Human Rights Violation of North Korean Refugees Essay

Human Rights Violation of North Korean Refugees - Essay Example Issues related to human rights violation have also emerged and their status under international law as legal personalities have been persistent issues brought under the international courts. This paper shall primarily discuss human rights violations against North Korean refugees. It will first provide an overview of why these North Koreans became refugees in the first place. It shall then discuss how their refugee status has been evaluated under international law. A discussion on the discriminatory acts against these refugees will also be presented. North Korean domestic laws in relation to these refugees shall also be discussed. China’s response to accusations of negative treatment will also be presented. This paper is being carried out in order to establish a clear understanding of North Korean refugees and how their status has been managed under international laws. ... About 90% of its border is shared with China. China has tolerated some of these refugees to a certain extent, however, these refugees are primarily considered as nuisances, especially as these refugees often engage in problematic activities like stealing, human trafficking, forgery of passports, and organized crime5. The international legal resources which provide assistance to refugees include the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol of such convention6. Refugees are defined as individuals fleeing their home country due to persecution of fear of being persecuted by reason of race, religion, nationality, or political opinion and due to these same reasons cannot find protection in his country7. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees is the UN agency which is concerned with the protection of refugees and other individuals displaced by conflicts and disasters. This agency ensures that the human rights of these refugees are protected. North Korean refugee s are under the protection of this agency, however, throughout the years, these refugees have still experienced much hardship from their host countries8. Many of these refugees have suffered various human rights violations from their host countries. Women have been vulnerable to rape, prostitution, and forced marriages. Refugees who have made it to China are said to suffer from the constant threat of being discovered by authorities, and many of them are living in abject poverty or are working low paying menial jobs9. China’s response or policies towards North Koreans has mostly been negative. Although it is party to the Refugee Convention and Protocol, China has prevented the UNHCR access to these refugees, arguing that these refugees