August
6, 2003
Urgent
Call for Help
We urgently
bring to your attention information on a group of 4 North
Korean refugees, including a family of 3, which was arrested on
Sunday, July 27, 2003 outside a restaurant in Beijing. This arrest
was accompanied by severe beatings with electric clubs by Chinese
policemen. The refugees are:
1) Mr. Lee Kil-wun,
64, from the Onsong district, North
Korea, coal-mine administrator
2) Ms. Han Sun-bok, 60, wife of Mr. Lee Kil-wun, former
high school teacher, from the same district
3) Mr. Lee Song-min, 31, son of Mr. Lee and Ms. Han,
worker, from the same district
4) Ms. Kang Myong-ok, 35, from the city of Chongjin,
North Korea.
The 4
arrived in Beijing from the city of Yanji by the Tumen-Beijing
express train on the day of their arrest.
Another
group of eight North Korean refugees in Quingdao, including
4 children, was arrested on Sunday 27 July. It is believed that
a boy, age 13, who was with the group confessed the whereabouts
of others in this second group to the police authorities under
the duress of torture. This information apparently led to the
subsequent second arrest. Those in this group are now in custody
at the Police detention center of Fando Economic Development Zone
in Quindao.
There is no doubt that North Korean defectors
are eligible, under any standard, for refugee status. Their arrests
in China constitute violations of customary international law
and indicate a disturbing disrespect for humanity. Your urgent
intervention is immediately requested on behalf of the victims
to stop their repatriation by the Chinese authorities in defiance
of UN Conventions and standards of the international community.
We respectfully urge you to protest to the Chinese authorities
in the strongest possible terms for the immediate release of these
innocent victims.
For your
reference, below is a sample protest letter to the Chinese
authorities:
Dear
President Hu Jintao,
I am deeply
concerned regarding reports that the two groups of North
Korean defectors, listed below, were arrested in Beijing and Quingdao,
respectively, on July 27, 2003. Reportedly, they received severe
beatings with electric clubs from Chinese policemen.
The first
group, arrested in Beijing, includes:
1) Mr. Lee Kil-wun, 64, from the Onsong district, North
Korea, coal-mine administrator
2) Ms. Han Sun-bok, 60, wife of Mr. Lee Kil-wun, former
high school teacher, from the same district
3) Mr. Lee Song-min, 31, son of Mr. Lee and Ms. Han,
worker, from the same district
4) Ms. Kang Myong-ok, 35, from the city of Chongjin,
North Korea.
The
second group, arrested in Quingdao, includes 4 children.
It is believed that a 13-year boy in the group confessed the whereabouts
of other members of the group under torture. They are now under
the custody at the Police detection center of Fando Economic Development
Zone in Quingdao.
They are
obviously eligible for refugee status. Their arrests
in China constitute violations of customary international law
and indicate a disturbing disrespect for humanity. We know that
the Chinese authorities are still detaining the humanitarian aid
workers and the journalist who tried to assist North Korean defectors
in Yantai in January. If China continues its defiance of UN conventions
and standards of the international community, it may badly damage
the image of China as a moral member of the international community.
I earnestly
call on the authorities to immediately release the NK
defectors, and never consider sending them back to North Korea
where they will face critical punishment.
Sincerely
yours,
Your name
here
Mail your
appeals to:
Mr. Hu
Jintao,
President
C/O State Council Secretariat
Zhong Nan Hai
Beijing
People's Republic of China
And send
e-mail copies to:
Shandong Province Mayor: contest@sdonline.cn.net
China Security: 110@mps.gov.cn
China Diplomatic Service: webmaster@fmprc.gov.cn
China Embassy in Japan: info@china-embassy.or.jp
Note: You may
get bounces from the above addresses. If you have more current
e-mail addresses, please let us know.
Sincerely,
Nakadaira Kenkichi
Representative
Life Funds for North Korean Refugees
A-101 Nishikata-Hitel 2-2-8 Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
113-0024 Japan
Tel/Fax: 03-3815-8127
Contact Us
