broken nation, syria is on the verge of a major milestone. five years of conflict. now some international observers are taking aim at a global response that they believe is bankrupt. >> can't they see the impact that their failure to compromise is creating in this situation? and the remains of aleppo the day are you will he at of life for pima mid the ruins. after four years of fighting, syria's health system has collapsed. >> most of the doctors were either killed or fled. >> in ukraine, the slide from ceasefire back in to full scale

war seems to be underway. >> now we are strengthening the stretches. preparing to responds to their attack. >> and u.s. foreign policy under the microscope. >> our friends no longer trust us. and our enemies no longer fear us. >> how the bitter division in washington is lead to go sharp questions from american allies and adversaries. >> translator: someone for once iran can say to us are you credible in the offers you were making. >> the strengths of american policy now being questions. ♪ ♪ >> good evening and thank you for up jog us on al jazerra america i am steffi sy. >> i am antonio more actual this week the up rising against syria president bashar al-assad enters its fifth year. the are bell vinnie sparked a bloody civil war that produced the biggest humanitarian rice

crisis since the second world war. >> nearly lee million refugees have fled and 7 million internally displayed the. the u.n. now says the entire nation is on the cusp of total poverty with economic losses he was mated at over $200 billion. >> the war is also taking a harsh toll on nearly 6 million children inside syria and almost 2 million who are refugees in neighboring countries all suffering from hardship and drama. at the same time, 21 leading aid agencies today blasted the u.n. security council for failing to implement necessary resolutions that would boost humanitarian aid to syrian civilians. >> the angry at the security council's failure to secure desperately needed humanitarian aid is threatening the organizes credibility and as james bays shows diplomacy has had a tough time taking hold. >> reporter: for four years ago no one could have imagined the scale of this tragedy. the figures are staggering, there has been no actual body count. but it's estimated as many as

300,000 syrians are dead. many have fled, 3.8 million are refugees. that figure the main contributor to the fact that there are now more displaced people in the world than at any time since the second world war. that's when the u.n. was created almost 70 years ago. there has been no peace in part because there has been little unity on the global stage. there have been rare moments of agreement in the u.n. security council on chemical weapons. and the growing threat from isil. but nothing on a political solution to the dismay of u.n.'s humanitarian amounts is as, one of those agencies the world food program is led by ms. cousin. you must get frustrated when you look at the security council and the lack of agreement on syria? >> i get frustrated not only when i look at the security council. when i go in to syria and you see that there is no solution in sight and i talked to the

government, i talked to the opposition and they are firm in their positions and i look at the then at the people. and i say don't they see what i see? can't they see the impact that their failure to compromise is creating in this situation? >> reporter: over the past four years, the security council has left the main effort to find a political solution to a series of special envoys. former secretary general kofi amman, veteran diplomat. and now another seasoned u.n. official stefan. four months ago stefan told the security council he had an ambitious plan for a series of what he called freezes across syria. the first one was supposed to be in aleppo. he later even revealed he had an agreement from president assad to stop all aerial bomb bart in the aleppo for a six-week period. since then the plan has stalled. diplomats are are now very

skeptical of the chances of success and for now there is no plan-b. syrians will continue to suffer and many more are bound to die. james bays, al jazerra, at the united nations. >> u.n. secretary general ban ki-moon joined the chorus disapproving of the security council. today he lashinged out at the council five permanent mechanics, china russia, france, britain and the u.s., he said more needs to be done to assist the millions of civilians suffering through the saer vinnie war. he added every day brings more detective, displacement and destruction. raising the fear some prospects of the total collapse of this country. bringing the deadly syrian conflict to an end is imperative if we are to extinguish the fires of violent extreme and i feel sectarianism that burn throughout the entire region. >> aaleppo has been reduce today ruins, roughly 40,000 people remain there from a prewar population estimated at about a

million. as zeina khodr shows the city is still a major battle ground. >> reporter: it is one of the oldest cities in the world. its historic center is now in ruins. the aleppo has been an urban battle ground since the summer of 2012. syria's largest city has been divided by many frontlines. and on many of them sheets and drapes are used as cover from snipers. the government controls territory in the west and the opposition controls the east. and the only crossing point that allowed people to move between the two areas is now a wasteland wasteland. it was closed by the government last year. it was a dangerous journey. dozens remember killed because of sniper fire. but it was a lifeline. especially for state employees who were relying on their salaries to survive. >> translator: the crossing was vital for civilians now when they need to go to the regime areas it is a 12-hour journey.

this crossing used to to allow people to visit their relatives. >> reporter: society has been torn apart. in many areas in the rebel-held east, there is little sign of life. last year, 10s of thousands left when populated areas were continuously hit by barrel bombs. many others were wounded. those who have lost their livelihoods have been left to help themselves. >> we need money to ab able to to go to turkey to get treatment. we have been forgotten. we want someone to feel for us. >> reporter: also in the rebel-held east, health facilities were bombed at the start of the conflict. the people of the area managed to set up makeshift hospital to his deal with the many casualties of war but they are not up to the standards needed. >> translator: we don't have surgeons, most of the doctors were either killed or fled. we don't have medicine for diabetic patients.

>> reporter: the health system has australia all but collapsed. the syria war is entering its fifth year. neither side can claim victory. an initiative by the united nation to his freeze the fighting in the city of a aleppo didn't achieve much. and the people on both sides of the divide remain trapped in what many describe as a deadly stalestalemate. it's daily struggle it doesn't just take hours to buy bread. governments planes have targeted crowds standing in bread lines. the battle for aleppo is strategic but it has destroyed those living in what was once syria's commercial capital. zeina khodr, al jazerra beirut. >> the horrors in syria and the terrible trauma it's inflict on the ground millions of children was highlighted a uncief report released today. 5.6 million children are suffering within syria's borders, that is more kids than all the people who live in los angeles and san diego combined.

>> two mill i don't want children within syria are in towns cut off to humanitarian aid and for wow if the 6 million remain unable to go to school. another 2 million are refugees having fled to lebanon, turkey and jordan, because of that flood of refugees, 3.6 million children in the towns where they have earnedded up are suffering due to the strain on services and when you factor in the crisis with isil in iraq, uncief says 14 million children currently impacted by what is happening in those two countries. >> anthony lake is the president of uncief, he served as national security adviser under president clinton. i sat down with him for talk to al jazerra. >> it's a huge problem. and over 5 million of them are inside syria. then other 2 million living in refugees camps are in host communities outside syria. another -- and we forget about these, probably over 3 1/2 million kids are living in communities in surrounding

countries that are having to try to take care of the syrian kids that means their suffering hardships also. and then we have over two nab 1/2 million kids in iraq now and these numbers are growing very rapidly. >> is this the biggest problem with the kids at least numerically the kids inside syria, many displaced and facing war constants are standsly 5.6 million. >> yeah, and very hard to reach. we have to struggle to reach them which they are in the government rear view controlled area. >> and the government is not that helpful. >> not sometimes, no that's true. we work with the government to try to get to them to be as helpful as they can. and, of course, it's not uncief kids or young uncief people in t-shirts doing this, but we work through partners to do this. local ngos, the red crescent society in syria, et cetera. so it's an immensely complex operation also. >> and is all said 2 million who have become refugees in nearby

countries and some of they want in just tents tent camps with all sorts of challenges especially just a very harsh winter this year? >> yes. are are or constantly in raining areas in the valley areas. we just used numbers 2 million 5 1/2 nil wrong every one of those numbers is an individual childs and they are children like my grandchildren who play and laugh and cry and misbehave and all of that. but these kids are losing their childhoods. and they are facing problems that are not only affecting them now in horrible ways and you have seen it on television, i have visited in lebanon and syria and jordan, and iraq how these kids are trying to survive. but it's affecting their future. and if it's affecting the kids' futures then it's affecting

their country's futures and that means all of us too because we have such interest this nba that area. >> you were national security adviser under president clinton foreign policy advice tore president obama, you have been at the state department or were in the statement departments in some capacity for decades i suspect that your rad advice is often sought. what would you tell president president obama now that the united states needs to do first in syria and iraq? >> join with other nations and do everything you can through bringing influence to bear through diplomacy to end this war. it is entering its fifth year now. if today you could take us back three years, sort of like the ghost of christmas future, in dickens and say this is what the world is going to look like

three years from now if you don't do more to stop the war now. if -- let's then say here we are now, just imagine what it's going to be like three years from now. with the increasing carnage in human lives and all of that. so i hope the world can rededicate itself now. not just the united states, but all of the governments in all of the parties who are responsible for this to figure out a way to stop it now because it is affecting an area of immense strategic importance to us. if you are in europe you are seeing more and more refugees coming. the way deal with that is to stop the war there. and as we enter the fifth year, let's find ways to do that. i would not presume to suggest how and uncief very explicitly does not get involved in politics. so tempted as i am to give you more of an answer, i think i'll pass. >> you can see more full interview with inning steve

president anthony lake on search mike 22nd at 6:30 eastern tame on talk to al jazerra. another intense day of fighting in tikrit. some 85 miles north of baghdad tikrit was captured by isil last summer. iraq troops and militia fighters pushed in the city on wednesday today the iraqi prime minister paid a visit to troops around ca crete declaring victory is near, isil fighters still hole large parts of the city including sadamsadam hussein's old complex. according to a tape isil accepts the pledge of a leans badge by boko haram. in the video they called it a good news, al jazerra has no way to authenticate the message but the recording is consistent with the intonation and accent. turkey says a person suspect the of helping three british teens join isil is now under arrest. the country's foreign minister says the suspect a foreign

intelligence operative working for a country that is a part of the i international coalition against isil. he did not name the country. the three girls traveled to turkey last month from there they are believed to have crossed in to syria. in the cross hairs american foreign policy the target of the critics and allies. >> up next the white house, is it lead being from behind by not taking the lead in many of the world's hotspots. also debt strapped greece says it notes helps caring for thousands of migrants arriving in the country. >> for bad kids... >> they get a little dirty... so what... >> dangerous... >> we have shackles with spit bag... >> they're still having nightmares >> if you can't straighten out your kids... >> they're mine >> al jazeera america presents camp last resort on al jazeera america >> this is the true definition of tough love

the u.s. and other world powers discuss ending u.n. sanctions against iran. >> officials close to the talks say a proposed resolution would take effect if iran agrees to a nuclear deal. the agreement would make it harder for congress to overturn. the u.n. talks come just after 47 u.s. senators sent a letter to iran threaten to go undo a potential nuclear deal between teheran and washington.

>> translator: now for once iran can say to us, are you actually credible in the offers that you are making? if 47 u.s. senators are saying to us whatever the u.s. government agrees we can take that off the table again in the end. >> the u.s. is wrong six nations aiming to secure ideal with iran by the end of march. >> meanwhile of the supreme leader of iran is skeptical of the senators letter. he told a gathering of clerics teheran the letter was quote a sign of decay of the political he would i believes in the american system he added that he was worried about agreeing do ideal then being betrayed. >> translator: the team assigned by the president rouhani constitute good, reliable and sympathetic individuals who are trying to secure the country's interest. of course i am concerned because the other side? to deception trickery and back stabbing. >> he is a conservative hard liner but has backed diplomacy

being pursued by president rouhani. secretary of state kersey rejoining the negotiation on his sunday. >> president obama has taken a mostly noninterventionist approach to foreign policy. >> he was elected in part on promises to end america's wars, but his approach has been highly criticized in washington. libby casey looks looks u.s. policy under the microscope. >> reporter: he would be the president to end america's wars in eye racks and afghanistan. >> we must move beyond the mind set of perpetual war. >> reporter: president obama promised a nation weary of battle a focus the economy and other problems here at home. but crises around the world have demanded attention. from ukraine. the president has kept us off the ground. >> i think fundamentally president obama's goal is not intervene any more than he

desperately has 20679 the president's noninterventionist approach gets no cheers in many republican. >> i think he's incredible naive. i think president obama is dangerously knee eve. >> our friends no longer trust us. and our enemies no longer near us. -- fear he is. >> reporter: they are also getting hammered from the left for its use of drone strikes to targeting killings and expanded cia power overseas. >> when i came here last time i mentioned -- >> the american people are speaking out secretary kerry. we are tiredless of the endless war. >> the committee will be in order. >> reporter: the president says he takes a pragmatic approach to america's international role. >> the goal of any good foreign policy is having a vision and aspirations and ideals but also recognizing the world as it is, where it is, and figuring out how to you tack to the point

where things are better than they were before. if doesn't mean perfect it means better. >> reporter: but the president has struggled especially in iraq with american combat troops out as promised isil fighters moved in waging their own war. the brookings institute michael owe happen lan says that has pushed president obama to step up involvement. >> in fairness it is worth pointing out in iraq last year he started dropping bombs now has 3,000 u.s. troops on the ground helping coordinate the counter offensive against isil and may be willing to do everybody a little bit more than that. notices a complete allergy to any and all involvement. >> reporter: perhaps the biggest symbol of the president's policies syria in 2013, he drew a red line at the assad regime using chemical weapons then backed down. >> so not only has it not constrained the assad regime's use of chemical weapons but it

had an enormous impact on perceptions of u.s. credibility in the region. >> reporter: steven with the u.s. institute of peace, it is mr. obama began his presidency trying to course correct the bush administrations unilateralism. but may have eased off the gas pedal too much. >> that's a real -- it's a disappointment. and i think it's something of an opportunity lost. >> reporter: he says international focus is now otto bomb a administration's role in negotiations over iran's nuclear program. it's a test of whether diplomacy and sanctions can work, libby casey, al jazerra washington. to take a deeper look at american foreign policy we are joined from it d.c. by james jeffrey ambassador to iraq and turkey. he's currently a fellow at the washington institute for near east policy and from berkeley, california, we are also joined by steven fish who is a professor of compare at this politics at uc berkeley focuses on democracy in europe.

i had good to have you with us, i'll start with you and the issue that libby casey first raised in her story. that the president was elected to end wars but now he's facing criticism for not getting more involved. is that fair? >> first of all the president ran on an ending of was campaign and the american people were tired particularly of iraq to a lesser degree but still significantly afghanistan. but the american people did not elect barack obama for revolutionize what has been 60 years of american management of a global security system. that says based on military force and the willingness to use it if necessary. i believe, and i work for him in his heart of hearts he is not certain in the 21st century that tradition is the correct tradition. he therefore even when he has used military force has either put it in a special category, almost police like measures,

used by the cia against terrorists and as your report just said, he's put 3,000 special forces and other combat troops in to iraq since last june. but their role on the ground in helping the iraqis go on the offensive, we haven't seen that yet. the iranians put troops in and we speed a huge success that they are scoring in the iraqis are all going to remember this in ca ca tikrit ca tikrit and those are the things that make a difference on the ground. >> that has led critic like senator mccain to say that he have has a if he canless policy and nobody believes in america's strength anymore. do they have a point putin and expansion in ukraine. >> they might have a bit of a point. i think it remains to be seen whether president obama really understands the magnitude of the threat that president putin poses to the international

system. putin by invading ukraine and taking own creme gentleman has shred a norm that prevailed since the end of world war ii which says that large countries powerful countries do not invade and are an ex-pieces of weaker neighbors simply because they are, i think the republicans are going way too far with this. president obama is probably dealing with the hand that he feels dealt the best that he can do. after all let's remember when he wanted to bomb syria over ba shar al-assad's general title campaigns there against his own people, he was blocked by congress, including most republicans who expressed scepticism about this. >> both sides of congress put up a fight. ambassador, as a long time diplomat i would like to get your perspective on a new york time as store this week that says president obama keeps his distance from foreign leaders that he hasn't established the kind of strong, durham relationships with them that other presidents have.

how do you make diplomacy the priority without steaking those connections? >> that's good question. but i don't know i don't want to become. [ inaudible ] i know the man he's sin see he generates a lot of loyalty from hits staff i have found it easy to work with him and i think foreign leaders would as well. he may not be as a srufrpbg you lahr as either george w. bush or bill clinton but other presidents were at distance too. it's more his follow is as and evening his policies to go to professor fisher's points obama reacted quite strongly to what russia did in the ukraine, for example, he's put heavy u.s. armor, abrams tanks in the baltic states, the german news has this all over it. we don't hear it from him he doesn't make news with this. he doesn't tell the american people he's doing it. and this sends a signal even when he does the right thing are he has second thoughts or doubts or doesn't want to actually explain to the american people that sometimes you have to use

military force. and thus it loses its did deterrent value. >> going back to the relationship. the relationship with putin has been chilly at best. and has that more adversarial relationship with rauch had consequences from ukraine to the middle eel and some are calling a new cold war? >> it's possible. but this is something that putin has started. it's true that the united states should have probably sat down with russia a decade ago and hammered out some sort of agreement that would respect russian and american interests in the region in europe in particular and that didn't happen. but personal is dealing with a russian president who is being extremely assertive, who is breaking with us previous policy of being much more cautious on the world stage. 12 i think he's doing about the best that he can. we need to remember the europeans are strongly opposed to any measures by the united states going i don't understand sanctions when the united states talks about aiding the ukrainian

military directly the europeans don't support it. it's difficult for president obama to intervene more forcefully in you ukraine than he's doing right now or to rachet up sanctions without european support we need to keep that -- >> can i get one-word answers from both of you. what is the biggest foreign policy succeed and failure first you ambassador? >> success has been securing more or less afghanistan at least until the end of his administration. the failure is explaining to the american people where he thinks he is going with iran. there is great confusion even among those of us who have some expertise and follow this closely. northern one word but that's it. >> proprofessor. >> i largely agree with the ambassador biggest success is getting out of afghanistan. biggest failure is explaining to his follow is a to the american people, let's remember it isn't just a foreign policy problem.

president obama could do much better p.r. for himself with his policies across the board unlike the ambassador i don't think it indicates that he whiff indicates about the wisdom of his own poly or doesn't believe it, i think he's not a at that irrelevantbly good communicator and i would add that the united states' president teaming is much higher on the world stage than it was under president bush. >> james jeffrey steven fish, pleasure to have you with us thank you. >> fascinating conversation. we go to the fighters in ukraine's war zone. >> the ceasefire so a razors edge, while both sides agree on who will strike first. >> having survived famine and escape from north kariya, these refugees are learning the truth about a nation they were taught was their enemy.

welcome back to al jazerra. coming up in this half hour of international news the struggle of migrants in greets, a cash-strapped country that's been flooded with 10s of thousands of people every year. >> also a fashion exhibit that broke records in new york makes its long-awaited london debut. >> a manhunt is under way at this hour for the gunman that shot two police officers at aal rally in ferguson missouri. they were struck just after midnight during a mostly peaceful demonstration. both officers were treated and released from a local hospital, the protest came just hours after ferguson's police chief resigned. attorney general eric holder had harsh words for the shooter. >> what happened last night was a pure ambush. this was not someone trying to bring healing to ferguson. that was a damn punk. punk, who was trying to soft ew discord in an area that is trying to get its act together

and trying to bring together a community that that has been fractured for too long. >> here a look at amateur video shot when the shots were fired. reinforcements are on hands for more row tests tonight. the st. louis police and national guard took over. an american healthcare worker tested positive for ebola the individual was volunteering in sierra leone. no other information was released on the patients the health worker is said to rife in mayor tomorrow for treatment. the international monetary funds is not convinced the fighting over in ukraine it says the economy there faces exceptionally high-risk. the i.m.f. has lent the ukrainian government $17.5 billion brokered more than $20 billion from other source to his keep the country out of bankruptcy. one of the founders of the makeshift separatist government has told al jazerra that the conflict rest on his a knife's

edge, john hendon takes to us -- to their eastern strong hold in donetsk where they expect a new offensive. >> reporter: think as daily bullets and mortars break the silence of a fragile ceasefire in eastern ukraine both side say they are bracing for major military offensive that could come at any time. >> translator: the ukrainian side has not withdrawn heavy weapons and now we are balance on the ground a razor's edge of a new military conflict. >> reporter: the head of the separatist parliament says ukrainian troops would likely be to blame for provoke a new onslaught. >> translator: in this conflict it's ukraine culpable. any firing towards residential areas of donetsk would lead the situation to explode in an instant. >> reporter: do you have reason to believe that that might happen? >> translator: yes, certainly. it hasn't just happened once or twice over six months, we have had many civilian casualties. >> reporter: so all it would

take is for one more mortar to land here in the separatist capital of donetsk for rebel force to his feel justified in launching an assault. not far way on the front lines ukrainian troops too tell us they expect an assault and they are convinced it's pro-russian separatists who will launch it. >> translator: in this village there are spotters for the so-called rebels. and mortar operators from the russian army. now we are strengthening the trenches preparing to respond to their attack. >> reporter: each sides accuses the other of violating the ceasefire and a ban on heavy weapons, but both seem to agree that it is rebel forces shown here train this is week, that would launch a new offensive. while the rebels say they want the ceasefire to hold, there might be military reasons for them to launch a new battle. the u.s. intelligence firm strait four sees three potential scenarios rebels could take the strategic port city of mariupol and create a land bridge from rauch to crimea annexed by

russia last year. or they could take ukraine's entire southern coast connecting russia with mall dope tko*ef a's breakaway republic where 2000 russian troops are already stationed. in the most ambitious and least likely scenario, pro-russian separatists too call all eastern ukraine to the river. a plan they say would require 90,000 russian troops. >> there might be a higher likelihood that the rebels break the ceasefire because they were in a winning momentum whereas the government sources sources in kiev have more to gain by focusing on rebuilding the economy rather than focusing so much on the eastern parts of ukraine. >> reporter: a renewed conflict would further rattle the already traumatized restless difference eastern ukraine and an international community that has loudly lamented the conflict but has otherwise done little more than watch the crisis unfold. john hendon, al jazerra donetsk, eastern ukraine.

an average 50,000 migrants arrive in greece as refugees every year most are detained at the border now the government says its economy can no longer support migrants in search a better life. al jazerra reports greece is opening up detention centers and demands europe takes in its fair share of refugees. >> reporter: this is comfort food for mohamed a simple bread made from flour and water dipped in broccoli stew. he shares it with fellow fax stan i flat mates in the basement they call home on the outskirts of athens. he is trying to wash way the taste of the detention center where he's just spent nine months. and what happened there to another pakistani detainee. >> translator: he had been locked for 20 months, he was released and given a month to leave greece, but was arrested again. he told police needed to work and sends money moment to his mother and brother and sister. but they didn't listen. three hours after they brought him in. he hanged himself. >> reporter: the second suicide

in as many months here testament to the failure of a policy of indefinite detention for people that are not criminals it even applies for minor and asylum applicants flaunting europe's pretrial detention limb i have at type months was how greece dealt with immigrants. the council criticizes greece for detaining migrants for more than 18 months but the change in government has brought a change in policy. this camp is being wound down its immaterial mates are being released at a rate of 30 a day. they enjoy a six-month deportation waiver because they have no travel documents and enable authorities to deport them. in the you new left wing government is it thinking of turning detention center in to open camps allowing economic migrants for work if the fields. but greece faces an estimated 50,000 arrivals each year. many of them refugees, it wants our up to change the rules and allow people who need political protection to apply for asylum anywhere in europe. not just in greece. >> we are 10 million indigenous

people. plus a million migrants. this 10-1 ratio doesn't apply in other european countries. don't they see the problem? and in the middle of a crisis. it's not a question of racism, we just can't take anymore. >> reporter: under the conservatives, these camps were meant to act as a deterrents that plan failed because people fleeing war and poverty are ultimately willing to face detention, legal residents like that enjoyed by his friends is unlikely under such pressure even under a left wing government. he just hopes his luck will turn john, al jazerra athens. tonight we are going off the ray duh are with a look at the u.s. refugees resettlement program the largest program of eights kind in the world. >> in just the last year, nearly 70,000 refugees landed on american soil. >> the largest number by far iraqs, many more arrived from afghanistan, me myanmar and war-torn parts of african we don't often hear about one of the smallest groups. >> only eight north korean

refugees made it to the united states in the 2014 fiscal year. many of them suffer from culture shock going from the totalitarian rule of communist pyongyang to the nural us tick democracy of capitalist america. so sometimes fitting in isn't easy melissa chan has one family's story from los angeles. >> reporter: in their small apartment, they prepare breakfast. their children 14 and alice 9 get up for school. the daily morning routine at the kim households, though, is never taken for granted. because the kims are north koreans. who fled during famine. >> translator: one by one people died from starvation, including neighbors, i had no choice, i wanted to live so i deflected. >> reporter: anywhere from a quarter million to over 3 million people died in the mid 1990s. the kims lost both their sons. >> translator: people don't really understand what it means to die in hunger it's impossible

understand something like unless they have experience it had themselves. >> reporter: one day they both born after the kims escaped will learn that their parents had another life and other children. but for now, they have chosen to say little. >> translator: i don't want to share our story with my children yet. our past is isn't important to them. i want them to start a enough life. i don't want our past to cast a shadow over their lives. >> reporter: some three or 400 north koreans live in the united states. few come in part because of the daunting task of learning english, but also because a lifetime of propaganda had taught many america was the enemy. the kims had no idea the opportunities the u.s. might pro side though an early attraction began when someone told them there is a lot of rice here. >> and i started having this dream to live in america.

i had this dream about raising children in the u.s. and giving them a better life. >> reporter: unlike other refugees, the kims chose not to live? south korea. most of the over 20,000 north korean refugees do. seoul provides financial assistance and programs to integrate them. but north koreans face disclaim nation there. >> translator: south korean society treats north koreans a certain way. i didn't want my children dealing with that. >> reporter: and so in the end a world away from north or south korea, was california. kim now works as a masseuse in a small shop in l.a.'s korea town. you have to imagine a north korean arriving here, you need to find a job you don't speak english, downtown have many skills what, about healthcare, health insurance evening the concept the insurance and how it works in the u.s. is something you would have to learn. from one of the most regimented closed countries in the worlds

where the government tells you how to live, what for say what to think only the most ends pricing might possibly reconcile themselves to something new. >> translator: coming from a communist country where everyone act like a machine, it's hard to adapt to this culture. we'll need a lot of time. >> reporter: some concepts stunneddal them. >> translator: you have freedom of expression in america i mean no one will bother you even if you bad mouth the president himself. >> reporter: liberty in north korea is one organization that has helped north korean refugees transition to the united states. while difficult, it's not impossible. >> the many north koreans that we have helped have vet go ahead in somewhat korean-american type communities and i so i think that has help the them. >> reporter: and if success doesn't come this generation, there is the next. >> translator: my children are going to school here in the u.s., they are growing up here, they are becoming americans. >> reporter: they both fluent in english, tell us the little they

do know. what do you know about north korea? >> nothing much since i haven't actually been in the country but i do know it's a terrible place to be. >> i know something. >> what is? >> it has a very, very, very terrible leader. that's all i know. >> reporter: what their parents do say to study hard. aim for college. and in that, the kim kids drive and energy takes right after their parents. but applied in a u.s. that ambition will produce a vastly different life and outcome. melissa chan, al jazerra, los angeles. joining us now greg he is the executive director of the community for human rights in north korea joining us live from d.c. sir, thanks for your time. just extraordinary to see those children, they are so american. i have to ask you, you know, i have spent some time in north kariya, a couple of days, how many north koreans want to get out and are able to? >> a lot of north koreans wants to get out. it's extraordinarily difficult

under the current circumstances. in order do consolidate the power of kim john un the north korean government has intensified the crack town on defections. the number of north korean did he factors resetting in south korea declined by 50% from 2011 to 2012. from about 2800 to just about 1500 that trend has continued. you newsed the word deflector, i i wanted to read a portion of this. a ref yi is defined as having a well founded fear of being persecuted in their country for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion. based on that definition, does that qualify almost all north korean did he folk tours for refugees status? >> absolutely they all share a well-founded fear of persecution

based on their political beliefs if they are seen as going against the regime. based on their religious beliefs if they have any and based on their belong to go one of the lower casts the lower classes in the north korean system of social classification. social discrimination based on loyalty to the regime. if forcibly repatriated they face extraordinarily harsh punishment imprisonment from two to five years if they came across south korean says, so christian missionaries any minnesota missionmichigan air is their punish isn't word. if they are north koreans who have become pregnant by south koreans, forced owe boringses and extreme sexual violence had a lot end enough china china say signator toy that 1951

convention but they also accepted a lot of north koreans back, they consider them illegals how do they justify fa that? >> certain they sends back about 5,000 every year, they claim that they are illegal economic migrants for reasons that can he discussed just one minute ago these refugees qualify as refugees on site. because they share this well-founded fear of persecution, because link the country without the government's approval is considered to be a criminal act in north korea. because they all face extraordinarily harsh punishment upon their forcible repatriation to north korea. >> and when these refugees leave, they are risking everything and they can never go back. >> that is correct. they face a lot of risks and what they also share is their craving for treat freedom. freedom from fear and freedom

from want. they want the freedom to a electric their open readers freedom to speak up their own minds and access information from the outside world. the freedom to seek economic opportunity and look after themselves and fair families . >> greg, executive director of the committee for human rights in north korea, thank you for joining us this evening. bargaining for lives on inter nearmindyear's death row. >> the agony of waiting to die. a first hand account of those sentenced to death in somalia.

a short delay for a mass execution planned in indonesia. an appeals courts put the executionses of two australians on hold for at least two weeks. 10 foreigners have been sentence today simultaneous deaths by firing squad for drug charges jakarta rejected an offer thursday to pie for the cost of impressing it's a citizens for life as an a al jazerra attorney

tiff other citizens from france, ghana, brazil and inning know, a. >> the death penalty has its proponents in every country. in somalia people are executed too hastily. >> they have executed 86 people in the last two years, 12 more than the united states. even though somalia has about 10 million people compared to more than 300 million in the u.s. al jazerra shows us what it's like for prisoners on death row in the somali city. >> reporter: there are more than 35 men in these cells think 29 will be shot dead in the coming weeks. he is one of them. a former government police officer, he is convicted of killing a young man. he is still coming to terms with his fate. >> translator: you can get the edges kings call any morning. that is what we spend our time waiting for. that's what my cell mates are also waiting for. it's the same for everyone who

is sentenced to death. >> reporter: in this 10-room prison there are more than 370 inmates. this is where he and the rest of the 28 prisoners on death ray spend their days, conditions are tough. there are always knowledge ends no ventilation, on the day of the execution they will be taken to a field two-kilometers from here where they will face a firing squad. their drives are lug dug, he is putting the final touch to his one, last year he buried more than 15 executed prisoners. >> translator: i feel a lot of sadness. it is not nice seeing human beings get executed right in front of you and then having to bury them. we don't like to do this job but we have to do it because we have no other way of supporting our families. with great sadness we bury them.

>> reporter: human rights groups have questioned somalia's justice system accusing authorities of carrying out quick executions. somali leaders deny this. >> translator: there is a process we follow. we take them to court and if they don't agree with the outcome, they are allowed to appeal. if they are not satisfied with the appeals court, they can take it to the high court. if the high court upholds the decision, they still have a chance if the family of their victims pardons them and sets them free. >> reporter: but as the grave digger waits for an execution he and his cell mates mo their days are numbered. al jazerra somalia. coming up, global views of the syrian conflict. >> plus the intersection of art and fashion in the world of designer alexander mcqueen. savage beauty the retrospective of his work still drawing thaws of fans five years after his death.

in our global view segment we look at how news outlets

across the globe are reacting to air yeahvarious stories tonight we look at syria. the headline in the guardian. is the op ed blasts what it calls the hostility of british government to syrian refugees, writing, quote not only is the u.k.'s hospitality at this miserly, our government behaves as if it thinks refugees should be brown drowned there order to deter others. >> the headline in germany is protection from death in the mediterranean. and the article says that a proposal to set up with welcome centers in north africa should not be rejected for cynical reasons and it would be cynical not to try something now to save lives. >> and on the iran nuclear organizations an article in india. titled is iran stealing india's thunder saying ice is providing

common ground and that a nuclear deal would be ayer approach. while benjamin netanyahu's concern about iran is understandable being his approach is out dated and unrealistic. >> from catwalk to museum display, london is showcasing the designs of late fashion eye won alexander mcqueen. before telephone opened it attracted 10s of thousands of people from around the world. >> reporter: the world of alexander mcqueen where fashion meets art. the creations stretch across 10 rooms with a different feel from driving intensity to eerie spookiness. the theatric i catwalk shows were what maids the did designer transcend all others. angry, raw emotion coupled with inning peck blyimmaterial peck bly made close fashion expert emma came along

to the show to explain what it was happening. >> people in the audience wouldn't be able to see inside the box just reflect wearings seeing ourself right now. >> reporter: then command? >> when the light changes, like it does right now, you can see in to the box the people on the inside of the box can't see out. and that's when you look at the clothes. >> reporter: and they are in sort of a padded cell. what was the theme what's going on? >> it's all about asylum and san tore yums, as you said it's a padded cell, zuck he that. >> reporter: the materials made be unorthodox, but the clothes are tailored perfectly. >> this dress is made of typy, tiny pheasants feathers that have been zone together in a really intricate amazingly tailored way and you can see here how nature and kind of the opposition between nature and culture were key themes in his work. >> reporter: savage beauty was first staged in 2011 in new york. about a year and a half after mcqueen's death. 650,000 people saw the show. the appeal goes beyond fashion

lovers. it's art as a tortured medium. created by a tortured genius. tickets have been sold all around the world for see this show. visitors are coming from the middle east, from asia, i have been told of a couple who live in moscow they queued for five hours to see this show in new york, didn't get in, and now they are making a specific trip to london for this show. it's hard to see the show without contemplating the poe fenpotential. where would mckean have taken the fashion if he had lived beyond 40. jessica baldwin, al jazerra london. tomorrow night secretary of state john kersey heading to egypt for a key economic conference how the international summit is meant to draw billions in investments and change egypt's image around the world. that is it for this edition of al jazerra america's international hour. >> thanks for watching "america tonight" is up next. i'll sue again in an hour.

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