Focus On NK Brutality
3/29/07 North Korea (Assist News Service) — North Korea is a deadly place for followers of Jesus Christ. As one North Korean said: “People who believe in Christ are shot and executed.”
That’s why Open Doors USA, a member of the North Korea Freedom Coalition (NKFC), is participating – along with many other organization members – in North Korea Freedom Week (NKFW) April 22-29.
The event brings together thousands of people from around the world to highlight the brutality of North Korea, where human rights abuses include torture, arbitrary execution and the imprisonment of hundreds of thousands of North Koreans in labor and political prisoner camps, including Christians persecuted for their faith.
“Open Doors USA is honored to be able to partner with other North Korea Freedom Coalition members committed to bringing freedom to North Koreans and supporting the suffering people while at the same time raising awareness of their plight around the world,” said Open Doors USA President/CEO Dr. Carl Moeller. “Christians in North Korea are suffering terribly for their faith. North Korea has topped Open Doors’ World Watch List of the world’s worst persecutors for five years in a row.”
On April 28, the NKFC will sponsor a demonstration outside the Chinese embassy in Washington , D.C. , called the “International Protest against China ‘s Violent Treatment of North Korean Refugees.” The protest is part of the on-going effort to pressure the Chinese government to stop sending North Korean refugees back to the hermit country where they are either imprisoned or killed. The rally will start at noon. Similar demonstrations will be held April 28 at Chinese consulates and embassies around the world, including Los Angeles , Houston and New York City in the United States .
In addition, Open Doors USA will sponsor a panel discussion on the state of religious freedom in North Korea at the National Press Club in Washington on April 26 at 3 p.m. Several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will host other panel discussions on North Korea-related topics during the week.
” North Korea could be compared to one large concentration camp – with the entire population trapped in a nightmare that doesn’t end,” adds Moeller. “I urge you to get involved. These are our brothers and sisters in Christ who are being tortured, imprisoned and killed.”
NKFC is a bipartisan coalition of 60 religious, human rights, non-governmental organizations and individuals from the U.S., North and South Korea, Japan and other nations whose primary purpose is to bring freedom to the North Korean people and to ensure that the human rights component of U.S. and world policy towards North Korea receives priority attention.
For more information about North Korea Freedom Week and how you can partner with thousands of other concerned Christians around the world to make a difference, go to www.opendoorsusa.org/NorthKorea. The NKFC website is www.nkfreedom.org.
An estimated 200 million Christians worldwide suffer interrogation, arrest and even death for their faith in Christ, with another 200 to 400 million facing discrimination and alienation. Open Doors supports and strengthens believers in the world’s most difficult areas through Bible and Christian literature distribution, leadership training and assistance, Christian community development, prayer and presence ministry and advocacy on behalf of suffering believers.
