N. Korea prison camps.

[Dubh the dark]

The dark face of dictatorship;

Amnesty International says new satellite images and testimony from a former inmate show North Korea is holding about 200,000 people in its huge network of political prison camps where torture is rampant and conditions near slavery.

The human rights group based in London released on Wednesday recent satellite photos which show four of six camps located in the impoverished country's South Pyongan, South Hamkyung and North Hamkyung provinces.

North Korea has long been regarded as having one of the world's worst human rights records, but it rejects outside criticism and denies the existence of prison camps.

"North Korea can no longer deny the undeniable," Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International Asia Pacific director, said in a statement.

"Hundreds of thousands of people exist with virtually no rights, treated essentially as slaves, in some of the worst circumstances we’ve documented in the last 50 years," Zarifi said.

"Conditions in these camps are inhuman and [leader] Kim Jong-il must close them immediately," he added.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/as...045324644.html

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Amnesty said that in just one camp, Kwanliso 15 at Yodok, thousands are believed to be held after being judged "guilty by association" or simply because one of their relatives has been detained.

Many did not even know what crimes they were accused of.

Amnesty quoted Jeong Kyoungil, a detainee at Yodok from 2000-2003, as saying the working day started at 4:00am and ended at 8:00pm but was followed by two hours of ideological education.

"If we don't memorise the 10 codes of ethics, we would not be allowed to sleep," Mr Jeong was quoted as saying in a Seoul interview last month.

Only those who finished their assigned tasks would receive the ration of a 200 gram bowl of corn gruel.

"Seeing people die happened frequently - every day," Mr Jeong said.

"Frankly, unlike in a normal society, we would like it rather than feel sad because if you bring a dead body and bury it, you would be given another bowl of food."

Some prisoners ate rats or picked corn kernels out of animal excreta to survive, the report said.

Amnesty said one former detainee at Yodok estimated that 40 per cent of inmates died from malnutrition between 1999 and 2001.

The report said authorities are also known to use a cube-shaped "torture cell" in which it is impossible either to stand or lie down.

The rights group said inmates deemed disruptive were thrown in for at least one week, "but Amnesty International is aware of one case of a child thrown into the cell for eight months".

Former detainees have frequently given similar accounts of harsh and life-threatening conditions in the camps.

The US State Department, in its 2010 human rights report, cited estimates of 150,000-200,000 detainees.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...04/3207899.htm

How can these people be helped?

War and sanctions probably wouldn't work, supporting insurgents I'm sure has been considered but the nation has been in lock-down since the 1950's. Have they any hope?

[Imperial]

Does North Korea have oil?

[Dubh the dark]

Does North Korea have oil?

Don't think so, they import from China.

[Imperial]

Don't think so, they import from China.

Well,

Looks like they just moved down on my list of places we should liberate.

[Dubh the dark]

Well,

Looks like they just moved down on my list of places we should liberate.

I knew that was coming.

Seriously though, is there any way out for these people?
Are they in these camps till they die, or is this simply a non-issue for Western Nations?

[cardnals100]

I knew that was coming.

Seriously though, is there any way out for these people?
Are they in these camps till they die, or is this simply a non-issue for Western Nations?

It's more that the West doesn't want to start a massive war.

[Steforian]

Well,

Looks like they just moved down on my list of places we should liberate.

But do they have **WMD's** (wink) ??

[(s)AINT]

They are meant to kill people over a long period of time. Like the Gulalgs.

But the North is nothing more than a theocracy with a religion built around the dear leader and his father. It is almost a trinity.

[cardnals100]

They are meant to kill people over a long period of time. Like the Gulalgs.

But the North is nothing more than a theocracy with a religion built around the dear leader and his father. It is almost a trinity.

He's the Great Leader now

Would that be the only solution then?

I suppose since I'm guessing China isn't willing to overthrow the regime.

[Plan C]

I suppose since I'm guessing China isn't willing to overthrow the regime.

S2TW teaches us the value of vassal buffers.

[legate]

Kim Jong-il must close them immediately," he added.

Yeah if you ask nicely he might...

Whats the west ment to do?

[Dubh the dark]

Yeah if you ask nicely he might...

Whats the west ment to do?

That's the point of the thread, what can be done?

In fairness to amnesty they collect statistics, sending a petition to N. Korea isn't going to work.

[Roboute Guilliman]

What if those arent prison camps but fun camps?

[Armenum]

Not really surprising given the Government of N. Korea views its citizens effectively as enemies.

[Imperial]

North Korea's future rest solely on China, not the US or South Korea. NATO and its allies won't do anything in fear of sparking another conflict with China since China wants to have a buffer zone that separates American allies from their soil.

[Sphere]

Seriously though, is there any way out for these people?
Are they in these camps till they die, or is this simply a non-issue for Western Nations?

All military options for the West are unpalatable because the DPRK has enough artillery pieces in range of Seoul (a city of 10 million) to devastate the city killing untold thousands within a few hours.

[(s)AINT]

All military options for the West are unpalatable because the DPRK has enough artillery pieces in range of Seoul (a city of 10 million) to devastate the city killing untold thousands within a few hours.

That is disputable. The north has very few long range artillery pieces capable of hitting the center of the city (so it won't get destroyed). However, the border region and the outskirts of Soul would probably get leveled.

But also keep in mind, if those guns do start firing, the south would have bombing missions in the north to knock those pieces out (some are in bunkers, some are not).

[Eärnur]

If they indeed have oil (Not sure myself) you would see America knocking on the door step.

[Chukada1]

You can't do anything.

This is the geo-poltical reality.

I won the thread.

[Dubh the dark]

If they indeed have oil (Not sure myself) you would see America knocking on the door step.

They might;

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Interview] Brian Hall, the CEO of Aminex PLC, is at the helm of the hunt for oil in North Korea

On Jan. 15, the British oil and gas company Aminex PLC announced it is hunting for oil and gas in North Korea. OhmyNews spoke with the company’s CEO, Brian Hall, in a 30-minute interview at his office in London.

Hall said Aminex is looking at drilling in the West Sea, once they have finishing gathering and evaluating the geological data. He is satisfied with the progress of the project, stating, "So far so good. We are very optimistic."

On the agreement between Aminex and Kobril, a state-controlled natural resources company set up by North Korea, Hall stressed that Aminex plays the role of a bridge, helping North Korea to enter the international market. He suggested that one of Aminex’s roles is similar to a consulting firm for North Korea’s oil and gas endeavors.

Hall said the North is keen on setting up international business ties for the same reason as many other countries: the high price of imported oil. $40 a barrel is a huge burden for any weak economy, he added.

http://www.korea-is-one.org/spip.php?article1449

There's no certainty.