By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

PYONGYANG, North Korea – The new North Korean Constitution, revised in April of this year, explicitly mentions human rights for the first time.  The last time North Korea revised its constitution was back in 1998.

The contents of the newly revised constitution includes putting greater weight on military-first policies, power concentration in the National Defense Commission, emphasis on socialism over communism, as well as naming workers, farmers and working intellectuals as pillars of the nation.

More importantly, the new constitution uses the phrase “human rights” for the first time.  Article 8 of the new constitution says, “The State respects and protects the human rights of the workers, peasants and working intellectuals who have been previously freed from exploitation and oppression and have become masters of the State and society.”  This is a change from the 1998 revision which stated that the State will “defend and protect the interests” of the same list of workers.

However, observers claim that the reference to human rights is merely to portray a sense of “normalcy” to the international community.  Optimists have suggested that this could be a real effort on the part of North Korea to improve its international reputation, but experts are interpreting this as a “preemptive move against growing international condemnation of Pyongyang’s human rights record.” 

North Korean military officers.  Courtesy of Jakarta Globe.   

An anonymous source said, “Pyongyang is not interested in human rights; the labour camps that are still active are proof of that.  The population lives in extreme poverty and famine comes on cyclical basis.”

The introduction of new constitution coincides with U.S. appointing a new special envoy, Robert King, for North Korean human rights.  In 2008, U.S. Congress approved the North Korean Human Rights Reauthorization Act, which calls for “activities to support human rights and democracy and freedom on information in North Korea,” for another four years.

Some have suggested that since North Korea knows that any talks with the U.S. will include a human rights component, the revision was a counter-move.

The revision also comes in time when the media has reported that Kim Jong-il’s health is failing and that he is preparing to hand over his position to his youngest son, Kim Jong-un.
For more information, please see:

Asia News – From Communism to the ‘militarised state’, Kim Jong-il introduces new constitution – 30 September 2009

The Daily NK – Human Rights in Revised North Korean Constitution – 28 September 2009

JoongAng Daily – King named as human rights envoy to North – 26 September 2009

The Korea Times – NK Constitution States Kim Jong-il as Leader – 28 September 2009

By Alok Bhatt
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

 MAIWAND, Afghanistan – A roadside bomb planted beneath a crowded inner-city bus travelling along the fringes of Kandahar killed 20 civilians on Tuesday.  Among the dead were 10 children.  Additionally, many more civilians incurred injuries from impact and debris.  The blast left the bus burning and twisted, demonstrating the power of militant groups’ improvised explosive devices (IED).  The victims of the blast were rushed to a nearby hospital in Kandahar.  
 

 
 This latest attack signifies the increasing danger Afghan civilians must face when traversing public roads. Although roadside bombs are utilized to kill foreign troops, over 1,500 Afghanistan civilians have fallen victim to these lethal mechanisms.  The western district in which this tragedy occurred has long been a zone of combat between insurgents and Western armed forces.  As a result, many varieties of traps remain strewn about the city streets.  Afghan citizens often travel along roads used by Western military forces where enemy combatants lay roadside bombs and other IEDs.  A Taliban spokesperson stated that the organization does not intentionally target civilians, disclaiming responsibility for the attack.  However, despite the designs of the Taliban and other insurgent factions, IED’s, the deadliest weapons used in Afghanistan, continue to indiscriminately take the lives of the innocent. 

The attack in Maiwand exacerbates over 8 years of war-weariness and discontent felt among the Afghan population.  While a seemingly fruitless war against terrorism continually plagues their land, this summer’s questionable elections suggest that the corrupt officials have moved to silence the political voice of the people.  These travesties represent a violation of Afghan nationals’ fundamental rights to live in peace and democratic right to participate in the selection of their leaders.  

The Obama administration continues to formulate strategies for the Afghanistan front, yet the Taliban and other militant organizations steadily exploit violence to demonstrate their presence in key areas.  Members of the North-Atlantic Treaty Organization have expressed pessimism in the West’s ability to prevail in this war.  Until the West begins employing effective tactics, it seems Afghan civilians must continue living in fear of being caught in the tides of war.  

For more information, please see:

Al-Jazeera – Dozens die in Afghan roadside blast – 29 September 2009

The L.A. Times – 30 killed when Afghan bus hit roadside bomb – 29 September 2009

Yahoo! News – Taliban roadway attacks spread fear in Afghanistan – 29 September 2009