NORTH KOREA
RED ALERT
A 30 months old boy threatened with forced
repatriation to North Korea
Far cry from World Cup as South Korean mother
weeps for son who is to be sent back
to North Korea
3 June 2002
A 30 months old boy threatened with forced repatriation to North Korea
HRWF International Secretariat (03.06.2002) - Website: www.hrwf.net - Email: info@hrwf.net - A group of six North Korean defectors were arrested by the Chinese police, at a location near the border with Laos and Myanma, in Yunnan Province sometime between May 24~26, 2002 while attempting to leave China without any guide. They are now being taken by the Chinese government to North China for repatriation to North Korea.
Information is available only for three of them as follows The group includes a 30 months old boy, Lee Song-yong. Ms. Park Sun-hi, the boys mother, 31 years old, was about 3 months pregnant when she defected to China for freedom in May, 1999. She delivered her baby boy at the 292 Chinese Army Hospital in Beijing on November 15 of the same year. The fear of arrest any time by the Chinese authorities forced her to leave China in haste and arrive in South Korea on November 22, 2000 but without her baby, only 12 months old at that time. She is now a South Korean citizen. She has since been desperate to bring her child to Korea. Through her contact in China, she found a group of North Korean defectors preparing to go to South Korea and asked the group to bring her child with them. Unfortunately, this group has now been arrested by the Chinese authorities.
Mr. Lee Hong-gang, 48 years old, was an underground Christian in North Korea. His father and one of two brothers were executed in North Korea for their Christian faith. He lived with 75 years old mother, former vocalist, who remained as Christian throughout the entire period of North Korean regime. At some indications that their arrest and execution were imminent, they fled from North Korea in April 2000. His mother is now missing. He would be no doubt executed if repatriated to North Korea. Kim Mi-hwa, 30 years old woman.
Far cry from World Cup as South Korean mother weeps for son who is to be sent back to North Korea
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (31.05.2002)/HRWF International Secretariat (03.06.2002) - Website: www.hrwf.net - Email: info@hrwf.net-The fate of a two and a half year old boy hangs in the balance as Chinese police plan to send him back to North Korea.
Lee Song-yong, who is one of a group of six North Korean defectors, has been separated from his 31-year-old North Korean mother for the last 18 months.
His mother was three months pregnant when she defected to China in May 1999 and gave birth to him in November 1999 at the 292 Chinese Army Hospital in Beijing. Out of fear of being arrested, she was forced to leave China for South Korea without her son in November 2000. She is now a South Korean citizen and is desperate to be reunited with her son. Through contacts in China, she managed to find a group of North Korean defectors in China who were about to go to South Korea and asked the group to bring her son with them. She is now beside herself with grief and worry.
A friend appealing for international attention and action reported: 'The boy's heartbroken mother is in a state of panic by my side, weeping for help'.
The six defectors, arrested near the Chinese border with Burma and Laos, face imminent repatriation to North Korea, where it is feared that they will face severe penalties, including possible execution.
The group has now been taken by the Chinese Government to North China for repatriation. They were arrested in Yunnan Province, sent to Kunmin on May 29 and taken to Changchun yesterday.
Sources expressed deep concern for members of the group, fearing severe repercussions against them if they are returned to North Korea and believing that execution is a very real likelihood for members of the group.
Human rights activists are campaigning for the group's freedom, but the Chinese authorities are moving exceptionally fast in this case. Recent cases in which North Koreans have escaped to China and taken refuge in foreign embassies have resulted in a more humanitarian response, as the authorities have allowed them to leave for a place of safety. However, with lower international attention focusing on this case, more drastic measures appear to be being taken. Urgent international press attention is thought to be needed to prevent the repatriation from taking place.
CSW is appealing for urgent expressions of concern from governments, political representatives, the UNHCR, the International Olympic Committee, as well as individuals, to be communicated to the Chinese authorities to halt the repatriation.
Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, said: "As the nations celebrate the start of the 2002 World Cup, it is harrowing to think of the terror of those who are facing repression, punishment and even death for seeking freedom in South Korea.
"From past experiences and first hand evidence which we have gathered, we have the strongest of reasons to fear the very worst if these individuals are repatriated. North Korea has proven itself incalculably cruel in dealing with escapees such as these in the past. We urge the international community to raise concern about this with the Chinese authorities as a matter of urgency."
"Time is of essence in this case"
This is the message sent on 30 May 2002 by the Committee on International Relations of the U.S. Congress to the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China in Washington
You can join us in our protest to the policies of forced repatriation of North Korean refugees by addressing your letters to:
- Chinese Foreign Ministry
Chaoyangmenneidajie
Dongsi,
Beijing 100701
People's Republic of China
Tel: 00 86 10 6596 1109/14
Fax: 00 86 10 6596 2660
Email: webmaster@fmprc.gov.cn
- Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations
350 East 35th Street, New York, N.Y. 10016
U.S.A.
Telephone: (212) 655-6100
Telefax: (212) 634-7626
- Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations
Chemin de Surville 11
Case postale 85, 1213 Petit-Lancy 2
Geneva, Switzerland
Telephone : 792 25 48 - 792 25 43 - 793 35 91
Telecopieur : 793 70 14
E-mail: mission.china@itu.ch
- Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations
Geroldgasse 7
1170 Vienna, Austria
Telephone: 486 16 35
Telefax: 484 16 33
- Chinese Embassy to the United Kingdom
49-51 Portland Place
London W1N 4JL
Tel: 020 7299 4049
Fax: 020 7636 2981 / 7636 5578
- Chinese Embassy in Washington
2300 Conecticut Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20008
- or the Chinese Embassy in your respective country
|
