’s brick kiln by London-based Royal Holloway University.

According to the Phnom Penh Post on 18 October, 2018, H.E Ith Sam Heng said that MLVT will open an investigation into the allegations on modern slavery in the country.

“We will start investigating. The ministry issued a statement preventing [this issue of child labour]. We will review what the report says. In the past, we didn’t know about it. After knowing about it, we will inspect the locations mentioned in the report. If it is true, we will take the necessary legal action to put a stop to it”, the Post reported.

However, H.E Ith Sam Heng did not provide specific timeframe of the investigation.

The measure comes after Royal Holloway University released its research report showing how the booming construction industry in Cambodia has been built on modern slavery with climate change being the key driver for the workforce.

The report also said that tens of thousands of debt-bonded families in Cambodia extract, mould, and fire clay in hazardous conditions to meet Phnom Penh’s insatiable appetite for bricks. Read more

• Analysis