Laughing at North Korea's Dictator Helps Mask His Brutal Human Rights Record
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For a while, North Korea's state-approved haircuts, insanely archaic Internet and it's use of faxes to threaten its neighbors
solicited a chuckle out of even the most serious political analysts. I
mean, can we really take Kim Jong-un seriously if he's hanging out with
NBA star Dennis Rodman? For a while, the leader's stunts with Rodman had the public thinking that maybe this whole "basketball diplomacy" could work. It hasn't.
Pickup games with Rodman or another ridiculous fax can no longer hide the supreme leader's crimes against humanity. A special report issued this week by a United Nations panel details crimes categorized as "Nazi-like" and "unparalleled."
The findings include North Korea's systematic abduction of
citizens, unspeakable torture practices, rape and denial of women's
rights, starvation, murder and executions. On Tuesday, it released a
statement that "categorically and totally" rejected the findings. China's leadership, accused of aiding North Korea, also rejects the report.
Afraid of bullying (or evoking) the quiet, brooding
country, the public has tried to steer clear of Kim Jong-un,
underwriting his actions as just ridiculous. Painting Kim Jong-un as simply misunderstood
or labeling criticism of him an "act of capitalist propaganda" is
simply not an option for the American public. Like portraying Syria's
President Bashar al-Assad
as a "regular" man who uses an iPad and sends friendly emails,
identifying normalcy in evil is not only a waste of the media's time,
but it's also destructive. Exhibiting "normal" human qualities and
committing crimes against humanity - these things are not mutually
exclusive.
For far too long, we haven't taken North Korea
seriously. Another nuclear threat? Come on Pyongyang, we've been dealing
with your testing since 2006. Prison camps? Sure, but what about his
recent outing with Dennis Rodman. It's high time we do away with the
tongue-in-cheek way we talk about North Korea. A glance at the UN's
findings of the country's methodic crimes against humanity is sure to
silence any laughter and erase all smiles. The findings are enough to
make us question whether the focus on Kim Jong-un's oddball character
enabled him (until now) to get away with murder?
A former inmate described the gruesome practices
the to which the government subjects its prisoners. These included a
systematic use of "pigeon torture" in which a prisoner's hands are
handcuffed behind his back and the prisoners are from there, the
prisoners are hung.
North Korea is not alone in it's systemic use of torture. Word leaders like the United States and the UK are known to engage in similarly barbaric (and ineffective)
practices. So, why gang up on Kim Jong-un? While we cannot write-off
the wrongdoings of our own countries, we have to consider the extensive
findings on North Korea's abuses. The international UN investigation
declares that the level of crimes against humanity committed by North
Korea is unparalleled in the world. Laughing about the country's tacky
hairdos can't mask this.
"These are not the occasional wrongs that can be done by
officials everywhere in the world, they are wrongs against humanity,
they are wrongs that shock the consciousness of humanity," said Michael Kirby, chairman of the U.N. Commission of Inquiry and a former chief justice of Australia.
Focusing on the obvious crimes committed by North Korea
may shed light on crimes happening closer to home, this inspiring more
international investigation and legal action.
Dennis Rodman may soon have to find another international
friend to pass time with. Kim Jong-un and his political clan could face
trial. The investigation urges legal action, but North Korea won't go
down without a fight.
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