State vs. Ko-Ams on Refugees?
by James Na ~ May 9th, 2006. Filed under: Defectors & Refugees, Engagement, Washington Views.Apparently some in the Korean-American community wanted to welcome the North Korean defectors who were newly admitted to the United States at the arrival airport with a big celebration.
They wanted to draw media’s attention to the plight of these refugees in BOTH North and South Korea and also wished to thank the Bush administration with a sign that said simply “Thank you George Bush.”
Unfortunately, the State Department reputedly objected, lamely claiming that such a big public scene would “shut off the spigot.”
Does this not remind you of this?
This is a technique that tyrants have mastered to prevent spread of negative publicity. They dangle the hope of leniency for “cooperating” and not contacting the media and “punish more” those whose families do. [snip]Unfortunately, short of toppling such tyranny, the only way of combating such a technique is exposing it constantly and not cooperating (it’s a lot like dealing with terrorism in which temporary “cooperation to save lives” in the end endangers more lives by enabling) even at the prospect of harsher punishment for those already detained.
May 9th, 2006 at 6:38 pm
Someone at State has been peeking into South Korea’s play book.
May 10th, 2006 at 8:30 am
Shouldn’t we allow the refugees some time to settle in first? Some of them may have left family behind in the North and unnecessary exposure could endanger the families they left behind.
I’ve met many young refugees in South Korea and by far the most common reason they gave for wanting to come to America was to be anonymous. Most of them hated the scrutiny that came with being North Korean, and felt suffocated by the attention (positive or negative) that they received in South Korea.
I’m Korean-American, and encourage the concern that others have for the plight of North Korean refugees. But there must be more responsible ways of raising awareness than dragging six vulnerable young people into the media spotlight. I’m praying for these six and, for the sake of the others to follow, I hope that they succeed here.
May 11th, 2006 at 2:26 am
I didn’t see the original report in the link. The State Department has no authority over airport matters in the U.S., and has no authority to prohibit any group from welcoming them. That said, with today’s air travel security concerns, they are obviously not going to be welcomed at the arrival gate (passengers, crew, and airport personnel only). Nor are any welcoming groups likely to be allowed in either the immigration check or customs clearance/baggage areas. That leaves the potential reception committee outside the air terminal, standing or milling around the exit, something that would likely draw the attention of the local or airport police, who would be extremely cool to that idea. With proper coordination, some reception ceremony could have been set up at a center outside the airport (or perhaps at just such a facility on the airport grounds iteself), but that would require both timely coordination, and the acquiescence of the refugees, which as noted by Mr. Suh, cannot not be presumed. So, I’d double-check the “State Dept. reputedly objected” angle of this report. Even if they did, that opinion would have been advisory only.
May 11th, 2006 at 7:45 am
Come now, State has leverages other than direct authority over airport reception — which it can withhold in the future.