UN investigation into North Korean rights abuses welcome

The announcement by the United Nations that it is to conduct an investigation into the human rights abuses that take place in North Korea is a welcome and refreshing move. Although the Human Rights situation in North Korea is monitored by a number of other actors, including Human Rights Watch, this is the first time that the UN has become directly involved, adding weight and credibility to this issue and demonstrating the crucial importance of this issue at the present time. Additionally, it also gives a human dimension to the current situation in the country at the political level, as opposed to focusing merely on the strategic and military aspects of the crisis. Although these are necessarily of importance, a more detailed insight into the the human rights situation is essential.

However, as had already been stated in various circles, North Korea is unlikely to provide access to such a mission. Although there is bound to be no shortage of North Korean defectors who would be willing to give accounts of their experiences in North Korea, the lack of access to the country itself is damning and frustrating, although hardly to be unexpected. It does, however, demonstrate that the UN is taking this issue seriously in the current political climate between North Korea and the West, although it has taken the recent increase in political tensions for this to occur. What is especially encouraging however is that the UN has taken a cross section of commission members from a variety of countries, which may offer a variety of perspectives on the situation. One of these is Sonja Biserko, who has wide experience of the Yugoslav unrest of the 1990's, and it will be interesting to see what parallels, if any, can be made here.

The organisation has requested the country to give full and unimpeded access to the country, which is unlikely, but we have been surprised by North Korea's decision making before, and it may just be that some concessions will be made once more in a bid to try and increase it's standing in the international system. Whatever happens, it is almost guaranteed that the enquiry will find damning evidence against North Korea, but the question remains as to what extent this will actually be an open enquiry and new information will be discovered. For this enquiry to have any real significance or impact, North Korea needs to be a little more cooperative, and at this stage it would be unrealistic to expect this to occur. One thing is for sure, the end report will make for interesting reading. The story goes on...