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| China-Japan-Koreas | ||
| North Korea turns away Western aid | ||
| 2005-10-02 | ||
In what one resident described as the biggest change in the humanitarian situation in 10 years, the government in Pyongyang is attempting to regain control over the distribution of essential supplies that have increasingly been provided by the market and outside donors. As of yesterday, stall-holders have been ordered to stop trading in cereals, including rice. From now on they can only be sold at controlled prices through the state's public distribution system. This is not the only regressive step. In August the government told foreign non-governmental organisations that they must leave by the end of the year. Groups such as the World Food Programme and the Red The controls appear to be an effort to close the gates of economic reform that were opened in 2002 through government relaxation of price controls. According to sources in Pyongyang, the government has dumped 200,000 tonnes of its rice stocks on the market in the past few weeks in a move interpreted as an attempt to drive down prices and put traders out of business - or to make a quick profit before the new restrictions. Adding to the pressure on traders, the state has raised the amount it pays farmers from 140 won (£36) to 180 won per kg. But this is still far short of prices of between 700 and 1,000 won on the open market. South Korean media report that soldiers have been posted in paddy fields to ensure harvests are sold to the state. Even the grain output of individual 'kitchen gardens' - the tiny crops yielded in backyards and balconies - must go through the public system under the new rules. 'They are marching back on the reforms of 2002 in an attempt to reimpose social discipline,' said a diplomatic source. 'If you tell people on the streets they must make a living to procure their own food, it starts them thinking for themselves. The government doesn't want that.'
While the country was dependent on food aid, this was tolerated by the government as a necessary evil. But after four years of improved harvests and increasing inflows of rice and maize from China and South Korea, the authorities say that they no longer need humanitarian support from the WFP - an organisation that insists on strict monitoring. The government insists this is part of a move away from a shameful dependency on outside support. Instead of charity, it wants economic assistance to develop its infrastructure. But many in Pyongyang's tiny foreign community believe that there are other motives. 'They are worried for security reasons. Some officials believe the NGOs have a political agenda,' said one aid worker, who explained the government's concerns in terms of the social environment. 'This country has undergone a huge change. People's mindsets have changed.' Most of the foreign NGO workers have been told they must pack their bags. At first they were told operations could only continue if they switched to development, rather than humanitarian, work and used only North Korean staff. More recently, they were told they could keep one foreigner in Pyongyang. Glyn Ford, an MEP and an expert on North Korea, said such conditions would be unacceptable to the EU, which has provided substantial amounts of aid in the past five years. 'We insist on monitoring. One member of staff won't be enough for that,' he said. Most NGOs and diplomats say the biggest worry is not food but medicine. North Korea relies on outside help - mostly from the Red Cross - for two-thirds of its antibiotics, painkillers and anti-worming treatments. On 1 January, this is supposed to stop. The government intends to produce drugs domestically and has authorised production at two new factories. But even if they work at full capacity, it is unlikely they will be able to make Aid workers warn that the sudden change will lead to more death and suffering, particularly among children and the elderly. Eigel Sorensen, the WHO representative in Pyongyang, supports North Korea's move towards development rather than charity, but believes it needs to be phased in more slowly. 'I am concerned about the supply of essential medicines. I think this country is very dependent on outside supplies,' he said. 'International organisations are the main source for antibiotics, painkillers and other basic essential medicines. If that has to stop, I don't think there is enough domestic capacity.' | ||
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #9 I found that the correct name for "Forced Starvation By Government" is "Democide" |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2005-10-02 21:02 |
| #8 In a very real sense, the Chinese have been Geneticly Engineered to be loyal servants of the State. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2005-10-02 20:40 |
| #7 Don't worry about the Chinese disaproving, what I described is a very condensed history of China. They'll see it as entirely normal. Whenever there was famine, the (Name the ruler) would go into the province that had been trator or troublesome, take ALL the food, give it to the "Trustworthy" province and eliminate two problems at once, the disloyal starved, the loyal got rewarded, and repeat whenever food was scarse. No disloyal peasants to rob? toss a coin, the losers are not going to talk (They're dead,) and the loyal are more loyal to the (Name Ruler here)for "Saving them from starvation." Entirely normal to them, If you get a minute look up "Water Economy" the chinese did this regularly for centuries by controlling water needed to grow crops, loyal survived, others disappeared from history. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2005-10-02 20:33 |
| #6 Interesting, RJ. Kimmie and Co are not just hangin' on the ropes for the fun of it. What about their Chicom neighbors, though? I would think that they have something to say about their little mad dog. It seems that the SKors are appeasing away, so why have a war when the SKors are weakening themselves by their own behavours. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2005-10-02 15:09 |
| #5 Thar be meat on them bones, RJ... Hmmm... |
| Posted by: .com 2005-10-02 12:33 |
| #4 They're preparing for war. First you order the aid to stop, then you blame the folks you threw out for the shortages in medicine. Second you control the food. Third, when the elderly, children, and weak die, you're rid of a huge drain on your economy, and again blame it on the aid folks you threw out. Fourth, with the elderly and weak dead mount a campaign to inflame the survivors. Fifth, any dissident areas, get no food, and the Army seals their local boundaries to prevent the "Enemies Of The State" (Starving victims) from "Escaping" (Finding food in the surrounding countryside) Any international complaints are dismissed as "Foreign Interference in Domestic Affairs" Now the main plan goes into effect, you now have a nation solidly behind it's Government (Dissidents are dead) rigidly controlled (Govt. controls food) and stronger, having eliminated the weak. Now, Invent a pretext invade and destroy South Korea, absorb the area, repeat steps one through five, and continue to the next area you consider as "Yours." |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2005-10-02 12:28 |
| #3 Not necessarily Kimmie. Sounds like the hardline generals got this upper hand this round. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2005-10-02 12:10 |
| #2 Stalinism always makeer me cry. /yankin olde hippie chains |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-10-02 10:45 |
| #1 North Korea has begun to reverse market reforms by kicking out international relief workers and choking off supplies of food and medical aid in a crackdown that puts millions of the country's children and elderly at risk. Not a problem. No more talks, no more aid, nothing. Let Kimmie and his minions feed the population nuclear material. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-10-02 05:55 |