Korean Youth Call for the Release and Justice to Human Rights Defenders
in Africa and Asia on the International Human Rights Day

Sungkonghoe University: Dec 10 2009

On International Human Rights Day Korean youth from Sungkonghoe University gathered to call for the release of human rights defenders and justice for those who were killed by the state agents in Africa and Asia.

The Korean youth demand for the immediate release of Archbishop Kutino Fernando (Democratic Republic of Congo), Ms. Irom Sharmila Chanu (India), political prisoners in Burma and speedy justice to Munir Said Thalib who was murdered by state agents (Indonesia). The actions include mailing actions against the head of the states and embassies across Asia and Africa with further intensifying of the struggle until and unless justice has been met to the innocent victims of the state.

Background:

Archbishop Kutino Fernando was arrested in May 2006 for the "incitement of hatred" by the government of Democratic Republic of Congo. Barely after a month in June 2006, he was charged of "Illegal possession of firearms, criminal conspiracy and attempted murder". The possessions of arms included a Stinger, a low altitude surface-to-air missile system using infrared. It is quite a mockery and flaw charge just after one month of his arrest to the priest of having weapons including missile system and deeply questionable to the state authorities for the use of it to preach people.

Ms. Irom Sharmila Chanu who has been on fast unto death since November 2000 for the demand of repeal of martial law (Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958) from democracy India. She has been put in prison for the past 9 years on charges of attempted to commit suicide. Under this Act atleast 20,000 people has been killed in Manipur alone by Indian military and the irony is it is still continuing in the name of "largest democracy in the world" specifically for only certain race and region of India Muslim in Jammu and Kashmir, and Tibeto Burman races of North East India justifying as "disturbed area" while disturbed area is present in every state of India. Moreover in 2004, the Prime Minister admitted that "Maoist arms uprising is the single largest threat of national security" where there is no imposition of this martial law in the area it operates. So "disturbed area" is applicable only to certain section of people and region in India.

Munir Said Thalib, a foremost human rights defenders of Indonesia, was murdered with arsenic poisoning during a flight to Holland on 7th Sept' 2004. Despite of the fact that known people involved including pilot and intelligence agencies of the sate the verdict is slow and justice has not been met still now.

During the elections of 1990 National League of Democracy won a landslide victory of 82 per cent of parliamentary seats, yet the military government vehemently rejected the democratic process of election instead imprisoned the victors. Over 2000 political prisoners are still in the prisons under the grip of junta government.

The students posing at the event.