Mick Hartley

A Joint letter to Supreme Commander Kim Jong-un from the International Coalition to Stop Crime against Humanity in North Korea (which comprises Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and The International Federation for Human Rights, with support from a further 40 groups) (via):

Dear Supreme Commander Kim:

We, the undersigned independent international non-governmental organizations, write to recognize the passing of your father and acknowledge your leadership of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), and to raise a number of concerns and ideas which we believe would enhance your leadership, improve the standing of your country and benefit your people.

It is clear that the coming year will be one of great challenges for you and the people of North Korea. It can also be a time of great opportunity, both for your legacy and for the well-being of all the people of North Korea, provided that you seize this moment in history to ensure that your government respects the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the North Korean people.

As organizations that have worked on North Korea issues for many years, we are seriously concerned about what is happening to the people of your country. More than 200,000 men, women and children are still being held in a system of prisons and labor camps. Most are incarcerated for political reasons and are not guilty of any internationally recognized crimes. Many are held simply because they happen to be family members or associates of people arrested previously. Inmates must endure conditions that resemble the worst forms of slavery; many die for lack of food and medical care.

The human rights of the vast majority of the 24.5 million North Korean people are routinely violated…

[…]

We sincerely hope that you will seize this opportunity to build a different legacy for the DPRK that leads to full realization of the North Korean people’s human rights, their health and wellbeing, and their individual dignity. Only then will North Korea achieve the respect and security from the world community that it seeks.

We look forward to hearing from you. 

Sincerely,

I wonder if they enclosed a stamped addressed envelope.

Their nice letter to Kim Jong-il of October last year – along very similar lines – was, as far as I'm aware, unanswered. Perhaps the Dear Leader was already feeling the effects of the illness which was to take him from us so cruelly a couple of months later.

Anyway, this should do the trick.