Thread: US to accept N Korean refugees

THE US today said it would soon begin accepting North Korean refugees, as President George W. Bush pushed to the fore human rights concerns in the Stalinist state.

The White House said Mr Bush tomorrow would hold a rare meeting with relatives of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea, seen as part of his campaign to internationalise rights issues in the state he has called the "axis of evil".

"We will be in a position relatively soon to welcome North Korean refugees in the United States," said Jay Lefkowitz, Mr Bush's special envoy for human rights in North Korea.

The administration has overcome bureaucratic hurdles and security concerns to set up an appropriate mechanism to accept the refugees, Mr Lefkowitz told a Congressional hearing, where lawmakers criticised the administration for a delay in accepting the refugees.

Mr Bush had signed a law 18 months ago to tackle human rights issues in North Korea, including accepting North Korean refugees for domestic resettlement.

"I believe that we are now in a position to begin to process refugees in an appropriate way, in a safe way without jeopardising (their safety and our security)," Mr Lefkowitz said.

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He expressed frustration over China's refusal to cooperate with the United States or the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to alleviate the plight of North Korean refugees, most of whom are in China.

Washington could force China into "arbitration" at the world body to resolve the longstanding issue, he said.

Up to 300,000 North Koreans have fled to China, escaping oppression and starvation in their Stalinist homeland, human rights groups said.

But China normally sends North Korean refugees back to their country, where some are believed to have been executed.

China claims they are "economic migrants" and is obligated to repatriate them under an agreement with Pyongyang on border security.

"We may want to press the UNHCR to take things to the next step," Mr Lefkowitz said.

"Certainly, one of the options available that should be on the table is the question of forcing Beijing into arbitration."

It is not known how many North Korean refugees would be accepted initially into the United States. Nearly 8000 North Koreans have so far resettled in South Korea.

Mr Bush's efforts to highlight human rights concerns in North Korea may further complicate efforts to resolve a four-year nuclear row between it and the US.

Six-nation negotiations to end Pyongyang's nuclear weapons drive were suspended in November after Washington imposed financial sanctions on the Stalinist state over counterfeiting and money laundering charges.

An administration official confirmed the White House meeting tomorrow between Mr Bush and a group of relatives of Japanese kidnapped by North Korean agents in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The kidnapping issue is a highly emotional topic in Japan and overshadows other subjects on the table with North Korea, such as its nuclear weapons and missile programs that directly threaten Japan's security.

Among those who will be greeted by Mr Bush is 70-year-old Sakie Yokota, whose daughter was abducted from Japan by North Korean agents at the age of 13 in 1977.

"I pray that the people of Japan and America, and all freedom-loving people of the world, in unison, will clearly demonstrate to North Korea that we are really angry," a sobbing Yokota told the Congressional hearing today.

"I plead for all countries to join us in saying that we will not forgive the abductions, all the victims must be returned immediately or we will initiate economic sanctions."

North Korea has admitted kidnapping Japanese civilians to train its spies and in 2002 handed over to Tokyo five victims and their families.

Japan believes at least eight more are alive and kept under wraps because they know secrets.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18 ... 09,00.html

Hey, the more the merrier, eh Jorge?

EXACTLY when did anybody ask the people and the states? The United States is "the great whore that sitteth upon many waters" -- we are an adulterous nation that has no love, loyalty or fidelity for our own

At least they're going about it the right way.

Washington could force China into "arbitration" at the world body to resolve the longstanding issue, he said.

This is such a joke.

America, Mexico's doormat, couldn't force China to do squat.

You're a weakling, Jorge, and everyone knows it. They're laughing at you, and that means they're laughing at us, and that pisses me off.

Originally Posted by sunsetincali

At least they're going about it the right way.

it wasn't the refugees I had a problem with, it's Congress and the President. When America is a nation with no homeless and the elderly and veterans are taken care of and we have no social problems, then maybe they can reach out to the world, but charity begins at home. I saw tonight on Lou Dobbs where a veteran can no longer provide for his family as he did prior going to war because he was wounded and now he's a manager of Burger King making about half of what he did -- it is a shame the way America treats it's heros, they're more concerned about illegals

If Jorge had any balls, he would put these North Koreans on our borders, and have them implement North Korean style border control. Of course that would upset his partner in crime and Globalization Viscent Fox, so it will never happen.

I don't think we should be taking in anymore refugees right now as we have enough issues with immigration going on now in our own country. We cannot even feed all of the poor and homeless in our own country. We cannot even give healthcare to all our own poor and elderly. How much does our government think we can afford to do for other countries without taking care of our own first?

The elite white man salves his guilt by doing "good works."

The elite class, well some, see so many without then look at their own immense wealth so must do something.

Alas, the elites too often look at those who have little outside their own country.

Perhaps the guilt is too great when they look at those living in their own country who have so little.

Great, more impoverished third world immigrants to put on the welfare rolls that we'll have to provide for. Isn't Jorge Bush the greatest? Like we don't have enough people in our own country. Only 300 million people, no big deal right? Why don't we just rename our country the United Socialist States of America or maybe the United Nations of America? Nobody asked any of us if we want more third world refugees flooding into our country, but what right to do we have to demand of our government anything because it's not like these elitiest care about what us peons think.

THE US today said it would soon begin accepting North Korean refugees, as President George W. Bush pushed to the fore human rights concerns in the Stalinist state.

Great, more communists to be put on the Democratic voter rolls.