Stories about Refugees from June, 2011
North Korea's Fragility in the Face of the Rainy Season
Open Radio for North Korea, a Seoul-based radio station founded and runs by North Korean defectors, reported that North Korean citizens have been mobilized to bolster constructions as rainy season begins. Poorly constructed embankments and dams often flooded during heavy downpour.
Malaysia: Burmese women groups speak out
Various Burmese women groups working in Malaysia issued a joint statement calling for stronger protection for Burmese women refugees in the region.
Myanmar: Thousands flee home in Kachin fighting
According to the Democratic Voice of Burma, “more than 10,000 ethnic Kachin are now thought to have fled their homes as days of fighting engulfed parts of Burma’s northernmost state.” Pictures of refugee sites have been uploaded online.
Cannibalism In North Korea, Smuggled Documents Reveal
GI Korea from the ROK Drop blog commented on local news report claiming that they have obtained smuggled documents confirming cannibalism in North Korea. Acts of cannibalism have long been reported by North Korean defectors, especially during the mass famine in the mid-90′s.
North Korea: Women Forced into Prostitution
A Seoul-based aid organization, Good Friends, released an English version of its weekly report. According to North Korean defectors’ testimonies, not a few North Korean women are forced into prostitution in order to make ends meet.
Korea: Defector's Commentary on Using Kim Jong-il's Portrait as Army Target
It was revealed in early June that South Korean military units have been using the pictures of Kim Jong-il, his youngest son, and his late father as targets during firing drills. Ask a Korean blog posted translation of Joo Sung-ha's commentary on the revelation. Mr. Joo is a North Korean...
Syria: Opposition Drafts Declaration in Antalya
Just a day after President Bashar Assad announced a general amnesty for political prisoners, a varied group of Syrian opposition members are meeting in Antalya, Turkey, to create a declaration outlining their plans for a democratic transition in Syria.
