Rebecca Hauser/ March 6, 2008/ 12:55 pm/human rights
North Korea’s Deadly Exit
Earlier this week, North Korea publicly executed 15 of its own citizens for trying to exit the country. Thousands of North Koreans have escaped into China to find a slightly better life. This was not the outcome of the 15 executed citizens. This is also no the first time that this has happened. Kim Jong II is the current dictator of North Korea. He uses executions like this as a warning to others. He is also ordering that some of the captured citizens be put in jail. There is really no time limit to this. The conditions in which they are being kept in at the jail are inhumane and far from unsanitary. After seeing and hearing this, it is hoped that other citizens will not try to leave the country. To make matters worse, China is now not happily accepting refugees from North Korea. They claim that under Chinese law, these people are seen as labor migrants who illegally entered the country. Instead of protecting these people, they are actually helping North Korea stop the flow of people between the countries.
The news of these people being publicly executed hit me hard. I am absolutely blown away that a nation as developed as North Korea actually still condoned such a thing. While the United States still has “public” executions, they are in an enclosed area where few are. Though it did not state out right, the article made these executions seem like they were in a public place where hundreds could witness. Being executed for trying to leave the country is a direct violation of human rights. These people were trying to better themselves and provide a better life for their family and because of this, they were killed. Their slaying was made a mockery of in public. I am so ashamed of the human race for allowing this to proceed. However, with a country like Korea, I am not sure exactly what can be done or how to go about doing it.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1719917,00.html?xid=feed-cnn-world
3 comments:
It's true that being executed for trying to better yourselves seems inhumane. As Americans we believe making a better life for ourselves is our right, it's the American Dream. It must be hard to live in a place where life is so hard and you know that in order to do something about it you put your life as risk.
I agree with you guys, because it must be a unusal feeling to know that you can be killed for trying to better your life. This type of message show case that leader doesn't want them to have a better life. He wants them to suffer and maintain the low self-esteem so that he can continue to control them. Getting out and realizing that it is another type of living puts him at risk. I hope for the best of these people.
It's really sad that stuff like this happens. I can't imagine what the families are going through. People that live there must be so fearful. I can't imagine living life like that.
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