by Massimo Trombin-Luxembourg
As we know, in the last few years North Korea has been a famine-stricken nation. Several reports from international agencies and NGO bring desperate testimony about this tragedy. The official channels don't report the real condition of the people, for clear political reason, but they constantly request relief support. The problem is that in most cases, the government doesn't allow relief to be monitored during distribution.
Catherine Bertini, the managing director of the World Food Program, has warned the North Koreans that the amount of food aid will be reduced if they continue to forbid the monitoring of the aid distribution.
Recently a North and South Korean delegation met for the first time in 4 years, to discuss their relationship. The North requests 500.000 tons of fertilizer, the South a possibility for the reunion of families separated since the truce in the Korean war. The bottom line is that no accord was done to help the starving men, women and children in the North. At the same time more reports are coming in about people unable to work, because their energy is long gone. From some remote places some reports refer to human consumption, in other areas they are cooking the same noodles over and over again and drinking the boiled water to get the feeling that they are eating something.
At the same time, those with money can buy food in North Korea! IRFF has been working since 1994 in many ways and through different channels to find ways of bringing some help. Now finally in Europe, through our networking and friendship and with the help of Rev. Won Pil Kim, we do have a way to bring some substantial help, directly to the people. I will monitor this project directly on location, and report to those that will give support. For this reason anyone willing to help this food distribution program and to become a supporting member of "North Korean aid action IRFF-club member" for the starving people of North Korea, can send some funds to the IRFF account in Luxembourg, specifying very clearly the purpose of the donation. We are planning with our own strength, the first intervention by Autumn of this year. In case extra fund will come rapidly, we will act immediately.
The account number to send this donation is:
Bank: Banque et Caisse d'Epargne de l'Etat
Address: 1, place de Metz L-2954 Luxembourg
Account: 10/2/024383-74
Association: Foundation Internationale de Secours et d'Amitie (International Relief Friendship Foundation)
Massimo Trombin is the President of IRFF Luxembourg