Demonstrations, petition drives, and prayer vigils will mark the “International Protest Against China’s Violent Treatment of North Korea Refugees” on Friday and Saturday at Chinese consulates and embassies around the world, including Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, South Korea, the UK and the US.
“The demonstrations are a way of pressuring the Chinese Government to comply with their obligations under the UN Convention on Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol,” said Lindsay Vessey, advocacy coordinator for Open Doors USA, which is a member of the North Korea Freedom Coalition.
“Under this convention, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHRC) should have access to the North Koreans refugees hiding in China – estimated at 100,000 to 300,000 – and be able to protect and help them find asylum in other countries like the US and South Korea.
"Yet, China is deporting refugees back to North Korea where they face terrible punishment.”
At least 500,000 North Koreans are believed to have crossed the border over to China in the past 10 years. Although the UN Special Rapporteur on North Korea considers the North Koreans who flee to China “refugees” deserving of protection, China has signed an agreement with its communist ally to return refugees back to North Korea where they face imprisonment, torture, and sometimes execution for leaving the country – a state crime.
China, in defense of its actions, has claimed North Koreans entering its country are “economic migrants” and not refugees and thus it has the right to return them.
“For several years both the Chinese and North Korean authorities have implemented measures to close the border,” notes Suzanne Scholte, chairman of the North Korean Freedom Coalition.
“Currently the Chinese authorities are working more aggressively with North Korean agents to hunt down and repatriate the North Korean refugees.
