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Chinese Consul on Death of 25 Chinese Stowaways: PD Online Special
A dispatch released from ROK October 8 told 25 Chinese stowaways were stifled to death in a ROK smuggler fishing boat's net hold and their bodies were dumped into the sea while ROK snakehead had got to his heels as a news item shocking the world people. Both ROK and the Chinese government had paid high attention to this criminal case of human trafficking.
As things are accursed with the cruelty of human smuggling, this reporter made a special visit to Consul Shang Yuhe with the Chinese Embassy to the ROK. He had just got back from a hurried on-the-spot investigation and a visit to look into the situation of other remaining Chinese survivals still in the custody of relevant police authorities in ROK.
Consul Shang said that the Chinese Embassy to the ROK has been very much concerned with the tragic death of 25 Chinese stowaways and that when they learnt of the case they "immediately sent me to the spot to look into the case". It was a rainy day on the 9th throughout the whole of ROK and made it impossible for a plane flight. "I left by a train to find out the ROK police authorities concerned and when I got there it was already past noon, which briefed me on their investigations initially made into the deaths of 25 Chinese stowaways and expressed their regret for those 25 Chinese victims. It is hoped that the Chinese stowaways' death would since be an opportune turn for the police and concerned government authorities of both ROK and China to find a solution and put an end for good to all illegal human smuggling on high seas between the two countries.
About the Embassy's demand: How is the tragic case to be handled, I asked.
Consul Shang said that the Embassy's attitude made it clear that we demand the ROK government make a thorough investigation into the tragedy and severely punish the perpetrators, give us a list of the victims and try their best to retrieve the 25 corpses dumped into the sea. Meanwhile, as for those surviving the tragedy, it is hoped, all could be well looked after.
What measures have they adopted to look into the case and retrieve the corpses dumped into the sea?
Consul Shang said that the ROK Yosu police authorities already had their captain and several of his crewmen put into custody and a nationwide net has been cast for making arrest of the fled snakehead. In the afternoon when the tragedy happened, the related ROK police authorities had sent out 12 petrol boats and two helicopters in search of the victims' corpses in the sea area said. But because of rapid sea currents no corpses could be found. It is said that it must be three days after there is the possibility for the corpses floating up. However, discussions are still being held as how to handle the corpses of the stowaways. By now, the ROK side had halted their questioning of the remaining 35 Chinese survivals still kept in the custody of related ROK police authorities and it is told that ROK's police is going to extradite them the coming week.
What situations are those Chinese survivals under ROK's police custody?
Consul Shang said that prior to the 10th we paid a visit to the survivals in ROK's police custody. I made inquiries about their identities and through them about those dead souls that had been dumped into the sea. I said that I am on behalf of the government of the motherland paying a visit to them in the hope to get them back home as soon as possible. The thing is they have to wait and for them there is nothing to fear. I also told them that they should learn a lesson from their wrongdoing and would no longer take on this road as it is illegal and means loss of lives. Fear had first seized on the survivals. But when they saw me they gradually found assured themselves of the situation they were in though still concealing no dismay.
Consul Shang told that all the survivals had been in handcuffs by twos and threes in the custody of the ROK authorities. Could they have taken beatings? I asked.
Consul Shang said "No, no beatings to speak of, human trafficking is illegal without doubt, the ROK side will handle it according to law. They will act to the demand of our Embassy and see that favorable treatment be given".
How many Chinese stowaways had died after all, 25 or 26?
- 25.
- Died in the freezing hold or net hold?
- Net hold.
- How large is the hold?
Consul Shang points to a ROK document provided, which bears the illustrations of a sketch "about 1 ping (3.3 cubic meters), the net hold smelt of fishy taste, boat only sails with cover closed". He said that the sketch shows that to the left of the board the net hold is about 4 cubic meters, less than 3 meters high! It is at this moment this reporter came to know what the spokeswoman of the Foreign Ministry said, "the Chinese government expressed strong indignation and condemnation over the criminals' inhuman behavior disregarding people's life and dumping the corpses into the sea". It is utterly inhumane and anti-human in the words of the spokesman of the ROK government. A fish net hold, less than 4 cubic meters, emanating an assailing fishy smell, took in as many as 25 live human beings, this is totally unimaginable!
How are the perpetrators to be handled?
Consul Shang said the tragic death of 25 Chinese stowaways is completely a transnational criminal case perpetrated by snakeheads hiding out both in China and ROK. Investigations carried out have basically made things clear about the crime of the perpetrators. At present, active efforts are being made by both sides of ROK and China to hunt down the perpetrators and bare their crimes, as is believed, to the light of the day.
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