Release petition calls on China to show compassion to North Korean refugees

 

Release International has gathered almost 50,000 signatures on a petition calling on China to grant refugee status to North Koreans fleeing famine and persecution in their country.

 

Release has presented the petition to the Chinese Embassy in London.

 

Every year thousands of North Koreans flee to China, making the dangerous journey along the so-called 'underground railroad' to find refuge in a neighbouring third country, such as Vietnam, Laos or Mongolia.

 

Instead of recognising these North Koreans as refugees the Chinese government forcibly repatriates around 4,000 a year to North Korea, where they face imprisonment, torture and even summary execution.

 

Many who escape the border guards fall prey to human traffickers and become slave labourers. They include a 25-year-old woman who had been and sold into marriage. Release was able to help her. 

 

Another refugee helped by Release was a 24-year-old woman who had been working – often without pay – on a Chinese farm for two years. Her employer was able to get away without paying her because he knew she had no way of challenging his actions.

 

Peter (22) told Release that he plans to return to his country to tell others about Jesus – even though he risks death if he is captured.

 

'I strongly believe that God's plan, which called me to China, is to train me and send me back to North Korea to evangelise my people. Even though I may be put in prison, or killed, I will go,’ said Peter.

 

‘Once I was arrested and sent back to North Korea. I was put in prison. I suffered forced labour for about ten months. As an evangelist when I go back to North Korea it's very dangerous. A Christian woman was executed due to her faith in Jesus so I also may be put in prison, or put in a political prison camp, or killed.’

 

North Korea was recently named the world’s worst persecutor of Christians in reports by International Christian Concern and Open Doors. ‘North Korea is one of the harshest places in the world to be a Christian,’ says Andy Dipper, CEO of Release International, which serves the persecuted Church worldwide.

 

’Our message to China is to treat these men, women and children with compassion – to treat them as refugees, not as fugitives. And to stop sending them back to a land of famine and persecution.’

 

The Release petition expresses ‘grave concern’ about China’s treatment of these refugees, and strongly urges the government of China:

 

• to act compassionately towards the men, women and children escaping the regime by granting them refugee status,
• to give them safe passage to third countries, and
• to stop immediately the forcible repatriation of North Koreans.

 

Release has been helping North Korean refugees escape along an ‘underground railroad’ and is working with its partners on the ground to provide safe houses for refugees in China. Release has also been giving food and clothing to these refugees and sharing the gospel with them.

 

Through its international network of missions Release supports Christians imprisoned for their faith and their families in 30 nations. It supports church workers, pastors and their families, and provides training, Bibles, Christian literature and broadcasts. Release is a member of the UK organisations Global Connections, the Evangelical Alliance and the Micah Network.