A Message From Suzanne Scholte and the North Korean Freedom Coalition

Dear Friends,

Because of the great people and great organizations listed below, I am pleased to report that we now have 11 countries and 17 cities that will participate in support of the International Protest to Save North Korean Refugees scheduled for 12:00 noon on September 22, 2011 at the Chinese Embassies and consulates around the world.  Thank you to members of the North Korea Freedom Coalition and to International Christian Concern for their outreach to members, friends, and colleagues to help recruit coordinators and thank you to South Korean Assemblyman Hwang Woo-Yea and the International Parliamentarians Coalition for North Korean Refugees for joining in support and solidarity.  And, of course, a special thanks to our coordinators: the individuals and organizations listed below:

AUSTRALIA: Sydney: Sarah Judd

BELGIUM: Brussels: Willy Fautre and Human Rights Without Frontiers

CANADA: Toronto: Kyung B. Lee and The Council for Human Rights in North Korea

ESTONIA: Tallinn: Maarja Merivoo-Parro

JAPAN:Tokyo: The Honorable Kushibuchi Mari, Secretary-General of the Democratic Party of Japan and the Congressional League regarding North Korean Refugees and Issue of Humanity & Kan Ando who will be organizing an event at the Chinese embassy in Tokyo.

MEXICO: Mexico City: Teresa Ost

POLAND:  Warsaw: Marcin Nowak and Together Action Foundation

also supporting: Agnieszka Gratkiewicz, Lech Walesa Institute

REPUBLIC OF KOREA:  Seoul: Kim Seung Min and Free North Korea Radio

Busan: Pastor Changho Lim and Jandaehyun Church

UKRAINE: Kiev: Kim and Zenya Walder

UNITED KINGDOM: London: Joo il KIM and the EU North Korean Resident Society

Ireland: Dublin: Michael O’Rourke

USA:  Washington, D.C. North Korean Freedom Coalition

Houston: Mr. Hairyong Suh, President of the Korean Americans for Liberty and Human Rights

New York: Michelle Kim and PSALT

Chicago: Linda Dye

Los Angeles: Sam Kim and the Korean American Church Coalition for North Korea Freedom

also helping: Colonel Kim Bong Keon of Korean War Veterans Association and Young Lee

What you can do to help:

1) If your city is not listed below but is listed at the Chinese Embassy Website it means we need YOU to be a coordinator in that city.  Coordinators are welcome to plan any type of action, including a protest, a prayer vigil, a rally, or simply deliver a petition or send a fax at 12:00 noon that day calling upon the Chinese to end their brutal policy of repatriating North Korean refugees.  We want to show the Chinese government that people all around the world are aware and concerned about their ongoing brutality against the North Korean refugees.  For example, some cities are simply delivering petitions while other city coordinators are planning protests and demonstrations.  These embassies must report back to Beijing what happens in their cities, and we must show the Chinese government that people around the world care and know about what is happening because of their policy.  We are simply asking them to honor their international treaty obligations and not subject these refugees to certain torture, certain imprisonment, and sometimes even execution as punishment for fleeing their homeland.

2) If you want to help in one of these cities, let us know and we will forward your request directly to that city’s coordinators.

3) If it is impossible for you to participate at one of these cities, you can still take action by faxing or emailing an appeal to the Chinese embassy or consulate closest to where you live at 12:00 noon on that day in solidarity with the international protest.  In addition, we are recruiting Sister Cities in Solidarity who will plan an event such as a film screening, concert, prayer vigil on that day specifically to focus attention on the North Korean refugee crisis in China.

Please join us in our efforts to save the lives of the North Korean refugees in China and email us if you can help.

Acta Non Verba,

Suzanne Scholte