MEDIA RELEASE
29 November 2014
Tang Li
Al Jazeera English
The US Department of State Trafficking Persons Report 2013:
The North Korean government sent labourers to work abroad
under bilateral contracts with foreign governments, including
in Russia, Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, East and
Southeast Asia, especially Mongolia, and the Middle East.
Credible reports showed many North Korean workers sent
abroad under these contracts were subjected to forced labor,
with their movement and communications constantly under
surveillance and restricted by North Korean government
“minders.” In February 2013, five North Korean workers at a
Russian construction site died because they could not escape
the carbon monoxide-filled room where they were being
confined; the door was locked from outside. There were also
credible reports that these workers faced threats of government
reprisals against them or their relatives in North Korea if they
attempted to escape or complain to outside parties. Workers’
salaries are deposited into accounts controlled by the North
Korean government, which keeps most of the money, claiming
fees for various “voluntary” contributions to government
endeavours.
I sat down with the delegate for the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea (DPRK) who argued that this demonstrates that half the States in the UNODC are engaging in state-based trafficking with North Korea.
She had a few words to say:
“A tell all story about the abhorrent treatment of the DPRK in the UNODC:
You may call the DPRK an ugly duckling now, But rest assured DPRK will be the prettiest swan in the world.
Ernest Hemingway said to write hard and clear about what hurts. So that’s what I’m doing. I’ll try to put this sick feeling that I have in the pit of my stomach in to words, the steadfast grip of pain in my heart, the weight of sadness on my shoulders.
DPRK is so lonely,
There’s no one, just me only
Sitting on my little throne
Working very hard and making up great plans
But nobody listens no one understands
Seems like no one takes me seriously
There’s nobody DPRK can relate to
Feel like a bird in a cage
It’s kinda sorry but not really
Because it’s filling our country with rage
DPRK is the smartest most clever most physically fit
But nobody else seems to realize it
When DPRK changes the world maybe they’ll notice me
Just one question remains… We just don’t understand why it’s not ok for you to love us?
You know what’s wrong with you, UNODC? You’re chicken, you’ve got no guts. You’re afraid to stick out your chin and say, ‘Okay, we’ve been undermined by the USA and imperialist pressure’ You call yourself a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs and international crime but you’re terrified that listening to the DPRK you’ll be stuck in a cage. Well baby, you’re already in that cage. You built it yourself. And it’s not bounded in the west by Sweden, United Kingdom, or by France, not by, Thailand or China. It’s wherever you go. Because no matter where you run, you just end up running into yourself.
Thus, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea sees that the UNODC is completely unfit for its purpose as it is only guided by capitalist greed. Consequently, the DPRK – acting as voice of reason – remains in strong opposition to the prevailing opinions.”
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