DATE= 11/11/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-222506
TITLE=NORTH KOREA / HUNGER (L-O)
BYLINE=BILL RODGERS
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A GROUP OF AMERICAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS THAT HAS JUST
RETURNED FROM NORTH KOREA SAYS MORE HUMANITARIAN AID IS NEEDED TO
FEND OFF HUNGER AND DISEASE IN THE COMMUNIST NATION. AS V-O-A'S
BILL RODGERS REPORTS, GROUP MEMBERS SPOKE AT A WASHINGTON NEWS
CONFERENCE TUESDAY ABOUT WHAT THEY SAW DURING THEIR FOUR-DAY
VISIT.
TEXT:
/// SCHINDLER ACT///
WE HAVE LEARNED THIS ABOVE ALL -- THERE IS PRECIOUS
LITTLE TIME LEFT TO AVERT WHAT COULD BE A HIDEOUS AND
UNPRECEDENTED DISASTER.
// END ACT //
WITH THESE OMINOUS WORDS, RABBI ALEXANDER SCHINDLER OF THE
"INTERFAITH HUNGER APPEAL" DESCRIBED THE DIRE SITUATION IN NORTH
KOREA, WHICH HAS BEEN PLAGUED BY FAMINE. RABBI SCHINDLER AND
NINE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE INTERFAITH HUNGER APPEAL SPENT FOUR
DAYS IN NORTH KOREA EARLIER THIS MONTH TO SEE THE EXTENT OF THE
DEVASTATION CAUSED BY SUCCESSIVE YEARS OF FLOOD AND DROUGHT.
SPEAKING AT A NEWS CONFERENCE TUESDAY IN WASHINGTON, RABBI
SCHINDLER DESCRIBED WHAT HE AND THE OTHERS SAW.
///SCHINDLER ACT///
AS WE PASSED SCORES OF FACTORIES WHOSE SMOKESTACKS WERE
OPEN-THROATED AND SPARKLESS, WE SAW ONLY THE STARVATION
BROUGHT ON BY A DECAYING ECONOMY. WE SAW RUSTING
TRACTORS, PLOUGHS PULLED BY OXEN, AND PEOPLE SCRATCHING
THE SOIL WITH THEIR FINGERNAILS TO MAKE ANOTHER SQUARE
FOOT OF DIRT ARABLE. WE SAW VAST FIELDS -- FIRST
RAVAGED BY TYPHOONS AND TIDAL WAVES, THEN BURNT BY
DROUGHT, LEAVING THE LAND UNTILLABLE FOR ANOTHER THREE
YEARS.
///END ACT///
THE INTERFAITH HUNGER APPEAL IS A NON-DENOMINATIONAL RELIGIOUS
GROUP, FORMED ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO TO CHANNEL FOOD AND OTHER
HUMANITARIAN AID TO COUNTRIES IN NEED. THE GROUP HAS PROVIDED
TWO-AND-ONE-HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN ASSISTANCE TO NORTH KOREA AND
MAINTAINS A REPRESENTATIVE IN PYONGYANG TO OVERSEE THE AID.
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ORGANIZATION, KEN HACKETT, TOLD REPORTERS HE
BELIEVES THE PARTICIPATION OF HUMANITARIAN GROUPS SUCH AS HIS HAS
BROUGHT ABOUT A CHANGE IN NORTH KOREA, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST
ISOLATED COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.
///HACKETT ACT///
WE DO SENSE A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN ATTITUDE AND IN SOME
WAYS AN OPENNESS. EVEN IN THE THREE MONTHS OUR
REPRESENTATIVE HAS BEEN IN THERE, HE HAS NOTED AN EASING
UP, A CHANGE, AN ABILITY TO CARRY ON A FULLER DIALOGUE
AND GAIN MORE ACCESS.
///END ACT///
MR. HACKETT SAID HIS GROUP WILL URGE CHURCHES AND SYNAGOGUES
THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES TO PROVIDE MORE EMERGENCY AID TO
HELP THE NORTH KOREAN PEOPLE. HE SAID THE INTERFAITH HUNGER
APPEAL ALSO FAVORS LIFTING SANCTIONS AND TAKING OTHER MEASURES TO
EASE TENSIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND NORTH KOREA AS A WAY
TO END THE ISOLATION OF THE COMMUNIST NATION AND HELP ITS
STRICKEN PEOPLE. (SIGNED)
NEB/BR/RRM
11-Nov-97 3:53 PM EST (2053 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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