Human Right Violation
North Korea
Background
In North Korea many human rights are violated in the country. For example right to equality, freedom from slavery, freedom from torture, and degrading treatment, etc. Many of the people in North Korea are being tortured by many methods. Many of those out of North Korea need to be aware of what is going on.
Organisations
LiNK
LiNK helps North Koreans escape from exploitation and being sent back into North Korea. Yet they also want to bring awareness of what is going on in the country to everyone. Link helps those resettle in other safe countries so they can live their life once again. Many of the people think that the organization is trying to stop North Korean all at once. Yet they are just trying to bring awareness and also help those who escaped resettle.
HRNK
HRNK is a distinguished group of foreign policy and human rights specialists launched the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK) to promote human rights in North Korea.
North Korean Refugees
North Korean Refugees is a group of Japanese citizens who have no particular political stance, ideology or religious preference. These People help those who fled North Korea by helping them resettle and the members keep up with how the refugees are doing. Many have said to let the government handle it since it was a big task to do. Others said “This is a Japanese NGO, so it should concentrate on helping only returnees to Japan and Korean residents in Japan.” They are hoping that they can find many refugees and take them from getting caught or exploited.
Jong Hyuk
Jong Hyuk left North Korea with his family to find a better life which wasn't in their homeland, but he never planned on it being permanent. He was arrested by the Chinese police. He was tortured and beaten by the Chinese authorities and then was forcibly sent back to North Korea. Within the next several months, he was subjected to forced labor and began to waste away. At the time he was only weighing 40 pounds. Yet, he never gave up on surviving and seeing the outside world. He was eventually released and escaped North Korea for the second time soon after. Living in China once more, he knew he could never return to North Korea because of his arrest and time in prison. Now successfully resettled in South Korea.
Yeonmi Park
Yeonmi Park was a North Korean refugee. She escaped North Korea with her mother. Unfortunately she couldn't leave with her father. He passed away with cancer and very little time to live. Before she left North Korea she was suffering under the great famine where her father risked getting arrested for selling good on the black market. Soon after she successfully escaped, she went on a TV series where it told the truth of North Korea in disguise. She told the many horrors trying to get to a safe place. She could not go outside or do anything or else she would be caught and sent back. Yeonmi Park has a sister who escaped before she did. When Yeonmi Park was on the TV show she called out to her sister to tell her she was here alive and missing her. Soon after the were able to rejoice.
What Goes On North Korea
People in North Korea are not allowed to watch anything other than the propaganda. They can not drive freely in their country and especially out of it. Leaving the countries is the biggest sin.Those who get caught will be returned and executed. There are no international calls. Anyone who talks bad about the government will be immediately sent to “re-education camps” where they are under constant hard-working labor. North Korea “allows” freedom of religion yet they executed 80 Christians for having their bibles.They just do not allow any religion.
North Koreans are sent to prison camps and detention centers are often sent to cruel, inhumane, degrading treatment or punishment. Anyone is punished if the are suspected of lying, not working fast enough and many other things. Some forms of punishment are beatings, forced exercise, sitting without moving for very long periods of time and humiliation. Due to the amount of forced hard labor, scarce food, beatings, lack of medical care and unhygienic living conditions, many prisoners fall ill and die in custody or soon after release.The government continues to deny access to independent human rights monitors.
Most North Korean refugees living in exile to prevent exposure of those working with North Korea. The people arrested in North Korea are routinely tortured by officials. Those who are against the government have been sent to brutal labor-camps operated by the National Security Agency. North Korea is one of the few nations that still refuses to join the International Labor Organization. Forced labor is a normal thing in the country. The workers are denied freedom of association and the right to organize and collectively bargain.
How to help
References
"About | NorthKoreanRefugees.com." NorthKoreanRefugeescom About Comments. Web. 28 May 2015.
Alltime 10's. "10 Everyday Activities That Are Illegal In North Korea."YouTube. YouTube, 16 Jan. 2015. Web. 09 May 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGU_BrRlvB8
"The Committee for Human Rights in North Korea." The Committee for Human Rights in North Korea. Web. 28 May 2015.
"North Korea." Amnesty International USA. Web. 18 May 2015.
"North Korean Refugee Stories: Meet Jong Hyuk." Liberty in North Korea North Korean Refugee Stories Meet Jong Hyuk Comments. 12 Feb. 2015. Web. 28 May 2015.
Phillips, Tom. "Escape from North Korea: 'How I Escaped Horrors of Life under Kim Jong-il'" The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 10 Oct. 2014. Web. 19 May 2015.
"Refugee Rescues - Liberty in North Korea." Liberty in North Korea Refugee Rescues Comments. Web. 28 May 2015.
"World Report 2014: North Korea." World Report 2014: North Korea. Web. 10 May 2015.
http://www.hrw.org/world-report/2014/country-chapters/north-korea