The culture of impunity for the Myanmar military needs to end

Air strikes by the Military Council Army. Rita French, Britain's ambassador for international human rights, said she condemned the use of brutal methods such as sexual violence and house burnings.

On March 6, Switzerland He spoke at the 52nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council held in Geneva.

Civilians and hospitals during the military conflict. school, The British ambassador also called for an end to targeting civilian buildings such as churches and for the protection of civilians.

He also said that the United Kingdom will be pressured to stop the war council's terrorist attacks... to join the arms embargo and impose international sanctions.

He also said that only if the perpetrators of crimes can be punished in court, the culture of impunity for the Myanmar military can be ended.

He also said that Britain has established the Myanmar Witness Program to document the worst human rights violations in Myanmar.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Military Council announced yesterday that it rejected the statement of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the discussions of the member states of the Human Rights Council at the Human Rights Council meeting held in Geneva on March 6.

The report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights submitted to the Human Rights Council meeting did not include the findings of the military council, but was based on one-sided accusations, and the events in Myanmar were internal matters and did not affect international peace and security.

[Women's Day Special] North Korea's Worst Women's Human Rights, Kim Ju-ae's Succession Stumbling Block

Anchor : Rumors continue over rumors of succession surrounding Kim Joo-ae, the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un . Paradoxically, it is pointed out that the poor women's rights situation in North Korea, which Secretary General Kim has neglected so far, may become a decisive obstacle in her attempt to pass power to her daughter . Reporter Seo Hye-joon covered the details .

[ Chosun Central TV] When Comrade Kim Jong-un appeared at the groundbreaking ceremony with his beloved son, all participants … .

On the 26th of last month , the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a new street in Seopo, Pyongyang, attended by Secretary General Kim Jong-un and his daughter Kim Joo-ae .

Kim Joo-ae made her 7th official appearance in a short period of less than 4 months after digging the first shovel on the right side of Secretary General Kim .

Kim Joo-ae's presence was further highlighted as the wife and sister of Kim Jong-un were not seen at this place.  

Previously, on November 18 last year, Kim Ju-ae first appeared at the North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong -17 test launch site .

[ Chosun Central TV] Come to the historically important strategic weapon test launch site with your beloved son and first lady and personally guide the entire test launch process ... .

Kim Joo-ae also appeared at a commemorative photo event with Hwasong-17 development meritorious figures, making an unusual series of appearances at military-related official statues .

Kim Jong-un, who has inherited power from grandfather to father for three generations , expressed his intention to make his daughter, who is estimated to be 10 years old, the first woman in power in North Korea .

As suspicions grow that Secretary General Kim is attempting the first female hereditary succession in North Korean history, the poor human rights situation of women in North Korea is drawing new attention.

This is because the attitude of the North Korean authorities, who have neglected women's human rights, and the female supreme power are not a very suitable combination.

Current situation and assessment of women's human rights in North Korea

Lee Han-byeol, director of the North Korean Human Rights Promotion Center, a South Korean human rights group for North Korean defectors, told RFA (on the 2nd) that the protection of women's rights in North Korea is still weak .

He explained that although North Korea became a party to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women ( CEDAW) in February 2001 , it went through national reports twice in 2005 and 2017 , but the actual human rights situation for women has not improved .

[ Lee Han-byeol ] North Korea ( partially ) accepted ( the United Nations ) final conclusion is to educate people so that the provisions for reconciliation between spouses in the Law on the Protection of Women’s Rights and the Family Law are not used as grounds for dismissing prosecution in cases of domestic violence and sexual violence , In terms of society, we have amended the provisions discriminating against women in employment and labor rights . However, while North Korean women are subjected to domestic and sexual violence, they live without knowing the meaning of the words . That's why in North Korean society, being beaten by a woman's husband is only treated as a family matter, but there are problems that people don't know that this is socially violent and a crime .

Director Lee went on to point out that “According to the testimonies of North Korean refugee women rescued by the group and sources inside North Korea, sexual violence against women, human trafficking , and prostitution are still prevalent in North Korea . ”

 

In addition, he emphasized that " because there are still problems of verbal abuse, physical abuse , and sexual violence against women in North Korean detention facilities, these problems need to be improved . "

In fact, Elizabeth Salmon, UN Special Rapporteur on North Korean Human Rights, directly mentioned the vulnerable human rights situation of women in North Korea in her first report submitted to the UN General Assembly in October of last year .

[ Elizabeth Salmon ] I identified the human rights issue of women and girls in North Korea as the first priority of my work, and based on information collected by former Special Rapporteurs on human rights in North Korea and civil society organizations, I realized that the human rights issue of women is a situation that requires urgent attention. I did .

A photo of North Korean women taken in North Korea in 2015 by Romanian photographer Mihaela Noroc. /Mihaela Noroc

North Korea , over 3 years of ' silent response ' to the UN's recommendation to improve women's rights

CEDAW is an international treaty that has been ratified by the largest number of countries in a short period of time after being adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1979. Currently, a total of 189 countries have ratified it, and North Korea is one of them .

However, even though North Korea has ratified the Convention, it has not yet submitted a follow-up report on the recommendations sent by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women to North Korea in 2017 .

The CEDAW Secretariat told RFA on the 2nd that “ North Korea should have submitted a follow-up report on the CEDAW recommendation by November 2019 , but even though it sent a reminder letter in March 2020 , it has not received it until now . ”

“ ( North Korea ) should have submitted the 5th regular report on November 30 , 2021 , but it has not been received so far, ” he said . It is still being coordinated , ” he added .

Director Lee Han-byeol, who carried out rescue activities for North Korean refugee women who are in the blind spot of human rights in China, said that the human rights issue of North Korean women refugees in China was raised through the United Nations' Periodic Human Rights Review (UPR), but the lives of North Korean women refugees are still threatened. He said he was receiving it .

[ Lee Han-byeol ] North Korea said it would review bilateral agreements in terms of women's nationality so that North Korean women and their children living outside of North Korea's territory will not be forcibly repatriated and their children can register their births and acquire nationality . However, North Korean women and stateless children in China still face threats to their safety in China, and are exposed to crimes by Chinese men, as well as crimes such as prostitution, confinement, kidnapping , and illegal drug use . are experiencing

At the UN Human Rights Council, the UPR, which covers all UN member states, reviewed the human rights situation in North Korea three times in 2009 , 2014 , and 2019 .

In the most recent UPR review in 2019 , North Korea said it would accept only 132 out of a total of 262 recommendations .

It is also of interest whether this low awareness of women's human rights in North Korea will change with the appearance of Kim Ju-ae.

Director Lee Han-byul, who defected from North Korea and settled in South Korea in 2002, testified that, in general, North Korean women are rarely held in any position .

At the same time, he pointed out that the disclosure of his daughter, Kim Joo-ae, is also a response to the international community pointing out the poor human rights situation in North Korea and demanding improvement.  

Therefore, he said that the international community should take this opportunity to further urge the improvement of women's rights in North Korea.

[ Lee Han-byul ] If North Korea's successor structure becomes female , it is important to raise its voice in the international community on women's rights in preparation for such a case, and to make Kim Ju-ae more aware of this and to deal with recommendations from the United Nations or the international community inside North Korea. I think it is .

Roberta Cohen, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights at the U.S. Department of State (February 28 ) , commented on RFA that Kim Joo-ae's public appearance could lead to progress in improving women 's rights in North Korea .

[ Roberta Cohen ] Traditionally, in Confucian thought, the role of women was relegated to the family or to a secondary position , but this thinking is changing . More women than ever before held positions in the North Korean authorities, and Kim Jong-un recently revealed his daughter to the outside world . Kim Joo-ae, a woman, is introduced to Kim Jong-un about nuclear weapons and other situations in North Korea .

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary Cohen further assessed that with Kim Joo-ae's appearance, the human rights of women with disabilities, detainees, and forced laborers in North Korea can also draw attention .

[ Roberta Cohen ] Kim Jong-un's sister also holds a high-level position ( in the North Korean authorities ) . I expect that there will be a change in women's human rights, and I believe that North Korean women will also push for change . Because this is just to promote interest in women and not be seen as an attempt to overthrow the regime . I think this part is a turning point .

South Korean Unification Minister Kwon Young-se recently appeared on TV (February 27) and pointed out that “ the North Korean regime is far more patriarchal and male -dominated than South Korea . ”

[ Kwon Young-se ] ( Kim Joo-ae, daughter of Kim Jong-un's secretary general ) Even if a succession structure is created, questions remain as to whether women can lead the military-dominated North Korean system .

The low social status and poor human rights situation of women in North Korea, which Kim Jong-un has been neglecting, is paradoxically expected to become a decisive obstacle to his daughter Kim Ju-ae's succession.

This is Seo Hye-joon of RFA Free Asia Broadcasting .