Free Trade Union (FTU) leader of Cambodia Hy Vuthy was shot dead on Saturday, making the third murder of FTU senior officials in the past three years, local media reported on Monday.

Two unidentified assailants on a motorcycle shot at 36-year-old Vuthy for three times, FTU leader at the Suntex Garment Factory, shortly after 05:00 am, as he drove home from the factory, the Cambodian Daily quoted police source as saying.

No suspects have been identified yet but robbery has been ruled out as his motorbike was not taken away, said Chuop Sok Heng, Police Chief of Dangkao district, where the murder occurred.

Meanwhile, Chea Mony, current FTU president of Cambodia, said that the killing was an attempt to intimidate union members.

"The killing is to frighten FTU members from striking or staging demonstrations against the garment factories. This is also a threat against workers not to participate in the FTU," he said.

This marks the third killing of FTU officials since the union's president Chea Vichea was shot dead in January 2004, which was followed four months later by the gunning-down of Ros Sovannareth, also FTU leader at a local garment factory.

According to official statistics, from 2004 to 2006 Cambodia witnessed 288 cases of strikes and 594 cases of labor disputes, some 50 percent of them initiated by FTUs.

Source: Xinhua