Gas Chambers, Denial, and Deja Vu

Anne Appelbaum gets it exactly right in today’s WP. Whether the allegations are true or not, they are extremely serious, and are backed by enough credible evidence for them to be a major news story. If there are doubts about the truth of these reports, then let the North Koreans resolve them immediately by letting human rights organizations have full and open access to Camp 22. Barring that, the allegations gain additional credibility.

Of course, it is not news that North Korea practices unlimited cruelty in its concentration camps. The sadder surprise is the fact that the media and the chattering classes are still spilling more ink over Guantanamo than Camp 22. You may feel that three nutritious meals a day, sanitary living conditions, the free exercise of the religion of your choice, and modern health care constitute oppressive conditions without the presence of Mark Gerregos handing out business cards. You cannot make the case that those relatively soft conditions, endured by a dangerous few, are more newsworthy than a Holocaust Now, endured (at least until the last breath) by millions.

Shame on South Korea for immediately questioning the story without asking North Korea to do anything to disprove it. Is there no depth to which Roh and his appeasers will NOT stoop to sell their souls to evil? Similiarly, kudos to the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Yad Vashem for demanding that the U.N. fully investigate. Of course, asking the U.N. to make a moral judgment or draw and obvious conclusion asks a lot.

Incidentally, I also highly recommend Anne Appelbaum’s recent book, Gulag: A History.