A representative of a Svay Rieng province special economic zone that was rocked by violent strikes in December discussed security and law enforcement during a meeting on Tuesday with Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An, the province’s ruling party lawmaker.

The Phnom Penh meeting, which was conducted with the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia, comes after thousands of workers went on strike at two Bavet town SEZs over 2016’s minimum wage and repeatedly clashed with police for two weeks in mid-December.

Larry Kao, manager of Manhattan SEZ, which bore the brunt of it, said Sam An acknowledged employers’ concerns, and she responded that employers should “stay more in touch with factories, workers, the people, investors.”

Kao added that while employers are worried about the potential release on bail of some of the 11 workers arrested for the violence, the topic was not raised at the meeting as it was not Sam An’s decision.

“The judiciary’s independent,” Kao said.