馬達加斯加工人洗劫中國糖廠

The Chinese Embassy in Madagascar expressed shock Sunday at a deadly riot involving local workers at a Chinese-run sugar plant and criticized the island nation's government for failing to protect Chinese interests.

中國駐馬達加斯加使館週日發表聲明，就當地一家中國製糖廠發生的致死騷亂，批評馬國政府保護中方利益不力。

The statement came three days after local workers clashed with Madagascar security forces, leaving two people dead, before they looted the sugar plant in Morondava.

該聲明發表的三天前，當地的工人和軍警發生了衝突，至少兩人死亡，工人們之後洗劫了穆龍達瓦的一家制糖廠。

The embassy said the Chinese staff evacuated the factory because of fears for their safety.

使館在聲明中說，中方僱員出於自身安全的擔憂已經從工廠撤出。

"We hope the Madagascar government will take necessary measures to properly handle the attack at the Morondava sugar plant and to erase the ill impact this incident has brought to the country's international image and its ability to attract foreign investments so as to create a good environment for Madagascar to cooperate with China and other countries," the statement said.

“我們希望馬國政府採取必要措施，妥善處理穆倫達瓦糖廠遭襲事件，消除事件對馬國際形象和吸引外資造成的惡劣影響，爲馬達加斯加與中國和世界各國的合作創造良好環境，”聲明說道。

Madagascar Prime Minister Roger Kolo and the country's industry minister, Jules Etienne Rolland, have pledged to try to resolve the situation.

馬達加斯加總理羅傑·庫盧(Roger Kolo)和工業部長朱爾斯·艾蒂安·羅蘭德(Jules Etienne Rolland)已經表示要妥善處置騷亂。

The labor protest started when the plant's seasonal workers demanded contracts that offer better pay and better conditions, according to reports.

據報道，當地工人抗議活動爆發起因在於一些季節性短工要求中方提供更好的合同，以得到更好的收入及其他條件的改善。

The Chinese Embassy said the requests were unreasonable, and that the workers began in early November to block the factory, cutting off utilities, harassing employees and sabotaging equipment.

中國使館稱這些要求是無理的，工人們從11月初開始就封堵廠區道路，切斷工廠水電，驅逐上班員工，破壞工廠設備。

Confrontation escalated after Madagascar security forces arrested two strike leaders.

在馬達加斯加軍警逮捕兩名罷工領袖後，衝突擴大。

On Wednesday, about 500 workers rushed to a base of the security forces to demand the release of their colleagues, and police fired tear gas and live ammunition, the Madagascar Tribune reported. Two people died. Police said they were acting in self-defense because some workers had guns and machetes.

據《馬達加斯加先驅報》報道，週三，約500名工人衝到當地安全部隊的一處基地，要求釋放他們的同事，警察發射了催淚瓦斯和實彈。兩人在衝突中死亡。警方稱自己的行動是出於自衛，因爲一些工人持有槍支和砍刀。

The official China News Service said the workers were armed with axes, slingshots and rocks.

官方媒體中國新聞社稱，工人們持有斧子、彈弓和石塊。

Rioters then converged on the factory, looted its sugar supply and set fire to a building. Some looters carried bags of sugar on their backs or in carts and wheelbarrows, and some of it was quickly sold on the illegal market, according to reports.

據報道，騷亂者們之後聚集到了工廠，洗劫了糖品供給並放火燒了大樓。一些掠奪者或用背扛、或用小推車運着成包的白糖，其中很多很快就被賣到了黑市上。

China is Africa's largest trading partner, but closer ties have resulted in sometimes violent labor disputes.

中國目前是非洲最大的貿易伙伴，但這種親密關係有時也導致了勞工糾紛。