"AAFA/FLA Urge Cambodia to Ensure Respect for Civil Society", 12 July 2024

The members of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) and the Fair Labor Association (FLA) includes hundreds of American, European, and Canadian buyers. We are writing to you to express our grave alarm at the Cambodian government’s upcoming “national security” audit of CENTRAL, ... We urge the Cambodian government in the strongest possible terms to immediately cancel the audit. The timing of the audit so close after CENTRAL’s recent report makes it appear that the sole purpose of the audit is to retaliate against CENTRAL.

Our members value the strong, and growing, relationship with your country, … One of the key reasons this relationship is so valuable is the Cambodian government’s respect for civil society, freedom of speech, and freedom of association, which is called into question by this audit.

…, the overriding value of freedom of speech in ensuring a free civil society means that the appropriate response in such cases is to speak up and counter those claims, rather than to eliminate the ability of those we may disagree with to speak at all…, it is especially important for governments to foster a climate that promotes civil society and free speech to avoid a broader chilling effect not only on civil society and society overall but also a society’s perceived viability as a responsible sourcing destination.

In the strongest possible terms, we again call on the Cambodian government to immediately cancel its upcoming “national security” audit of CENTRAL and refrain from taking any measures that could be, and will be, perceived as intimidation and harassment of this NGO or any other NGO. With the name “Cambodia” increasingly printed on our member brands’ products, your actions immediately impact our member brands’ values, reputations, and legal obligations.