ONLINE PETITION: FREE LAURA LING AND EUNA LEE

Hi everyone,

Our friend Kathryn Xian, who is the Non-Executive Director of Girl Fest Hawaii, recently informed us that 2 U.S. reporters investigating human trafficking and sexual slavery reports between North Korea and China were arrested and are being detained by the North Korean military and that not much is currently being done to obtain their release. Their names are Laura Ling (sister of Lisa Ling) and Euna Lee.

Yellow Rage is in full support of the growing numbers of individuals and organizations trying to bring attention to this matter and demand these women's release. Please check out the petition on the Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery website at traffickjamming.org to sign the petition and please PASS IT ON!

Here is part of the latest update sent by Kathryn:

"As you know, Ling and Lee are facing trial for Illegal Entry and perhaps a 10 year average sentence in a North Korean labor camp (prison). If you know anything about the conditions in those forced labor camps, you know that it will be a death sentence for those women no matter what their sentence is.

The media is not playing up many facts about their internment and neither about the fact that they were investigating reports of the human trafficking of escaped refugees from North Korea. The government may consider the military advancement of North Korea over Lee and Ling. We have started a movement of the people who demand that the freedom of Lee and Ling be the priority.

Below is also a list of Embassies to contact if you so wish on your own. (They will also get a copy of our petition):

Embassies in North Korea
http://www.embassiesabroad.com/embassies-in/NorthKorea
Embassies in America
http://www.usembassy.gov/

Again, thank you for your support!

In Solidarity,

Kathryn Xian"

And here is the text of the petition letter from the Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery website. REMEMBER TO PLEASE VISIT THE WEBSITE TO SIGN THE PETITION: www.traffickjamming.org

Demand to Release Laura Ling, Euna Lee and their Guide from North Korea

We are a collective of national and international organizations demanding the release of Laura Ling, Euna Lee and their guide, from North Korea. They are charged with espionage and illegal border crossing which purportedly carries a sentence of an average of 25 years with both counts, 5 years being the minimum.

Laura Ling, sister to National Geographic correspondent Lisa Ling, and her colleague were investigating Human Trafficking reports of refugees escaping the North Korean regime who find themselves trafficked into sexual slavery in China.

It is still unknown whether the American reporters and their guide were in North Korean territory or in Chinese territory when they were detained by the North Korean military. If they were stopped and apprehended in Chinese territory, it would be a violation of international law.

We CALL ON CONGRESS TO TAKE IMMEDIATE STEPS to obtain the immediate release of these American citizens and their guide. SUCH STEPS SHOULD INCLUDE, WITHOUT BEING LIMITED TO, THE SPEEDY CONGRESSIONAL RESOLUTION HOLDING THE GOVERNMENTS OF NORTH KOREA AND CHINA ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE INCARCERATION OF MS. LEE, MS. LING AND THEIR GUIDE.

We are representatives of thousands of members and supporters within our respective groups, all registered voters, and we will not rest until the unfounded detainment OF MS. LING, MS. LEE AND THEIR GUIDE has ENDED.

Signed,

(The list below notes several signers of our growing list of thousands)

1. Taina Bien-Amie, Executive Director; Equality Now, New York City
2. Dorchen A. Leidholdt, Coalition Against Trafficking of Women, New York City
3. Ambassador Mark P. Lagon, Ph.D, Executive Director; Polaris Project & Former Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Washington D.C.
4. Dr. Melissa Farley, Executive Director; Prostitution Education & Research, San Francisco
5. David Batstone, President; Not For Sale (representing all NFS regional directors)
6. Amber Tamblyn, Actress, New York City
7. Michael Horowitz, Senior Fellow; The Hudson Institute, Washington D.C.
8. Rev. Steven Zurcher, District Superintendent of the Missionary Churches in Hawaii and
   Pastor of the Nanaikapono Protestant Church
9. Pastor Steve Peich, Imago Dei, Honolulu
10. Pastor Jordan Seng, Bluewater Mission, Honolulu
11. Veronica Lamb, Social Justice Director; Bluewater Mission, Honolulu
12. Kathryn Xian, Executive Director; Girl Fest Hawaii, Honolulu
13. Ishle Yi Park, Poet, New York City
14. Michelle Myers, Yellow Rage, Philadelphia
15. Michelle Leong, Youth Transition Specialist; Honolulu Community Action Plan
16. Rebecca Batchelder, Board Member; Bluewater Mission, Honolulu
17. Aimee Grace, Medical Student; John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu
18. Aldra Robinson, Long Beach, California
19. Rebecca Kim, Medford, Massachusetts
20. Marisa Bedrosian, Honolulu
21. Macey Luo, RN, Honolulu
22. Joyce Pien, Honolulu
23. Mary Kessel, Honolulu
24. Charis Peich, Honolulu
    and many more....
    
    JOIN THE PETITION! YOU CAN HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Peace,
Michelle