Boom built on ‘slavery’

[geovalin]

 

Shaun Turton and Niem Chheng

 

The use of debt bondage to trap workers in “modern day slavery” is widespread in many of Cambodia’s brick-making factories, indicates research by rights group Licadho, whose findings suggest the Kingdom’s recent building boom is built on the illegal practice.

 

In a report released today titled Built on Slavery: Debt Bondage and Child Labour in Cambodia’s Brick Factories, the organisation documents the exploitation of both adults and children at factories in Tbong Khmum, Kandal and Phnom Penh, which every day funnel tens of thousands of bricks to construction sites around the capital.

 

Through interviews with about 50 workers, Licadho found all but one were working to pay off loans of between $1,000 and $6,000 provided by owners, who used bondage to guarantee a “long-term, cheap and compliant workforce”, the authors argue.

 

read more http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national

 

 

-- © Copyright Phenom Pen Post 02/12

[williamgeorgeallen]

most of my friends back home are slaves to their massive mortgages. the live lean and work long hours to pay their mortgages and credit cards off. at least their kids have a decent life.

[aussiandrew]

Exploitation in one form or another is happening all around the world sorry nothing new here.

[craigt3365]

1 hour ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

most of my friends back home are slaves to their massive mortgages. the live lean and work long hours to pay their mortgages and credit cards off. at least their kids have a decent life.

I was there also.  But, lived in a beautiful home near the California coast, drove a nice car, went sailing every weekend and had a pretty darn good life.  A bit different from those in Cambodia.

[williamgeorgeallen]

38 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

I was there also.  But, lived in a beautiful home near the California coast, drove a nice car, went sailing every weekend and had a pretty darn good life.  A bit different from those in Cambodia.

yes a different kettle of fish for sure. i used to work 7 days a week in australia to pay for new cars and a big mortgage. done with that. happy living in a cheap condo driving a scooter. expensive school fees will force me home to nz one day but for now life is good.

[whaleboneman]

22 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

yes a different kettle of fish for sure. i used to work 7 days a week in australia to pay for new cars and a big mortgage. done with that. happy living in a cheap condo driving a scooter. expensive school fees will force me home to nz one day but for now life is good.

What are you studying?

[williamgeorgeallen]

8 minutes ago, whaleboneman said:

What are you studying?

school fees for my kids. primary school is ok but good high schools are over priced and i am not convinced they are even as good as back home.

[craigt3365]

45 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

yes a different kettle of fish for sure. i used to work 7 days a week in australia to pay for new cars and a big mortgage. done with that. happy living in a cheap condo driving a scooter. expensive school fees will force me home to nz one day but for now life is good.

I use to have a white board above the desk in my home.  It listed all the debts I had.  Massive!  Then one day, I got a bit smarter.  Started paying with cash.  Got a nice commission check and paid off my house.  No more loans!!!

[hanssna]

5 hours ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

most of my friends back home are slaves to their massive mortgages. the live lean and work long hours to pay their mortgages and credit cards off. at least their kids have a decent life.

 

And the relationship with Cambodian slave labour is... ?

[williamgeorgeallen]

6 minutes ago, hanssna said:

 

And the relationship with Cambodian slave labour is... ?

my point is there are different forms of slavery.

[F4UCorsair]

22 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

my point is there are different forms of slavery.

 

I Got It wga, but apparently not everybody did.

[SilverBeast]

Hmmm.... Big mortgages, Car Loans, Etc.  Almost like it's loans provided by a bank to provide for a "Long-term, cheap and compliant workforce"....

Just a different issuer of debt.

"Through interviews with about 50 workers, Licadho found all but one were working to pay off loans of between $1,000 and $6,000 provided by owners, who used bondage to guarantee a “long-term, cheap and compliant workforce”, the authors argue. "

And yet I'd bet these authors are communists.  "Wage Slavery" is commie talk after all.

[NickJ]

Yeah...right. What you or your friends did. Or had to go through the horrors of a mortgage.  it's the same thing.  ... my God. no wonder the World is so <deleted>???:@ up. to produce people that could even hold that opinion.  

[joecoolfrog]

Some of you need to get a sense of proportion , we were extremely fortunate to be born in the relatively affluent west. Whichever way you mix it , we had viable options , many people do not !

[gemguy]

And then...the owners of the companies are said to be smart and astute business men...

People say: Just look at the successful companies they have built while they are praised for their business acumen.

Meantime, The slave labor part is seldom ever factored into the reasons as to the success of their said to be successful business ventures.

While they are succeeding they go about destroying the markets with cheaper services and cheaper costs for manufacturing while other honest businessmen are trying to do the business legally and do it with some integrity ..but they fail because they are not sleazy like the successful but sleazy Cambodian business man they have to compete against ...

Cheers

 

 

 

[Grubster]

17 hours ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

my point is there are different forms of slavery.

I think relatively wealthy people who constantly live above their means who could walk away from all their debt at anytime without any repercussions other than a bad credit rating are not entitled to call themselves any type of slave, except to their own stupidity.