American Rights Activist Wins Seoul Peace Prize
ICC Note:
An American and a Christian, Suzanne Scholte was awarded the 9th Seoul Peace Prize for her work defending the human rights of North Koreans and Sharawi refugees in Western Sahara. She called the situation in North Korea genocide, especially against specific groups Kim Jong-il has targeted as "disloyal." Those targeted most certainly include Christians, about 200,000 of whom are believed to be currently in prison labor camps for their faith.
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10/8/2008 North Korea (ChristianPost) Long-time human rights activist Suzanne Scholte became the 9th Seoul Peace Prize laureate Tuesday for her work promoting freedom and human rights for the North Korean people and the Sharawi refugees of Western Sahara.
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“Now, I believe there is a holocaust going on right now in North Korea,” said Scholte, president of the Defense Forum Foundation. “Today, we know that Kim Jong-il is committing genocide by targeting specific groups for extermination - specifically those he deems disloyal.
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She called instead for more support for the activities of North Korean defectors such as Free North Korea radio, balloon launches of pamphlets, and help for the North Koran defector churches established in South Korea.
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According to witnesses and human rights reports, the North Korean regime is particularly harsh on Christians, who are considered a serious threat to its power. There are many reports of Christians being publicly executed, tortured or imprisoned indefinitely simply for believing in Jesus Christ.
Around 200,000 Christians are believed to currently be in prison labor camps for their faith. Earlier this year, North Korea was listed for the sixth straight year as the No. 1 worst Christian persecutor by watchdog group Open Doors.
Scholte recalled times when she cried out to God in frustration “asking Him why He had made North Korea such a central focus of my life where people were experiencing such tremendous pain and suffering.”
“God gently reminded me that many years ago I had prayed that He would break my heart for the things that were breaking His heart,” she said. “I know that what is happening to the people of North Korea is breaking God’s heart.”
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