I am no fan of digg users.  And unless you are an Obama-voting, Apple-buying, Conspiracy theory-spewing fanboy it is not a place for diverse views.  But I have to give them credit when I saw these two stories on the frontpage in the last week.

Father slays family as hunger returns to haunt North Korea

Man flees N Korea after 33 years
And I am further impressed by the lack of America-bashing in these threads (at least the ones still dugg up).  Fortunately, stupidity doesn’t always perservere.

Andy Jackson, columnist and Marmot blogger whose old blog introduced me to North Korean Human Rights, writes about the efforts of the US and South Korea to help refugees in Thailand. It unfortunate that South Korea comes up on top

As North Korea steps closer to a second great famine and North Koreans continue to endure the depredations of the repressive regime that rules over them, an exodus of refugees slips out of the country. The twin imperatives of food and freedom (much more of the former, at least initially) are driving them hundreds or thousands of kilometers from their homes.

During their perilous trek, they will be hounded by agents of repressive regimes and thwarted by the indifference of governments that could and should do more to help them. That they should have to endure such inequities is a shame on several governments, including those in Washington and Seoul.

In order to crack down on the movement of refugees, both the North Korean and Chinese militaries have recently boosted troop strength on their border. Those refugees who do not have enough funds to bribe their way past guards on both sides of the border will find it increasingly difficult to get out.

While bureaucracies slumber, it is up to individuals to take action.