Hanvoice
Encyclopedia
HanVoice is a Canadian
-based human rights organization established in 2007 to assist North Korea
n refugees. The organization's name is derived from the word "han
(한)", which in the Korean language
means both "one" and "a sense of deploring, grief, lamentation or heart-burning". HanVoice's mission statement notes that the organization promotes "mobilizing Canadians on behalf of the North Korean people".
that the country experienced in the mid 1990s. Approximately 1 to 3 million people perished in the mid 1990s in North Korea due to famine. The North Korean people rely on a central food distribution system for much of their needs. Due to floods and government mismanagement during this period, the famine became one of the worst humanitarian crises the world has ever witnessed. It is under these circumstances that many North Koreans decided to flee or seek food and water from neighbouring China, and it is at this juncture that the North Korean refugee crisis began.
. As a result, North Korean refugees found in China are repatriated back to North Korea where they face torture, imprisonment in gulag-type camps, forced labour, and sometimes public executions. To avoid repatriation, most North Koreans in China remain in hiding and are at the mercy of smugglers, bounty hunters, and human traffickers
.
Despite these risks and difficulties, there are anywhere between 30,000 and 400,000 North Korean refugees within China. A small number of these refugees are fortunate enough to make the journey to refugee-friendly nations with the assistance of a few non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private citizens who have set up a small "underground railroad
". Through these secret networks, refugees have reached sanctuary in places such as South Korea, Europe, the United States, and even Canada.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
-based human rights organization established in 2007 to assist North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n refugees. The organization's name is derived from the word "han
Han (cultural)
Han is a concept in Korean culture attributed as a national cultural trait. Han denotes a collective feeling of oppression and isolation in the face of overwhelming odds...
(한)", which in the Korean language
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
means both "one" and "a sense of deploring, grief, lamentation or heart-burning". HanVoice's mission statement notes that the organization promotes "mobilizing Canadians on behalf of the North Korean people".
History
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Famine
The current refugee crisis stems in large part from the periods of famineNorth Korean famine
'The North Korean famine was a famine in North Korea which began in the early 1990s...
that the country experienced in the mid 1990s. Approximately 1 to 3 million people perished in the mid 1990s in North Korea due to famine. The North Korean people rely on a central food distribution system for much of their needs. Due to floods and government mismanagement during this period, the famine became one of the worst humanitarian crises the world has ever witnessed. It is under these circumstances that many North Koreans decided to flee or seek food and water from neighbouring China, and it is at this juncture that the North Korean refugee crisis began.
Refugee Crisis
China unfortunately does not consider North Koreans found in their territory to be refugees. Out of political expediency toward the government of North Korea, its Chinese counterpart labels North Korean refugees as "illegal economic migrants", despite meeting all criteria as refugees under international lawRefugee law
Refugee law is the branch of international law which deals with the rights and protection of refugees. It is related to, but distinct from, international human rights law and international humanitarian law, which deal respectively with human rights in general, and the conduct of war in...
. As a result, North Korean refugees found in China are repatriated back to North Korea where they face torture, imprisonment in gulag-type camps, forced labour, and sometimes public executions. To avoid repatriation, most North Koreans in China remain in hiding and are at the mercy of smugglers, bounty hunters, and human traffickers
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
.
Despite these risks and difficulties, there are anywhere between 30,000 and 400,000 North Korean refugees within China. A small number of these refugees are fortunate enough to make the journey to refugee-friendly nations with the assistance of a few non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private citizens who have set up a small "underground railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
". Through these secret networks, refugees have reached sanctuary in places such as South Korea, Europe, the United States, and even Canada.
HanVoice's Objectives
- Advocate for the rights of North Korean refugees
- Enter into dialogue with the Canadian government and other international organizations on behalf of North Korean refugees
- Partner with other organizations working toward similar objectives
- Assist North Koreans in Canada
Past Events
- HanVoice's Launch Event - April 2007
- HanVoice formally launched itself at the Innis Town Hall at the University of Toronto with a screening of the documentary Seoul TrainSeoul TrainSeoul Train is a 2005 documentary that deals with the dangerous journeys of North Korean defectors fleeing through or to China. These journeys are both dangerous and daring, since if caught, they face forced repatriation, torture and possible execution....
. Over 200 people attended this formative event. The Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity, Jason Kenney, was a special guest in attendance to speak on behalf of the Canadian government. http://eng.nkhumanrights.or.kr/bbs/data/file/active_news/2040551059_495766c2_hanvoice2.jpg
- Candlelight Vigil - October 2007
- Held in Mel Lastman Square to remember and commemorate those who are suffering. A night of moving tributes, performances and a moment of silence instilled a renewed sense of commitment to the refugees who need a voice. http://blog.daum.net/bong313/14446893
- HanVoice Fundraiser - November 2007
- Held at Toika lounge to celebrate the work that HanVoice had been doing. The event was a huge success and raised significant funds for HanVoice's efforts.
- Discussion Forum - February 2008
- A forum to discuss the issues surrounding the North Korean refugee crisis involving other organizations, refugee lawyers, settlement groups and interested members of the community.
- HanVoice and Kollaboration - March 2008
- Participated in KollaborationKollaboration (talent show)Kollaboration is an annual talent show created by a small group of professional young Asian American and Asian Canadian volunteers.-History:...
to raise awareness about Reveal '08 campaign by showing a video titled "How To Save A Life". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5IXCk99oCI
- Reveal '08 Campaign Launch - March 2008
- Featuring guest speaker Tim A. PetersTim A. PetersThe Rev. Timothy A. Peters, an American humanitarian aid worker living in Seoul, South Korea, operates and is widely regarded as one of the world's most visible advocates for human rights in North Korea....
, HanVoice launched its Reveal '08 campaign to an audience of politicians, journalists, student groups, and members of the community. http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v214/193/49/555150216/n555150216_2612621_9041.jpg
- Sounds from the Streets - August 2008
- Several members of HanVoice displayed their musical talents and handed out informational pamphlets on the busy streets of Toronto to raise public awareness about the North Korean refugee crisis. http://www.michlerish.net/pictures/soundsfromstreet.gif
- Candlelight Vigil and March - September 2008
- On the night of Nuit BlancheNuit BlancheNuit Blanche is an annual all-night or night-time arts festival. A Nuit Blanche will typically have museums, private and public art galleries, and other cultural institutions open and free of charge, with the centre of the city itself being turned into a de facto art gallery, providing space for...
in Toronto, HanVoice walked the streets in silence holding signs, and held a candlelight vigil in Queen's Park to raise public awareness of the crisis. http://www.hanvoice.org/HV_vigil_and_march.jpg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfeBU7do_1k&eurl
