Chinese Government Siezes More Refugees
65 Refugees, 2 Rescue Workers
LFNKR, together with all other human rights and humanitarian organizations, calls for China to release immediately the 65 North Korean refugees and the 2 Korean rescue workers, who have been arrested and are being unjustly held in prison.
LFNKR received the following English translation of a statement issued in Korean by the Democracy Network Against the North Korean Gulag.
| NK Gulag in Seoul, Korea sent me this e-mail early this morning. Chinese police raided two hide-out places in the outskirts of Beijing, and arrested (65) NK refugees and (2) activist workers on October 26th. Among them, there are (11) teenagers and (1) senior aged over 70. NK Gulag did not plan or prepare this exodus, but said that the (2) activists who were arrested with the refugees were members of the NK Gulag. Let’s start petition letter campaign today!
(Signed) [STATEMENT BY THE NK GULAG] Chinese government raided two NK refugee hide-out places in the Tong Chow section of Beijing on October 26th, and arrested (65) NK refugees who were waiting to be rescued and (2) SK human rights workers. Among them were (11) teenage children and (1) senior man aged over 70. Thirty policemen came and arrested the refugees who did not even resist. Chinese government changed its policy from “quiet solution” to “tough stance” toward the NK refugees since the recent incidents of NK refugees entering into the foreign language schools in great numbers. This will worsen the problem of the NK refugees, rather than solve the problems. The cause of this mass exodus is the North Korean regime. Chinese government, instead of solving the problem at its root, has adopted their hardliner policy appeasing the NK regime. Chinese government opted to go completely against the human rights of the NK people. Only thing the NK refugees want is their freedom. Chinese government is ignoring this simple hope of the NK refugees, and is turning them over to the NK regime. They know how terribly the refugees will be treated once they are repatriated. If the Chinese government keeps sending them back to NK, they are violating the international law and cannot escape the responsibilities. WE DEMAND AGAIN TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT! RELEASE THOSE (65) NK REFUGEES AND (2) SK AID WORKERS IMMEDIATELY! STOP HARASSING THE NK REFUGEES AND LET THEM GO TO THEIR FREEDOM! We, 6,000 NK defectors in South Korea and NK Human Rights workers, will not tolerate or stand by if the Chinese government continues to arrest and repatriate the NK refugees. The NK refugee issue will get worse if the Chinese government does not treat them humanely. Send them to South Korea NOW! WE DEMAND TO THE SOUTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT ALSO! The SK government must take actions now to bring them safely to South Korea. What happens to these refugees now will affect the future policy of China toward the NK refugees. If the SK government acts passively and does not do anything about the situation, they will be also held responsible and cannot escape the just criticism of the international community. The SK government must mobilize everything they have diplomatically, and help save the (67) people in the Chinese prison right now. • China, release the 65 NK refugees and 2 SK aid workers NOW! |