27 Nov 2015, 10:55 am Print
“Regrettably, the human rights situation in the DPRK has not improved, and crimes against humanity documented by the Commission of Inquiry appear to continue,” UN Special Rapporteur Marzuki Darusman said in a press release, at the end of his last official mission to the neighbouring Republic of Korea (ROK).
“It is time to take stock of what has been done in the last two years and to move forward to pursue accountability for the crimes outlined in the report,” stated the expert, who will present his last report to the Human Rights Council in March 2016 before his mandate ends.
Darusman, who has been serving as the Special Rapporteur since 2010, was also a member of the Commission of Inquiry on human rights in the DPRK.
“During this last mission, I discussed issues related to transitional justice with stakeholders in the ROK,” he said.
The Special Rapporteur noted that, in the various meetings he held in Seoul, his attention was repeatedly drawn to the increasing difficulties faced by individuals from the DPRK as they cross the border to reach the ROK.
“In this regard, I am disappointed to learn that Russia signed an extradition treaty with the DPRK last week,” the expert stressed.
In late October this year, the reunion of families separated by the Korean War took place after a one and a half year gap.
“I had the opportunity to meet with a member of these families, who shared his experience - his hopes connected with the reunion, and also the disappointment it brought,” Darusman said.
The independent expert stressed that “the separation of families is not only a humanitarian issue, but should be recognized as a human rights violation in and of itself,” as it continues to affect families in the two Koreas at multiple levels.
“I also had an opportunity to meet with youths – three from the ROK and three originally from the DPRK – and listen to their views of unification and possible accountability for serious human rights violations in the DPRK,” he noted.
In this connection, the Rapporteur underlined the crucial role of civil society in taking a lead role towards accountability for those most responsible for the Government's systematic denial of human rights.
“The issue of human rights in the DPRK is not something that can be tackled in the short term. Countless individuals have worked towards addressing these issues for decades,” Darusman said.
During his five-day visit to Seoul, the expert met with senior officials from the Ministries of Justice, Foreign Affairs and Unification.
“I thank the ROK Government for its support and excellent collaboration during my tenure as Rapporteur during the past five years. I also thank all the officials and civil society actors for our fruitful meetings during this mission, as well as the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Seoul for its support,” he concluded.
Darusman will visit Japan in January 2016 on a similar assessment mission. He will then present his last report to the Human Rights Council in March 2016.
UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras
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