Alaka mohanty, Former Secretary Labour & Employment Dept., Government of Odisha, India

There is a saying: ‘Billi ke bhag se chhika toota.’ For Kim Jong Un, that is exactly the case. But who cares about the ordinary people suffocating under dictatorship?Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached China via Japan. Our relations with Japan have always been excellent. Japan’s outlook towards us is not only economic but cultural too. Even though we have overtaken them economically to become the world’s third-largest economic power, Japan’s technological capability is truly remarkable. As for the Prime Minister’s visit to China after seven years, the entire world is watching closely to understand what these great powers are going to do. In the meanwhile, there is news that Trump has cancelled his proposed visit to India. He called India a “dead economy” but India’s GDP is still growing at a pace of 7.5 per cent. Surely, this must have stung Trump, but I believe that even now if proper efforts are made, relations between the two nations can be brought back on track. Amid all this upheaval, one piece of news has drawn everyone’s attention: China has invited North Korea’s dreaded dictator Kim Jong Un as the chief guest for the military parade to be held in Beijing on September 3. Putin will also attend the parade. The question is, why has China invited North Korea’s dictator this year? Earlier, in 1959, Kim Jong Un’s grandfather Kim Il-sung participated in the Chinese parade. After that, China never invited any North Korean leader. So what has suddenly changed, leading to this surge of affection for Kim Jong Un? We all know that North Korea has two biggest patrons -- Russia and China. The country survives under their patronage. Yet both nations know very well that North Korea is nothing but a rogue bully of the world and can be used as an effective weapon against the US. Kim Jong Un, too, realises that if either of these two neighbours turns its back on him, he would be in deep trouble. That is why he sends his soldiers to fight on Russia’s side and, whenever needed, supplies labourers to both Russia and China. Only a small portion of the wages reaches the workers and soldiers, and the lion’s share goes directly into Kim Jong Un’s coffers. The United States and North Korea have always had a hostile relationship since the Korean peninsula was divided. South Korea came under America’s patronage while North Korea fell into the grip of dictatorship under Russia’s influence. Despite Washington’s repeated attempts to stop the dictator, Kim Jong Un eventually succeeded in developing nuclear weapons. He even claims that cities from New York and Washington to many others across the US are within his strike range. You may recall that in 2019, Donald Trump met Kim Jong Un at a summit where China played a key behind-the-scenes role. However, the dictator did not accept any of Trump’s suggestions, leaving the latter’s dream of becoming an ambassador of peace shattered. Despite this, Trump has the desire to meet Kim once again. He openly expressed this desire during a recent meeting with the South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. He has also voiced hopes of meeting Xi Jinping by the end of this year. This strategic timing suggests that China’s invitation to Kim, especially with Russian President Vladimir Putin also expected to attend the Beijing military parade, is a calculated move. The joint appearance is a powerful display of unity, intended to send a clear message to the United States and project a strong, unified front. You may recall that in 2018, just before meeting Trump in 2019, Kim had visited Beijing. So there’s no harm in believing that America will get a very clear message that China will always keep a noose around any potential Trump-Kim engagement. And when Trump meets Xi Jinping, the latter will surely have the upper hand. Now consider this: China’s masterstroke has come as a gift for the dictator. At present, nearly the entire world has boycotted North Korea. Yet in this situation, Kim’s presence at the Beijing parade -- to be attended by the heads of state from more than 20 countries including Pakistan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Iran, Laos, Malaysia, Uzbekistan, Nepal, Maldives, Belarus, Turkmenistan and Armenia -- will lend legitimacy to his dictatorship. But why should anyone be surprised? One dictator always supports another! Still, Kim Jong Un may be even more dangerous than Idi Amin and Hitler. His rule is widely regarded as one of the most brutal in the world. Information from North Korea is tightly controlled, but defectors who succeed in crossing over to South Korea recount chilling tales of human rights abuses. The regime maintains a rigid social hierarchy, with only those loyal to Kim permitted to live in the capital, Pyongyang, while people from the rest of the country are prohibited from entering the capital. There is abject poverty in the villages. Any perceived act of disobedience, no matter how small, can lead to collective punishment, with three generations of a family being sent to political prison camps. The state exercises strict control over every aspect of a person’s life, including clothing and hairstyles. Kim reportedly had his defence chief executed by shooting as the latter was caught napping during a meeting. He also had his own half-brother Kim Jong Nam assassinated by having poison smeared on his face at Malaysia airport. For such a dictator to gain strength means granting legitimacy to the oppression in North Korea. But what can anyone do? Trump has forced these circumstances, allowing such powers to unite. For them, the common man’s life has no value. We are fortunate that we live in a country like India, where freedom exists. ‘Saare jahan se achha Hindustan hamara!’.

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