North Korean refugees have left Canadian embassy in China

international | racism & migration related issues | other press Thursday December 23, 2004 08:10 by ming

44 North Koreans who scaled the walls of the Canadian Embassy compound in China last September have been allowed to leave for an undisclosed third country.

he group of asylum seekers, one of the largest ever to enter a diplomatic compound in the Chinese capital, had been holed up inside the embassy since September 29, as negotiations took place on their fate.

China, which did not consider the North Koreans as refugees, at first demanded they be handed over to its authorities. Canada declined to do so.

"They have all left and gone to a third country," embassy spokesman Ian Burchett told AFP, but refused to say where.

The group included 12 men, 26 women, five boys and one girl. Two of the adults were elderly.

"I would also like to thank the Chinese government for working with us to resolve this issue in a way that is consistent with our international obligations and in keeping with our humanitarian concerns," Pettigrew said.

Similar situations have occured in Canadian embassies in China.
for more see-
http://www.turkishpress.com/world/news.asp?id=041223040125.fa7i46t7.xml

Similar situations also occured in Argentina during
the military junta.

Similar situations also occured in Chile during
the military dictatorship.

Thank you Canada.