International Protest for North Korean Refugees
In partnership with the North Korea Freedom Coalition, Open Doors is joining in the International Protest Against China's Violent Treatment of North Korean Refugees. On Friday, Nov. 30 and Saturday, Dec. 1, protests and prayer vigils will be held at Chinese consulates in major cities around the world. Due to the famine and extreme repression in North Korea, many people flee to China in search of food, jobs, and freedom.
It's a capital offense to leave North Korea, punishable by execution, or imprisonment in a political prisoner or labor camp. Many refugees who get caught would rather die than be sent to these camps in which most people slowly die. The prisoners are forced to labor over 12 hours a day and are barely fed. Christians are singled out for worse treatment in these camps. Refugees who have escaped after being in these camps have seen horrible torture, abuse, and even executions of Christians.
The protests are a way of pressuring the Chinese government to comply with their obligations under the U.N. Convention on Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. Under this convention, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) should have access to the North Koreans refugees hiding in China estimated between 100,000-300,000 and be able to protect and help them find asylum in other countries like the U.S. and South Korea. Yet China is deporting refugees back to North Korea where they face terrible punishment. It appears that China is trying to repatriate as many refugees as possible before the end of the year when the world's focus will be drawn to them for the Beijing Olympics.
The Chinese government needs to know that Christians around the world are aware and care about the government’s flagrant human rights violations and that we are committed to praying and assisting these refugees. Please consider joining the worldwide protest against this injustice and pray for the refugees, many of whom are Christians. Learn More>>
Event Locations
In the United States:
Chicago: demonstration at 12:00 noon on Sat, Dec 1 at Chinese consulate at 100 West Erie Street, Chicago, IL 60610
Houston: demonstration at 12:00 Noon on Sat, Dec 1 at Chinese consulate at 3417 Montrose Blvd., Houston, TX 77006
Los Angeles: Due to local weather conditions the demonstration planned for 12:00 noon, Fri, Nov 30 has been postponed. Please check back for more information. The Chinese consulate is located at 443 Shatto Place, Los Angeles, CA 90020
New York: protest and prayer rally at 11:30 am (gather) for 12:00 noon (protest) on Fri, Nov 30 at Chinese consulate at 520 12th Avenue [Corner of 12th Ave. & 42nd St.] New York, NY 10036
San Francisco: protest at 12:00 noon on Sat., Dec 1 at the Chinese consulate at 1450 Laguna St. San Francisco, CA 94115
Washington DC: dramatization of plight of North Korean refugees and petition delivery at 12:00 noon on Friday, Nov 30 AND protest at 12:00 noon on Dec 1 both events at Chinese Embassy at 2300 Connecticut Ave. N.W. Washington, DC, 20008
Country Coordinators
BELGIUM: petition to PRC Embassy in Brussels at noon on Friday, Nov 30, at 463 Ave. de Tervuren, 1160 Auderghem
CANADA: demonstration at PRC consulate in Toronto at 12:00 noon on Nov 30 at 240 St.George Street Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5R 2P4
FRANCE: 12:00 noon on Dec 1: Open Doors/France (contact@portesouvertes.fr)
GERMANY: 12:00 noon on Dec 1 Open Doors/Germany (info@webimpress.de)
SOUTH KOREA: SEOUL: Thanks to the tremendous efforts of the 444 Campaign in Seoul led by Peter Jung and Ji-Hye Park -- there's been a protest every day and demonstration every weekend in Seoul, South Korea, for the North Korean refugees. Information on their ongoing protest see http://en.444days.org/
SPAIN: Open Doors/Spain: plans to deliver letter in coordination with protest (info@puertasabiertas.org)
NETHERLANDS: press release in solidarity with event ( info@opendoors.nl )
UNITED KINGDOM: press release in solidarity with event (info@opendoorsuk.org)
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