Humanitarian and Human Rights Issues Related To Aid Organizations in DPRK - Research Paper Example

Humanitarian and Human Rights Issues Related To Aid Organizations in DPRK Outline I. Introduction A. Background of the Humanitarian and Human rights Issues in DPRK II. Humanitarian Challenges in North Korea A. Lack of Communication B. No Access to Affected Areas Minimal Government Cooperation III. Government Response to Humanitarian Crisis A. 1990s Famine B. Healthcare IV. Global Response to Humanitarian Needs in North Korea V. Nature of Humanitarian Efforts in DPRK A. Food Relief B. Monetary Aid C. Medical Assistance VI. How Do Aid Organizations Rebuild Community Resources A. During Conflicts B. After Conflicts VII. Human Rights Situation in DPRK A. Ill Treatment and Torture B. Capital Punishment and the Death Penalty C. Movement Restrictions D. Lack of Freedom of Expression and Opinion VIII. How to Overcome Humanitarian Dilemmas in North Korea A. Local intervention: Role of Government in Humanitarian Efforts B. Global Intervention: Role of the International Community in Improving Humanitarian Operations IX. Conclusion X. Works Cited Humanitarian and Human Rights Issues in North Korea The end of the World War II brought with it numerous changes. The Korean Peninsula was on of those areas that experienced change that has never been reversed. This change stated soon after the end of the war when the country was divided into two: South Korea and North Korea. North Korea, which came to be known as Democratic People’s Republic of Korea fell under Soviet control while the South fell under the influence of the United States. The country adopted USSR’s communism, which it still holds onto till today. North Korea is among the most oppressive countries in the world. The state of Human rights in the country is terrible (Harris & Cumings 3). Many people know North Korea as a country that is threatening to carry on with its nuclear weapons development. What many people do not know that there are other issues that have plagued this nation for more than fifty years (Harris & Cumings 7). The lack of basic freedom for North Koreans has led to blatant human rights violations all across the country. Many international bodies have been at the fore front in condemning the human rights violations carried out against North Koreans and foreigners alike (Eberstadt 11). The country has also suffered a number of humanitarian dilemmas which have led to the deaths of millions of citizens. Although the government of North Korea has often stated that it is self sufficient, it has been proven wrong by its inability to take care of North Koreans who have lost property and lives due to famine and other catastrophes. The world has been forced to intervene to help an unwilling government alleviate the suffering of its people (Havel, Bondivek & Wiesel 56). North Korea has for a long time been seen as a country where basic human rights mean nothing. The governments of Kim Il Sung and his successor son, Kim Jong Il are said to be some of the most oppressive (Buzo 45). There are several forms of human rights abuses that take place in this ‘hermit nation’ everyday (Windrem 290). The human conflict that engulfed North Korea has attracted world wide criticism. Many humanitarian organizations work in North Korea under some of the most oppressive conditions in the world today. Working in conflict and post conflict situations cannot be said to be an easy task. There are several challenges that humanitarian workers are exposed to, especially in an area such as North Korea. These challenges hinder the effectiveness in which the workers do their work and can impact on development in the affected areas (Duffield 76). For the purposes of this paper, I will dwell on the major humanitarian and human rights issues that have arisen over time in North Korea. I will not only highlight the people’s plight in the backdrop of these situations, I will also analyze the global and North Korean government’s response to the issues arising. Humanitarian Challenges in North Korea North Korea has had a humanitarian crisis from its inception as an independent nation. During the 1950s and 60s the country was ravaged by war. Several villages were burned down and this rendered thousands of North Koreans homeless. Homelessness was not the only problem to hit North Koreans (Havel, Bondivek & Wiesel 87). They also suffered from famine and malnutrition. The humanitarian crisis became evident when thousands of people started dying due to lack of food as a result of the war with South Korea (Reindorp and Schmidt). Offering humanitarian aid to the North Korean population was a crisis in itself. Several humanitarian aid organizations have tried to offer aid to North Korea and many of them have had to deal with several challenges. There are many things that prevent proper humanitarian aid from reaching all the affected people in the DPRK. Some of these challenges were conflict related while others were not (Yop 6). Lack of Communication There was a lack of clear communication of the situation on the ground. It seems like the authorities did not want the world to know what exactly was happening in North Korea, and so little official information was available to help analyze what kind of humanitarian effort was needed (Pantuliano). The only information available to aid workers was provided through government channels, which never gave the correct details to help simply the humanitarian work of various organizations. This was due to the fact that the government has for a long time trying to down play the terrible conditions which many North Koreans are forced to live with (Human Rights Watch). Right from the start, North Korea was under the control of a dictatorial government that did not offer its people the chance to freely air their concerns. The media was gagged and was only used to advance the political propaganda of the North Korean leaders. At no one time was there any presentation on the media of what the North Koreans were going through as a result of the war. The lack of clear communication could be the sole reason why the humanitarian crisis in North Korea was not apparent to the rest of the world until much later (Reindorp and Schmidt 111). When the famine ravaged much of North Korea, the news was broken to the world, not by the local media, but by international news agencies. There is a serious lack of freedom of speech that has hindered the development of a free and objective media in North Korea (Windhem 25). No Access to Affected Areas North Korea is very different from its neighboring South Korea, in terms of infrastructure. Transportation to the most remote areas of the country is almost impossible, coupled with the fact that there are very few transportation options. Getting to the people who need humanitarian help is very hard. Therefore, although the humanitarian needs of North Koreans are many, the lack of accesses to many areas is a big challenge that makes humanitarian efforts hard (Havel, Bondivek & Wiesel 67). Minimal Government Cooperation The North Korean government is normally very reluctant to cooperate with other countries or international agencies which try to bring humanitarian aid to the country. The government treats these organizations with a lot of suspicion and their every move is normally monitored. A slight mistake on the aid organizations’ side might lead to expulsion from the country (Cliffe & Luckham 29). There is very little that the government does to help aid organizations plan for humanitarian purposes. A lot of pressure has been put on the Korean government to improve its humanitarian situation (Lautze & Raven-Roberts 88). The government has responded by allowing minimal humanitarian intervention. There are thousands of North Koreans who are in dire need of help and it is up to the government which to be responsible enough to help them any way it can. This means that if the government of North Korea does want to help its people, it has to start treating humanitarian efforts differently. It should stop viewing them as a threat; instead the government should embrace all forms of humanitarian efforts since it is the North Koreans themselves who are going to benefit anyway (Yop 78). North Korean Government Response to Humanitarian Crisis The government of North Korea has always been on the receiving end when it comes to taking care of its people’s humanitarian needs. In response to claims that it is indifferent to the suffering of thousands of North Koreans, the government said that it was doing all it could to ensure that no one had to suffer due to lack of basic needs such as food and shelter. Yet the same government left so many of its people out in the cold, without a place to sleep. There are many North Koreans who die every year due to starvation and the government is doing very little to help these people (Human rights Watch). There has been reports of brutality carried out against people who the government thought were appealing for help from the west. Some political activists and journalists who have tried to highlight the living conditions of the people of North Korea have often found themselves being imprisoned on treason claims. The government does not take criticism very well and every time a North Korean tries to say something that puts the government in a bad light, it retaliates by imprisoning or punishing them in one way or another (Lautze & Raven-Roberts 109). 1990s Famine In the 1990s a famine ravaged Korea and many people died due to starvation. Many more have died or suffered from the effects of chronic malnutrition. The action or inaction of the government just made the effects of the famine and food crisis to worsen. What the government did was to deny that there was any food crisis in the country and developed measures to control its people so that little was known about the food situation in the country. The country now depends on food aid from foreign countries such as South Korea, China and the United States. However, the government still controls the equal distribution of this food aid and people continue to suffer in many parts of the country. Movement is also restricted, which means that people cannot go and look for food (Pantuliano). Healthcare The healthcare system in North Korea is one of the worst in the modern world, according to Amnesty International. The hospitals lack equipment to carry out some medical operations on patients. For instance, you can find some major surgeries being carried out without proper anesthesia. The ill state of the healthcare system in North Korea is just one of the many areas that need humanitarian intervention (Amnesty International, North Korea’s Health System). The hospitals are not able to carry on the weight of thousands of patients who die each year due to lack of proper medication or malnutrition. The government has failed on its role of providing basic healthcare to the people. Those who are most affected by this state of conditions are those who are too poor to afford basic healthcare (Cliffe & Luckham, What Happens to the State in Conflict 301). According to figures given by the World Health Program, the North Korean Government spent less on healthcare than any other country. The $1 dollar allocated for every person per year is obviously very little and cannot do anything to improve the health of North Koreans. Although the DPRK government does claim that its healthcare is free for all, it is a well known fact that one has to pay for all services rendered in the hospitals (Human rights Watch). Those who cannot afford to pay for doctors’ services normally do not go to hospitals at all; instead they normally buy self medicated drugs which are normally substandard. The conflicts that are brought about due to internal governance conflicts make it difficult for the country to have proper medicines for everyone. Humanitarian efforts that have involved providing basic healthcare to North Koreans have normally been thwarted by the government which insists that it can offer sufficient healthcare to its people (Havel, Bondivek & Wiesel 86). The situation in the healthcare system has been worsened by the lack of a good education system which teaches about medical issues. This has led to many people contacting and dying from some curable diseases such as tuberculosis and malnutrition diseases. The government does not have the capability of offering medical care to all its citizens and there is need for medical aid to stop more people from loosing their lives to health related complications ( Havel, et al 90). Global Response There are several countries, especially from the west, which have been at the forefront in condemning the North Korean government for what is seen as dictatorial leadership which neglects the interests of its people. The United States in particular has been very vocal in highlighting the plight of some of the North Koreans who have had to suffer from famine, lack of education, unfair imprisonment and torture (Human Rights Watch). Global response from international agencies has also been tangible. The UN, Human Rights Watch and other organizations have been involved in various humanitarian efforts in North Korea. Many humanitarian organizations have tried to offer medical assistance to those North Koreans who need it (Amnesty International, North Korea Human Rights). However, reaching all the needy people in this country remains very difficult since the government controls the movement and distribution of all kinds of aid to the country (Havel, Bondivek and Wiesel, 213). In order to be effective, there is need for the government to loosen some of its grip on healthcare policies and allow humanitarian groups to help as many North Koreans as possible. Nature of International Humanitarian Efforts in DPRK Food Relief Since the North Korean government declared a food crisis in the country and started asking for assistance, there are several organizations and countries that have stepped forward to offer food aid. The World Food Program, South Korea, the United States and China are some of the countries and organizations which have been at the forefront in offering food aid to the North Korean population. The government does not allow for free distribution of this aid, which in most instances, has to go through the military first before it can reach other people (Human rights Watch). Monetary Aid The World Bank is one of the international organizations that have been giving financial aid to North Korea. China and Russia also offer some loans to the government to help it deal with some of the crisis events that have hit the country over the years. Some countries such as South Korea and the United States are normally sometimes unwilling to offer monetary assistance for what they say is deplorable human rights violations in the country. The two countries have in the past laid sanctions in North Korea. However, these sanctions do not help much in resolve some of the many human rights ills that have dogged the country for years now (Lautze & Raven-Roberts 48). Medical Aid The healthcare situation in North Korea is in a precarious state. There are very few hospitals which are all under funded and under equipped. Only the ruling class minority can get access to good healthcare. The rest of North Koreans have to make do with the little they have, and this is not even enough (Murray 56). Some organizations such as the World Health Organizations have been trying to offer medical aid to the country. However it is hard to reach all the people who need medical care since the government restricts the movement of people and aid workers (Amnesty International, North Korea’s Health System). Aid Organizations and Community Resources During Conflicts The aim of organizations is to ensure that communities have the resources they need to carry on with their everyday lives. Many aid organizations normally work in areas that are undergoing some form of conflict, or those that are just from experiencing conflict. North Korea is a country that is experiencing a conflict that is leadership related. Aid organizations in North Korea have to operate in a hostile environment with very little or no government help (Harris & Cumings 41). Many potential donors and developmental partners have stayed away from community development in North Korea due to the ongoing conflict associated with the country’s nuclear program. However, once the constraints are removed, it would be very easy for the agencies to offer aid to North Koreans and life would not be as difficult as it is at the moment. The organizations can then cooperate with the government in helping out those people who are in need of humanitarian aid (Eberstadt 39). After Conflict Reed says that “the critical role of the multilateral agencies will be coordinating the aid effort, supporting development planning, building development capacity, investing in infrastructure and streamlining private investment” (Reed 52). The role of the international organizations in rebuilding community resources in North Korea is very crucial. Therefore, the government does not have a choice but to cooperate with the international community in ensuring that North Koreans will have enough resources to sustain themselves (Duffield 10). Human Rights Situation in DPRK Though there is a legal framework in the constitution of the Democratic Peoples Republic, there seems to be no rule of law. According to Yop (1), ordinary North Korean citizens do not enjoy any human rights. It is only the ‘Great Leader’ who has absolute rights. This is the case mainly among the ruling class who use their power to force their will on the people. This dictatorship has resulted in many forms of human rights violations (Amnesty International, North Korea Human Rights). Below are some of the human rights concerns that are in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea: Treatment and Torture It is reported that the North Korean government has ten concentration camps where 200,000 to 250,000 live. The living conditions in these camps are terrible, with a casualty rate of 25% every year (Windhem 13). The government does not follow a specific legal process in the prosecution of ‘offenders’. They are normally sent to prison without the benefit of fair court proceedings. Public persecutions in the detention camps and prisons are an almost everyday occurrence (Duffield 16). Some of the offences that can make one be sent to these prisons include suspected lying, forgetting to say some words in an official function or even not being able to work as fast as required. The people who live in detention camps are normally sent there together with their families. This has been a major human rights violation that has seen the world pressurize the government on this form of punishment, often seen as barbaric and inhumane. Forms of punishment include forced exercise, humiliation, sitting without moving for long durations and beatings. Due to the combination of forced hard labor, inadequate food, beatings, lack of medical care and unhygienic living conditions, many prisoners fall ill and die in custody or soon after release (Yop 37). Capital Punishment and the Death Penalty The government of North Korea allows for public and private executions. These executions are normally by hanging or by firing squad. Public executions are normally carried out in defiance with the Korean penal code. These extremist punishments are normally carried out and used as examples to other so called offenders. Some of the crimes that attract the death penalty are not even severe enough to deserve such an extreme punishment. Some other forms of punishment include forced exercise, beatings and starvation. Forced abortion is also a common punishment in many prisons (Cohen). Starvation Starvation is a common type of punishment meted out against all kinds of offenders in North Korean Prisons. The farming structure that the government follows is also a source of starvation among North Koreans. The government also controls food reserves, which has led to many people starving because they do not have access to this food (Murray 88). Lack of Freedom of Movement The North Korean Law does not allow its citizens travel within or outside the country without permission. It is a criminal offence for a North Korean citizen to travel to another country without permission. This ‘crime’ can result to a death sentence. However, there are thousands of North Koreans who defy this law, and in so doing they endanger their lives. Many of them normally cross over to China from where they hope to begin a new life, away from the hardships and oppression in North Korea (Cohen 312). These restrictions of movement have greatly hindered humanitarian efforts in the country. Many aid workers cannot get to the areas where aid is needed because they are not allowed to by the government. Lack of Freedom of Opinion and Expression In the modern world, many countries have constitutions that offer the freedom of opinion and expression to their citizens; this is not the case in North Korea. This freedom is greatly restricted in this Asian country. The state controls all forms of media, including the internet. Until recently, no form of external media was allowed in North Korea. Listening to a South Korean radio station was a criminal offence (Min 89). Restrictions in the freedom of speech and opinion have hampered humanitarian efforts in that aid agencies cannot get all the information that they need to operate effectively. Since North Koreans cannot express themselves freely, the government is left to do whatever it wants, in total disregard of what their actions might do to the country (Penna). How to Overcome Humanitarian and Human Rights Dilemmas in North Korea International Intervention International intervention is needed in order to restore some form of sanity in the conflict areas of North Korea. Although it is hard working with an administration that gives little regard to the problems that its people have to endure everyday, the international community cannot sit back and wait for people to die while they have the ability to help them (Smith 7). Highlighting the humanitarian and human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic in the international media is one of the ways through which the rest of the world can know the extent of the suffering of the people of this country. As more and more people get to know about the situation in DPRK, the country’s government may feel inclined to cooperate in making its people’s lives better (Reindorp and Schmidt 37). Placing sanctions is not an answer to the human rights problems that have plagued this nation for a long time (Anderson 64). In any case, these sanctions will only affect the poor, who are in dire need of all the help that they can get. The international community should continue to push for reforms in the government policies instead of giving up (Commins 67). Local Intervention Local intervention that is meant to address the problem of the humanitarian crisis in North Korea is very rare. This is in part due to the restrictions that forbid people from expressing their opinions and partly due to the reluctance of the government to cooperate in humanitarian efforts. Several people who have tried to intervene before have found themselves in trouble with the ruling regime. Due to fear of torture and imprisonment, the locals do not speak out against humanitarian challenges (Smith 10). The government does have a few humanitarian programs in the country. However, this is not enough in the face of the monumental problems that many North Koreans have to deal with everyday. The government does more to hinder external humanitarian efforts rather than support them. North Korea would not be the humanitarian disaster it is if the government was more cooperative (Lockhart 41). A large population of North Korea has been seriously brainwashed in such a way that they do not realize the full impact of their government’s oppressive policies. Those who know something about their rights are normally brutally treated but heir own government. This can change if more North Koreans stood up for their rights. However, for this to happen, they need to know what they are entitled to as human beings and as citizens of North Korea. Civil education is therefore paramount if the locals are to know more about their rights, which they should demand from their government (Min 87). Local intervention is the best hope for North Korea. This intervention should not be from the government alone, but also from the locals who have had considerable exposure to the outside world during the last few years (Cliffe, Guggenheim & Kostner). There are many North Koreans who have gained access to some forms of foreign media. This has enlightened them in many aspects, and made them be able to question some of the national propaganda that is being promoted by the government (Macrae 36). Conclusion Korea has been for a long time on the news for the wrong reasons. This East Asian nation is the last of the Stalinist countries and has a dictatorial presidency whose current leader Kim Jung Il is viewed by many North Koreans as a god-figure (Buzo). This means that they will listen to whatever he says and do whatever he wants them to do regardless of the end results. According to the Human rights Watch, North Koreans are considered some of the most brutalized people in the world today. The present regime does not allow North Koreans to express themselves. North Koreans barely have a link with the rest of the world and all the external information they get has to be monitored by the administration first. Since North Koreans do not have a proper communication channel with the rest of the world, their hardships go mostly unnoticed (Duffield). However, this does not mean that the humanitarian problem in North Korea is not a serious one. It is very serious, but lacks the exposure it needs to draw attention to a wide variety of aid agencies (Amnesty International, North Korea Human Rights). Working in conflict and post conflict situations cannot be said to be an easy task. There are several challenges that humanitarian workers are exposed to. These challenges hinder the effectiveness in which the workers do their work and can impact on development in the affected areas. There are prisons and detention camps where defectors from the country and other political offenders are normally sent. Torture, rape, starvation, forced labor, medical experimentation, murder and forced abortions are some of the dehumanizing acts that are carried out against these prisoners. Political prisoners are normally sent to the detention camps together with their families and communication to the outside world is disallowed. Some of the misdemeanors that might send you to one of these despicable prisons or detention camps include listening to a South Korean radio Station. This is something that does not equal to a punishable offence, but since the North Korean government feels threatened by such things, it will do anything to keep its people in line (Cohen). The government of North Korea has made it almost impossible for many humanitarian agencies to operate in the country. This has meant that a majority of North Koreans who are in dire need of humanitarian aid are left helpless. This is made worse by the fact that the government itself is not willing to offer humanitarian aid to its own people. If the accounts that are narrated by some defectors is anything to go by, then it is clear that the so called socialist nation cannot and does not have the capacity to support its people. However, during the past few years, the country has started to open up to external influence. This has made it possible for more humanitarian efforts to be carried out in North Korea. Although the government is slow in responding to calls of reform, there seems to be some dim light at the end of the tunnel. The authorities seem to have loosened their grip on some of the oppressive restrictions that had been placed on the people. This has led to some organizations lifting some of the bans that they had put on humanitarian aid to the country. Although the road to recovery looks a bit bumpy, at least there is indication that the worst part of the North Korean conflict is about to end and a new era of resource reconstruction is about to begin. Works Cited Amnesty International. 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