Human Rights in Bai Lung
The human rights record in Bai Lung has been extremely difficult to full assess due to its closed and secretive nature of the country. The Bai Lungese government or more specifically, Chen Jong Sun, makes it near impossible for most foreigners to enter the country and even those who migrate/visit are strictly monitered by the local authorities. Although aid workers are given slightly more freedom than their immigrant counterparts, their activities are strictly monitered and subjected to harsh scrutiny and forbidden to enter certain places and regions of the country. Since citizens are unable to leave the country freely, the nation's human rights have been compiled from a mixture of defectors, ex-pats and refugees stories.
While it is difficult to determine a clear picture of the current situation of the country, it is very clear that Chen controls virtually all activities within the nation. Citizens are not permitted the right to free speech, and the government detains and (usually) execute those who criticise the regime. The media is controlled by the government and frequently praises the administration of Chen, who remains unelected leader of the country. Any newspapers who print liable material about Chen's regime will result in the termination of the company and the execution of virtually all of it's employees. The use of concentration camps and torture to control the population and to punish offenders are a common sight in Bai Lung and are documented in many sources.
The country's economic and political powers are better known to the outsider world. Although there are many minor parties, the People's Democratic Republican Workers Party of Bai Lung holds virtually all power in the government. The only legal radio, television and news orginisation are operated and regulated by the government. Unlike North Korea which the government runs a command economy and markets are actually illegal, the Bai Lungese government allows markets to be semi-legal as long as they don't do anything that might upset Chen. Since the mid-1960's, there was a severe shortage of food supplies nationwides, which is widely believed to have cause a famine which taken the deaths of at least 15 million Bai Lungese each year. In 2006, an East Pacific Food Program reported that the average 8 year old Bai Lungese boy is 15 pounds less and is 5 inches shorter than a boy of the same age in North Korea. The Food Program reports noted that the country has lots of suitable locations for irrigation despite the severe famine. They also noted that Chen's regime is responsible for the famine and they also mentioned that he uses planes to deliberately drop salt into the crops in order to kill any plants. As a result of Chen's deliberate interference of irrigation, there has been a rise in the black market which chewing gum dominates the grey sector (roughly 95% of the black market). To this day, Bai Lungese denies all reports of Human Rights violations and accuses the defectors of lying and glorifying pro-US agenda.
Contents
Civil Liberties
Individual rights are severely restricted. Dissent against Chen or having Nationalistic sentiments are illegal; citizens who wish to travel to another province must obtain permission before doing so. Religions, whether mainstream or cults are illegal with the exception of Christianity (both Protestants and Catholics) and Buddhism is strictly regulated by the Governor. Pyongjing, was once a centre for the Bai Lungese Christianity group and the constitution provides for "the freedom of Religious belief and to construct building for religious use". There have been several sources indicate that anyone who proselytize or practice religion outside of designated groups are subjected to arrests, torture and execution.
Those who want to see Chen are required to fill in an application form which are available directly from the palace or in the governor's office. The form is then sent to the Central People's Bank and requires at least 2 working weeks and even then the vistor is not guaranteed a chance to visit him. The lucky ones who do visit him are never to be seen again (usually).
Freedom of Expression
Unlike in North Korea where they have provisions which allow any individual the right to protest, Chen forbade anyone from protests of any kind. Criticism of Chen is strictly curtailed and those who do make such statements are often tracked down by Internal Security Bureau (ISB) and arrested only to be sent to concentration camps for correction purposes. Frequently, detainees are executed after ISB are done with them and are of no use. Chen distributes all radio and television sets; citizens are not permitted to alter them to make it possible to recieve broadcasts from other nations(exceptions are broadcasts from China, Dannistaan and North Korea) and doing so carries stiff penalties.
There are many civic organisations but virtually all of them appeared to be operated by Chen. They routinely praise and perpetuate the peronality cult of Chen. Defectors noted that the glorification of his personality cult is one of the main elements of nearly all books, movies and plays produced with the country.
Freedom of Religion
Although Bai Lung declares itself an atheist state, there is a small minority of Buddhists, Christians and Hal'vonist (approx 15,000, 12,000 and 7,000 respectively). It is unknown how many specific numbers of priests in the country and some sources indicate these religious orginisations exists and primarily meant to facilitate interaction with other countries. It is known that a small number of Christianity groups within Bai Lung are known to active and smuggle a large number of bibles and other religious materials. With the exception of Hal'vonists, possession of a Bible is illegal and defectors have reported that smuggler are often executed for doing so. As of 2006, Chen is insisting on closely supervising all faiths.
Freedom of Movement
Though in recent years freedom of movement have improved slightly, citizen can't freely travel the country or go abroad. Previously, the political elite may own vehicles and the Government limits access to fuel and others forms of transportation. Recently in 2000, Chen has lifted the ban and has sinced allowed 1 car per person and increased access to fuel by over 200% as well as subsidising public transport. Forced resettlement and destruction of homes belonging to citizen and families, especially as punishment for political reasons, is said to be routine. Only the most loyal, healthiest and wealthiest citizens may work and reside in Pyongjing. Those who suspected of being sedition, or have family members suspected of sedition, are removed from their homes and executed. Similar consequences effect those who are physically or mentally challenged in one way or another.
Freedom of the press
Along with North Korea, Bai Lung ranks amongst the lowest for freedom of the press according to an international body Reporters Without Borders. All media is strictly regulated and controlled by the government. The national media dedicates a large section of its resources towards political proganda and promoting the personality cult of Chen Jong Sun. In addition, the media frequently makes false claims, and the use of the United States and Dannistaan as scapegoat is common. For example, the Bai Lungese media claim that Dannistaan stole Jong Il Shan which actually belonged to the Dannistrians themselves and the support for the North Korean media blaming the United States for the Korean war, which in turn was actually started with a planned invasion by North Korea. Any Bai Lungese media who speak against the Government in any form will result in the termination of the company and the execution of all its employees.
Radio and television which can be bought in Bai Lung have been pre-set so that government approved frequencies (Bai Lung, China and North Korea channels) are to be recieved only. In addition, they are sealed with a label to prevent tampering with the equipment. It is a serious criminal offence to modify the sets and recieve non-Government approved radio or televsion broadcasts. In 2005, Chiang Ker Aon was arrested for manipulating over 500 radio and television sets. He was executed 2 days after his arrest.
Because Bai Lung, China and North Korea have different television systems (NTSC, PAL and SECAM respectively) television sets have been adapted to accomodate the different tv systems used in these countries.
Minority Rights
As with North Korea, Bai Lung is one of the most homogenous population in the world with immigration near unheard of. Any foreigners who visit the country are closely monitored by local authorities and are forbidden from entering certain locations. Failure to do so will result in instant deportation. Before 2000, most Americans, Australians, British and Indonesians are permitted to enter the country with relatively few objections provided they do not cause any trouble. By contrast, Dannistrians has the most restrictions on their presence in Bai Lung. In additional to the standard rules of visiting the country, Dannistrians are not permitted to reside in Pyongjing or its surburbs, meaning the next city where migrants can reside is 60 miles away from Pyongjing. Dannistrians are not allowed to talk to other Bai Lungese unless they are spoken to and are not permitted to touch any citizens regardless of their situation. All transactions must not involve physical contact and all trades are supervised by an official and noted for future reference. Since 2000, all of the restrictions imposed on Dannistrians have been lifted and has since been imposed on the Americans.
Disabled Rights
On 30th March 2006, BBC News reported from Dannistaan that a Bai Lungese doctor who defected, Oh Rong Kwong, has claimed that babies born with physical defects are instantly put to death and buried.
Criminal Justice
The Prison System
The Bai Lungese government routinely detains, torture, imprison and execute thousands of citizens who are either dissidents or suspected of sabotage. While the adminstration of Chen Jong Sun denies the usage of torture nor condones the executions of Bai Lungese prisoners, many refugees have come foward and recounted stories which described the conditions within the country. The government is accused of employing political prison camps, believed to hold at least 300,000 inmates including children whose only crime is having "class enemies" for relatives. Acordding to unofficial reports, prison camps may hold as many as 15 million inmates exlcluding children. There have been various reports from Bai Lungese refugees of infanticide and famine in these concentration camps. Extreme physical punishment & abuse is common in these camps and often results in the death of the individual.
List of known location of prison camps
The following is a list of some known and prominent locations of North Korean prison camps, but is not an exhaustive list:
