Auschwitz in the 21st century

A huge regional and global concern exists because of the launch of a North Korean satellite

which, according to the communist regime of Pyongyang, has scientific purposes. However, for

Tokio, Seoul and Washington, in reality it represents a cover proof of a ballistic missile that could

threaten countries of the region. The launch will take place this week and Japan, together with

the USA, pretend to intercept the satellite if it shows any sign of threat.

Unfortunately, besides the international danger that causes the North Korean dictatorship,

there are also quite severe internal problems imparing thousands of citizens. Days ago, human

rights organizations, such as Human Rights Watch, Open North Korea, The Simon Wiesenthal

Center and Conectas, among others, demanded the United Nations to open an investigation

and subsequently close the concentration camps in North Korea, where around 200,000 people,

including tens of children, live under subhuman conditions.

According to denunciators, prisioners work a minimum of 12 hours a day under unhealthy

conditions, and are paid with a ration of 20 grains of rice, daily. The majority of enslaved

North Koreans are also tortured and violated sexually. There are even cases of extrajudicial

executions.

For the International Federation of Human Rights, “the extreme conditions in concentration

camps are aggravated by diseases such as tuberculosis or pneumonia, which together,

constitute the cause of death of approximately 20 to 25% of prisoners.”

It is estimated that at least 400,000 people died in the past years in different concentration

camps from the asiatic country.

“It is such a small number that prisoners are obligued to look for not digested grains in cow feces in order to survive,” mentioned the organizations press release based on a prisoner testimony who managed to escape from one of the prisons.

North Korea is the most airtight country of the world, where any attempt of dissidence is

harshly managed with detentions and executions. Thousands of oppositors are paying penalties in concentration camps.Even though North Korea has received tens of accusations from several world organizations, the dictatorial communist goverment of this republic, is still member of multilateral associations without existing a true, harsh pression over this country to give an end to the totalitarian regime.

The UN has failed in its attempt of influencing North Korea towards a democratic politics, or in

pursuing any type of political improvement.

It becomes absurd to suppose that in 2012, when life is extremely science-and-technology

dependant, there are still nazi-like concentration camps. Even now, differences among

Auschwitz, easily forgotten sovietic gulags and great detention centers in North Korea, are not

that big. The totalitarian regimes, despite diverging ideologically, work in the same way in order

to abolish different opinions, options or philosophies.

Until now, there is no short term solution available for North Koreans given the constant

imposition of the dictatorship in every single corner of the country, which intimidates not only

to its inhabitants but also to the international community. The UN, which can intervene saving

millions of lives, has not decided yet which could be the best way of decreasing poverty and

opression imposed in North Korea.

Meanwhile, 200,000 people remind us that concentration camps are still active despite existing

human rights and populist speeches of world leaders.