Aboriginal and Korean youth march for human rights

Aboriginal and Korean youth, sang, danced and a marched through downtown Winnipeg on Saturday afternoon. They are calling on the Canadian government to take action to improve human rights in North Korea.

The group about about two dozen youth are members of Chief Cornerstone Church, Saesoon Presbyterian Church and Life Driving Church as well as an organization called LiNK: Liberty in North Korea. The group aids North Korean refugees and works to raise awareness about the problems of North Korea.

Organizer Jimmy Thunder said the group is circulating a petition they plan to send to the Canadian government, aiming to get the Chinese government to recognize North Korean refugees.

"As it stands right now if a North Korean person escapes to China looking for refuge, something to eat, freedom, they will be caught by the Chinese government, sent back to North Korea, where they will be either publicly executed or sent to a concentration camp," Thunder said.

Thunder said the group's first step is to raise awareness about North Korean issues in Winnipeg.


He added that the link between Manitoba's young aboriginal people and North Koreans was forged because Korean missionaries have spent a lot of time in northern reserves. He said both groups of people have found they have a lot in common.

Thunder learned about North Korea at Chief Cornerstone Church.

"When we heard about what was happening in North Korea, we wanted to do something for them," he said.


(2010-08-14/ctvwinnipeg.ca)