Tag: state violence

Non-violence in times of war: Protest and resilience in Jeju, South Korea

Re-blog from the Intrepid Report

Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ People take meals during protest in front of construction gates. For more photos of protest by Cho Sung-Bong, see here.

Non-violence in times of war: Protest and resilience in Jeju, South Korea

by Carole Reckinger

April 16, 2013

In the midst of warmongering and a worsening of tensions between North and South Korea, a group of peace activists is continuing its non-violent struggle against the construction of a naval base on the island of Jeju, South Korea.

Tensions between North and South Korea are not new and the importance of building the base have been repeatedly put forward by the South Korean government as playing an important role in coastal defense. It claims the naval base must be completed and put into service as soon as possible in order to react quickly to any further military provocations by North Korea.

Since 2007, the small fishing village of Gangjeong has led a non-violent resistance against the construction of a naval base right next to a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Despite 94% of the villagers having opposed the base in a referendum, the government has not respected the wish of the people concerned and seems to be buckling under the pressure of corporate conglomerates and the weight of the United States’ wish for an increased presence in the Pacific.

In November last year, I spent a month in Gangjeong village. Day after day, I observed the disproportionate police reaction to the non-violent blockade of the entrance to the construction site and. The most striking feature of the protest was the protesters’ resilience. Young and old and from a multitude of social backgrounds, despite their bruised bodies, the odds stacked against them and the risk of high fines or imprisonment, they kept returning to the front of the gate to fight for what they believe is right. But since tensions have been rising with the North, police crackdown has become more severe and more protesters have been arrested.

‘Professional troublemakers’

From the time the construction of the base was announced, activists, Catholic priests and nuns, Protestant pastors, law professors, teachers, artists, writers, families and students from all around South Korea have joined the villagers’ protest. In order to hinder and delay construction, protesters file lawsuits and press for a reconsideration of the project nationwide, but also regularly block the entrance to the construction site with their bodies, chain themselves to anything available and go on hunger strikes. The fight against the naval base currently mobilizes more than 125 non-governmental organizations across South Korea and more than a hundred abroad [1].

The reasons for which activists from across South Korea and abroad oppose the base are manifold. They include calls for environmental protection, social justice, demilitarization and non-violence. Support for the anti-base movement at the national level is limited, one reason being that the mainstream media has not picked up the topic. When it has, it has portrayed the activists as troublemakers and has tried to discredit them. In times of heightened tensions with the North, calls for demilitarzation, peaceful resolution of conflict and the protest against military bases are heavily criticized, and the Gangjeong protesters are insulted as undermining the security of the state and being pro-North Korean agitators.

The protest demographics, however, invalidate accusations of professional trouble-making as the movement is composed of housewives, taxi drivers, teachers, farmers and students, from all ages and social backgrounds. Many activists in Gangjeong, are members of pro-disarmament and peace groups/networks, and clearly oppose a militarization of the ‘Peace island.’ When Jeju last hosted a military base in 1948, 30,000 people were killed, 40,000 houses burnt down and 90,000 people made homeless (with a population of 300,000 at the time), as the government sought to quell an uprising led by a small group of alleged communist insurgents.

Only in 2003 did the South Korean government apologize. President Roh Moo-Hyun called the massacre, which became known as the April 3rd incident, a “violation of human rights by the state.” He declared Jeju the “Island of World Peace.” But the official peace rhetoric was short lived. Only four years later, the same President finalized plans for the naval base on Jeju. “We do not understand why South Korea, with more than 100 military installations, still needs another military base,” says the mayor of Gangjeong. “We are not convinced by the argument that this naval base will enhance the security of our country” [2].

The ROK Navy already operates seven naval bases in South Korea and the Republic of Korea Armed Forces is the sixth largest army in the world. [3] Since the end of the Korean War, South Korea has a joint military partnership with the United States through the US-ROK Mutual Defense Treaty. South Korea relies on its security partnership with the United States to protect itself from external threats, most notably North Korea.

A new tactic of discouragement

In the midst of the growing tension between North and South, demilitarisation and peace messages will not be given much space in the national discourse and the mainstream media. The risk is high that security arguments will be used to crack down on the peace workers and smother the years old struggle to an end.

During the long years of dictatorship, dissent and civil disobedience would have been met with bloody repression. Today, the government is not in a position to use such deadly violence on its people and uses other tactics. Since the start of the construction, around 700 arrests have been made with 500 indictments and 22 people imprisoned. However, following the presidential election of Park Geun-hye in December 2012, fines against the protesters have been soaring. The total amount of fines for anti-base protest has reached approximately US$450,000 in addition to damage compensation fees of approximately US$280,000. Between January and mid-February 2013 alone, around 100 people went on trial and were sentenced to combined total fines of US$90,000 [4]. This seems to be the government’s newest tactic to discourage protesters from taking part in the protest. This is a much more discreet but just as effective method of repression.

It is clear that in the eyes of the government, the local community’s livelihood and the natural and human resources on which it depends come second to geo-strategic and corporate economic interests. The current North-Korean military threats will further undermine the nonviolent protest against the militarization of Jeju and the government seems prepared to use all levels of state power to go ahead with the project, from massive executive reinforcement to legal and political measures. With all the media attention focused on the war rhetoric, the fight of the Gangjeong activists is at risk of being forgotten.

Notes

1. Information retrieved from www.savejejunow.org
2. Personal interview conducted 19 November 2012 in Gangjeong, South Korea
3. Quoted in Republic of Korea Armed Forces, Wikipedia entry, Retrieved from www.wikipedia.orghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Korea_Armed_Forces
4. Gangjeong Village story (feb 2013), severe judicial oppression fought with healing hands

April 18, 2013
“Where there is oppression, there is uprising!”: Another activist to be imprisoned

1. Mr. Kim Young-Jae, a peace activist was illegally arrested and got the arrest warrant.

Photo by Park Yong-Sung/ Mr. Kim Young-Jae was arrested on April 12, 2013.

On April 12, Mr. Kim Young-Jae, a dedicated Gangjeong peace activist and a member of the SPARK (Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea) was arrested. He was standing in front of a truck around 1 pm in protest to illegal environment-destroying construction (destruction). His arrest marked the 2^nd arrest this year, following the April 8 arrest of Mr. Bae Gi-Chul, representative of the Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for the Realization of Peace Island (Pan-Island committee afterward). Mr. Bae was released next night.

On April 14, the prosecutors filed for an arrest warrant against Mr. Kim Young-Jae and the Jeju court issued it against him around 2 pm. With prof. Yang Yoon-Mo who hits his 74th prison day as of April 14, 2013, Mr. Kim became another current prisoner. The total numbers of imprisonment became 24.

Mr. Park Young-Sung, a fellow activist, has reported on April 12 that the arrest on Mr. Kim Young-Jae was illegal and unreasonable. He reasoned that:

1. Even though Mr. Kim left the site after the police’s 2^nd request for leaving, the police obstinately and illegally arrested him

2. Even though another activist with a sign stayed longer than Mr. Kim, sitting on chair in front of the truck, the police arrested only Mr. Kim.

Photo by Park Yong-Sung on April 12/ Mr. Kim Young-Jae holds a sign

It should be mentioned that Mr. Kim Young-Jae has been remarkably dedicated activist responsible for coordinating activists in Gangjeong, as well as being a member of the SPARK that has been targeted by the government for years. He was also one of the five who climbed up to a caisson dock in Hwasoon in protest to naval base construction on the opening day of 2012 WCC (World Conservation Congress) Jeju, Sept. 6, 2012.

Photo source: Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyeon’s tweeter/ Mr. Kim Young-Jae being detained in the Dongbu Police station, Jeju City on April 14.

2. “Where there is oppression, there is uprising!”

Amid the people’ fury for the arrest of Mr. Kim, a big trailer advanced into a gate of the naval base project committee building complex 30 minutes later of his arrest on April 12. The trailer was ignorant and uncouth to load its heavy weight on a small road in front of gate. There were risks that protesting people might be injured or some of them could be arrested, too…

In the afternoon, there were also Pan-Island committee activists who visited Gangjeong for protest after their press conference in the morning, which was on the environmental destruction for the naval base construction (destruction). The police forcefully encircled them with physical force, too. However, as the words that ‘where there is oppression, there is uprising, stated by people during 4·3 uprising are still remembered by many people, more people will rise up against bigger government oppression . The aspiration for peace would be greater.

On April 12, a big trailer advanced into a gate. For more photos, see here.

The Pan Island committee’s banner reads, “The Jeju Island government should promptly demand stop on the navy’s illegal construction!
Immediately carry out joint investigation on the ecology affect following illegal construction(destruction)!”

A Jeju activist stops a truck, April 12, 2013

Police forcefully encircling protesting activists on April 12, 2013

Photo and caption by Cho Sung-Bong (site) / The sign reads… “Police, there can be no difference between you and [the oppression force during the 4·3! At the time of 4·3, people’s public sentiments exploded! Ignoring the public opinion that cause should be healed, U.S. captain Brown (* Commander of the US military of Jeju then) killed more than 30,000 Island people, led by military and police, saying, “ I am not interested in the cause of the uprising. My mission is to crack down only.”

The content is clearly exhibited in the Peace Memorial Hall of the Jeju April 3 Peace Park.

Trucks and police were coming every 30 minutes…

(video by Pang Eun-Mi on April 12)

Photo and caption by Cho Sung-Bong/ “How can you endure this tough world without dance?,” she/he asked. You may dance if you love. For more photos by Cho Sung-Bong, see here.

People who can’t leave the gate.. photo by Cho Sung-Bong. For more photos, see here.

April 14, 2013
“We will build a peace barricade in the Gangjeong village,” People’s joint statement for the succession of the Jeju 4.3 uprising spirit

The below is a translation of the Korean statement on April 1. See here.

To see the programs of events during the remembering period of the Jeju 4.3 uprising, see here.

Campaign image made by 3 organizations upon the 65th anniversary of 4.3. The signs read: ‘Flower for peace instead gun and sword, now…’ ‘Succession of the Jeju 4.3 uprising spirit! Revocation of the Jeju naval base project!’ and ‘Yes, ‘True Peace.’ Now!’

People’s joint statement on April 1

For the succession of the Jeju 4.3 uprising spirit:

“We will build a peace barricade in the Gangjeong village.”

The coming April 3^rd is a day when the painful memory of the Jeju is revived.

First of all, we express our hearts to cherish the memory of numerous lives that have fallen down without names in Jeju 65 years ago.

The Jeju 4·3 is a history of uprising against wrong power.

Now the history of 4·3 should be transformed into a new history for human rights and peace.

However, upon the 65^th anniversary of 4·3, it is questionable whether true peace is sprouting in the Korean society. The recent political situation surrounding the Korean peninsula has not been transformed into the era of Peace. The situation is running up into confrontation phase for the word of ‘war’ as to being spoken in everybody’s lips.

Gangjeong is already 4▪3.

By wrong state power, even basic democracy has been violated. .

Under the pretense of so called ‘national security,’ numerous peace has been broken and beaten.

As if it is not enough that more than 600 Gangjeong villagers and peace activists are dealt as if they are ‘criminals,’ [the state power] is barring people’s just struggle with ‘bombs of fines.”

True peace should be blossomed by peaceful methods.

To save peace with guns and swords is ultimately to destroy peace.

We resolutely oppose that [the state power] builds a military stronghold not the peace stronghold zone and that [the Jeju] become a powder magazine of the northeast Asia.

We urge to Park Geun-Hye government.

We strongly oppose the solo play and self-righteousness of the Park Geun-Hye government who only repeats its position that it would complete the Jeju naval base in a suitable time while it lays aside its tasks on the settlements on conflicts.

What is needed in Jeju is ‘the peace as it is now,’ not ‘the 2^nd Hawai’i’ that the government of Park Geun-Hye promotes.

Please stop the naval base construction in Gangjeong if you think of true peace.

You should stop the wrong naval base construction if you concern about residents’ conflicts and are to truly settle conflicts.

We urge to the Island governor, Woo Keun-Min.

You, Woo Keun-Min Island governor has said that you would wipe off the Gangjeong villagers’ tears upon your being elected as an Island governor. .

.

However, Woo Keun-Min Island governor could not stop the Gangjeong villagers’ tears by now.

Not to mention siding with the Gangjeong villagers, he became to side with various illegality, shortcut method, and law-evasiveness that have occurred during the Jeju naval base construction. He should be clearly aware that he is making the villagers bleed with bloody tears.

Woo Keun-Min, the Island governor, should actively step for the stop of the Jeju naval base construction if he properly thinks of the future of the Jeju, now.

We appeal to the citizens.

The struggle against the naval base in Gangjeong is not finished yet. The cry for peace will not stop.

The Jeju naval base construction is not the end and it is merely a start of the militarization of the Jeju Island that would be extended into air force base and supply bases.

We will start the practical camapign for peace to revive the Jeju as the Island of Peace and herb of Peace, not as the Island for the cold war, confrontation, and war-preparation.

The Gangjeong villagers, civic society groups, and peace and human rights activists will resist and take solidarity to stop the Jeju naval base construction.

We will also gather our power and wisdom with the Gangjeong villagers and Jeju Island people so that the Gangjeong village can be transformed into the village of Life and Peace not into the powder magazine that threatens the Peace of the northeast Asia.

The various social fields will make effort for the Gangjeong village to be the stronghold of the peace movement by building barricade of peace in the Gangjeong village

As it is the cry of the not-succumbing history 65 years, we will make solidarity to the end.

Please be with us.

April 1, 2013

Gangjeong Village Association

Jeju pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for the Realization of Peace Island

The National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island

April 2, 2013
Workers connect 4•3 and Gangjeong

Succession of the spirit of the Jeju 4•3 uprising! ‘Workers’ Peace Cultural festival,’ March 30, 2013.

It has been more than a decade that the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions visited the Island for the remembrance of 4•3 every year. It was this year, too. And it has been years that the organization visited the Gangjeong village to express their support and solidarity to the people there in opposition to the Jeju naval base construction. The workers are aware that Gangjeong is the very site of the 2nd 4•3.

The KCTU states in its press release. You can see its longer Korean script, here:

‘The Jeju 4.3 uprising is the Jeju Island people’s resistance and uprising that occurred by the starting point of police firing incident on March 1, 1947 under the division and U.S. Army Military Government ruling after the liberation of Korea. Since the armed group of the Jeju branch of the Workers Party of South Korea rose up on April 3rd, 1948, numerous people were sacrificed in the Jeju Island during the process of armed conflicts between the armed group and subjugation army and of the latter’s subjugation process, until the restriction areas in the Halla Mt. were totally opened on Sept. 21, 1954.

This year when the Cease Fire Agreement of the cold war and confrontation system hits 60th anniversary, and today when war crisis is higher than ever in the Korean peninsula, along with the above, we are to gather the workers’ resolution to succeed the spirit of the Jeju 4•3 people’s uprising and to realize complete peace and homeland unification.

No war! Starting from the Jeju Island, we are to fully fill 2013 with the outcry of the workers in every place of nation from the Halla Mt. to B aekdu Mt, based on our powerful will and resolution for peace and unification.’

Stop the oppression on the unions!

Abolish the structured lay-off on the irregular workers!

Total revocation of the Jeju naval base project!

Image source: Sisa Jeju, March 31/ In his solidarity speech, Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun stated that even though 65 years have passed since the occurrence of the Jeju 4•3, state violence is continuing and the Jeju naval base project, so called a national security policy, is being enforced without people’s support.

The program was:

Succeession of the spirit of the Jeju 4•3 uprising! Peace Pilgrim

_ Date/ time: 10:30 am to 6 pm, March 30, Sat., 2013

_Venue: Jeju areas (Pilgrim on the remains of the Jeju 4•3 uprising)

Succession of the spirit of the Jeju 4•3 uprising! Workers’ Peace Cultural festival

_ Date/ time: 8 pm to 9 pm, March 30, Sat., 2013

_Venue: Entrance of the Gangjeong Village (Village scoccer field)

Succession of the spirit of the Jeju 4•3 uprising! Nationwide Workers’ rally

_Date/ time: At 2pm, March 31, Sun

_Venue: In front of the Jeju City Hall (march to Gwandeokjeong)

Workers’ Peace Cultural festival in the Gangjeong village(made by Peace Nomad)

The event was composed of people’s speeches, songs, and dances. One of the songs in the video is titled

“A Sleepless Island in the South,” (lyric and composition by Ahn Chi-Hwan), which is the song on the tragedy of 4•3

The people in Gangjeong raised some struggle funds by selling books to the workers. The book, titled, “Peace blossoming in Tears,” published last year, is on the 17 villagers’ life stories written by 17 writers. It is a great book that helps people understand the life and struggle of the villagers.

March 31, 2013
Leave us for farming!: Villagers succeed to dissipate the navy presentation on the military residential housing project

Image source: Seogwipo Daily Newspaper, March 26, 2013

“Even though the naval base construction has not been completed, the navy is again raging wind with the matter of the military residence house in the Gangjeong village. The naval base would bring lots of conflicts such as radar base, helipad, powder magazine, training facilities, military airport, and more and more military residential house projects..”

How does the navy push the projects that accompany the large size land expropriation again when the tears of the Gangjeong villagers have not been dried yet for already large size land expropriation to build the naval base!

If it is a society where the powerless’ rights are repeatedly violated, even though the land expropriation is legal by the Act on Acquisition of and Compensation for Land, ETC. for Public Works, it is a society that has lost its justice.’

(Translated quotation from the statement by the Gangjeong Village Association, March 25, 2013: Source)

In July 2012, the government expropriated 132,460 ㎡ for the whole base project land area of 277,604 ㎡. At the time, 64 among 103 landowners had refused to sell their lands to the navy.

The expropriated lands included the best floriculture export complex in Korea. The government has acknowledged the Gangjeong floriculture export complex as the best floriculture–specialized production area in 2009 and 2010-the only Jeju region that got two years’ continuous honor on it by the central government.

The expropriated complex was 49,500 ㎡, more than 42 % of the whole Gangjeong floriculture complex (115,500 ㎡). See the source. For on the matter of the injustice on the land expropriation, as a whole, please come by later.

The navy planned to hold a presentation on the military residence housing project in the KimJung Culture Hall, Seogwipo City at 5 pm on March 26, 2013, but it was dissipated again in 10 minutes by about 100 Gangjeong villagers and peace keepers who stormed into the hall.

The villagers have already dissipated its hearing on May 29 and June 15, 2012. The navy plans to build an apartment of about 616 households in the 99,500 ㎡ in the B area by 2015. For that, they planned to build 384 households first in about 594,000 ㎡ there. The B area is composed of more than 60% rice paddies and fields, the best farming field of the village.

See the source

The villagers strongly denounced the navy saying “we did not receive an official letter from you,” “It is nothing but to say that we, villagers should die if you rob of our farming lands,” “Does it make sense that the navy who has said that it would co-exist with the local residents is to trample down us again by unilaterally holding a presentation?”

Despite that, the navy made a woman to hold a mike and speak that ‘the presentation starts now,’ bringing tremendous fury from the villagers and peace keepers. Eventually, the navy could not but acknowledge that the presentation was dissipated in 10 minutes. The navy is told to have originally thought that it would finish in 30 minutes.

Image: headline Jeju, March 26, 2013/ The navy’s presentation material was torn by the villagers.

The villagers and peace keepers made a strong unity again to stop the military base to enter into their Peace Island, to inherit the descendent the nature, culture, and history of the ‘Il-Gangjeong: The best village,’ of more than 450 years old in Jeju. Watch the video made by the Peace Nomad that made it on behalf of Dungree, the video maker who was jailed on March 25. (Source)

‘It reminds me 2007 when the Gangjeong village was chosen as a naval base construction area. At the time the navy drove the naval base construction project, [falsely] asserting that the villagers decided to install it even though the navy did not have any necessary reason to do it.” [..] It is a 65^th anniversary of the 4.3 period again in a week. If the navy pushes the Jeju society with division and conflict again to enforce the military residential house in the Gangjeong village, the 4.3 spirits will never forgive them.” (Translated quotation from Prof. Shin Yong-In, Professor of the Law School, Jeju University: Source) You can see some photos of March 26 here and here. Here, two people are introduced. Here is a navy commander, Soong Moo-Jin (right in the photo)

Song Moo-Jin (left in the photo), the navy commander, employed in the naval base project appeared in the presentation on march 26.

After the Korean Presidential election on Dec. 19, 2012, some navy strategist have been (re)employed to take dividing strategies against the villagers. One of them is a man called Song Moo-Jin, who was in chrage of planning in the naval base project committee in the earlier period and now a navy commander.

He has entered the village in the beginning period of struggle, 2007 and had a role to decoy some villagers, eventually breaking the community. At the time, he was a lieutenant commander but a commander, now, after a service in the SSU (special salvation unit). His works included the followup of the Cheonan ship incident. It was coincident that the navy presentation and the 3^rd anniversary of the Cheonan ship incident was on the same day. But is it just coincident? Wasn’t the navy planning to mislead people to remind the patriotism, blah, blah?

Image source: Yonhap News, 2012/ Song Moo-Jin (left in the photo)

Video maker Dungree has made a video on his returning to the village on Jan. 24. See here. In the video, villagers are strongly criticizing him as soon as they saw he was stepping into the village. In the video, a man of dark green jumper. Song has greatly denounced by people when he sneaked into the Korean facebook called, “Gangjeong people” and made a pro-base propaganda on March 3, 2012. He was soon removed out from the group. Here is another navy.

The person in the right of the photo is a Captain Yoon Seok-Han. He was one of the representatives of the government side in the 3^rd contact group meeting on Sept. 14, 2013, during the 2012 WCC Jeju from Sept. 6 to 15, 2012. You can see his face better in the video. He was the one who made remarkable remarks that ‘it is not right that the Gangjeong village and government talk on an equal position.” It was a remark that thoroughly ignores local autonomy and democracy. ( See related Korean script)

Image source: Headline Jeju, March 26, 2013

Both men were in civilian costumes. There were no pro-base side personnel who were in the military costume. There appeared also a man from the Daelim Industry who was often it working hat and cloth.

Pro-base people after the presentation was dissipated on March 26, 2013

2. In the Gangjeong filed, the struggles by Catholic fathers and activists went on.

When most people went to the navy’s presentation for protest, Fr. Mun kept the main gate. The main gate opened again on the World Water day, March 22. The people have now to keep both gates in front of the naval base project building complexes and main gate.

Fr. Mun kept a main gate from the entry of construction trucks, March 26, 2013

Fr. Kim Jeong-Wook replaced Fr. Mun Jeong –Hyeon.

A picket made for Dungree, 4th day of his imprisonment as of March 28

The entry/exit of construction trucks went on even in the night.

March 28, 2013
Report from UK: Benjamin Monnet’s SOAS Speech

Image: UK Gangjeong solidarity Team

Report on Benjamin Monnet’ s SOAS speech on March 21

By Andrew, UK Gangjeong solidarity team

This month SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) University of London, hosted Benjamin Monnet to talk about the struggle against the Jeju naval base, sponsored by the ‘Save Jeju Island’ student society. Benj, as he is known to his many friends, lived in Gangjeong village for ten months, joining the resisting the naval base and bringing the issue to the attention of international media. He was a valued and loved member of the village peace community, but last year was deported suddenly, violently and illegally by a South Korean government clearly worried by his non-violent acts to defend the Gureombi from detonation.

He arrived in London from his hometown in France the day before his talk and came straight to SOAS, meeting other students involved in the ‘Save Jeju Island’ society. Immediately he was engaging with students, inviting them to the event and helping our team put posters around the student union. A real ‘hands on’ guest speaker! We shared a delicious Indian curry provided free by Hari Krishna devotees on the campus. Benj, who is now based in Nepal, said the food made him feel at home.

Image: UK Gangjeong solidarity team

The talk the next day was attended by twenty five students, from the UK, South Korea, Japan, Norway, Italy and Tahiti. Benj’s desire was to ‘generate some inspiration’, and he did so speaking in his warm, calm French accent. But behind this softly spoken man there is a strong passion for justice, and for harmony among all people and nature. There is anger too at the destruction and injustice taking place at Gangjeong. He showed film of the navy’s ramming of Save Our Seas team kayaks, in which he narrowly missed being killed ( * See the English article, here), and described, when asked by audience members, the events leading up to the deportation that has separated him from his partner, and the people and place he loves. But he was careful to not make himself the focus of a talk about that is fundamentally about the struggle against greed and militarism. He is uncomfortable with the ‘activist’ label – “I’m not sure what I am, but I know I am human and I have a heart”. Without saying it directly, he was challenging the audience to examine their own hearts in relation to the Gangjeong issue.

Video by Jeju Sori TV on March 8, 2012

Benj is keen from the outset that his talk should be a dialogue, not a monologue, and encourages a relaxed atmosphere where people are free to contribute and question. Many students express despair about the ongoing construction. ‘Is it really possible to stop the base?’ ‘What about all the work that’s already completed?’ He dismisses the defeatism behind such questions with a smile. ‘Of course it’s possible. Where there’s a will there’s a way – but we need your help. Don’t worry about the work that’s already done, that can be removed. Korean people work fast!’

Image: UK Gangjeong solidarity team

There is a lively discussion about North Korea, but Benj makes sure people know that the base is related to China. He says that in terms of kilo wattage, the US will have the equivalent of 12,000 Hiroshima bombs on Jeju Island. ‘One was enough, huh?’ A Korean student expresses strong support for the naval base as he thinks it is about self defence. Benj listens patiently and respectfully, but then challenges the student. ‘If I point a gun at your head, is that self defence? Is this how you should treat your neighbour?’ It’s a response that he makes several times when he meets young Koreans in London who have the same view about national defence. ‘Some people are a bit shocked when I pretend to hold a gun to their head’ he remarks, ‘but sometimes we need to shock people. Some people are sleeping, and they need to be woken up!’

Many people were reluctant to leave after the event, and stayed continuing discussions. Benj warmly suggested everyone go together for dinner, so ten of us went to ‘Naru’, a Korean restaurant near the university. We enjoyed making new friendships over delicious food. Being with many Korean students, and engaging with the friendly staff made Benj visibly happy. ‘Oh I’ve missed the energy of Korean people!’ he said, beaming with a big smile.

Image: UK Gangjeong solidarity team

Unfortunately his planned visit to Wales to meet with British peace campaigner Angie Zelter, who was also arrested with Benj at the time of his deportation, and who is now barred from entering South Korea, could not go ahead due to heavy snow. Benji used his extra time in London to meet with an independent film maker, who had attended his talk, and who is working on a documentary on South Korea. He also made contact with a professor in another UK university who was keen to invite Benj to speak about the Jeju naval base. While at SOAS we met political rapper ‘Lowkey’, who asked lots of questions about the situation in Jeju, and the US military in South Korea, and took away Gangjeong Village news letters.

On a personal level, I was happy to spend more time Benj and deepen our friendship. We had lots of interesting discussions, and some pretty funny ones too. Over another Korean dinner, and some very good makkoli, we celebrated the great news that Yang Yoon Mo had ended this 52 day hunger strike in jail, and agreed this should encourage us to work harder for the ‘Free Yang Yoon Mo’ campaign.

It was great to have Benji with us in London. He definitely generated inspiration, and he continues the fight for Gangjeong, waking people up so they might join us.

Image: UK Gangjeong solidarity team

(Thanks so much, UK Gnagjeong solidarity team for the report and photos)

March 27, 2013
44% dismissal rate regarding arrest warrants! Stop judicature oppression!

Source/ Press conference in front of the Prosecutors’ Office, Seoul, simultaneously held with that of Jeju on March 21, 2013

Press conference in front of the Prosecutors’ Office, Jeju, simultaneously held with that of Seoul on March 21, 2013

It is a translation of people’s statement on March 21, 2013. You can see the original Korean script, here.

March 21 Press Statement

We denounce the prosecutors’ brutality to oppress the Gangjeong village!

: The dismissal rate of the arrest warrants regarding the incidents in the Gangjeong village is 44%

: The written arrangements and arrest warrants are manipulated with lies and distortions

In the research on the ‘Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2012‘ reported by the Transparency International (TI) on Dec. 5, 2012, the Republic of Korea (ROK: South Korea) got the 45^th among 176 nations, two steps down from a year ago. The ROK headquarter of the TI stated that “The result this time is because of the prosecutors that got the bottom in the examination on the CPI.” The prosecutors matter because they pretend that they are the guardians for capital and power not for citizens. The very example appears in their measures on the ‘opposition movement against the Jeju naval base project.’

The navy’s illegal and law-evasive behaviors during the drive process for the Jeju naval base project have been exposed through the audit on the government affairs in 2012. While opposing against an illegal project is citizens’ natural rights and duties, the prosecutors, saying ‘it is a legal project with no problem,’ in their written arrangement, quibbled to strictly punish the citizens that have opposed the Jeju naval base project while giving an indulgence to the project interspersed with illegality and law-evasiveness.

During the process against the Jeju naval base project, 38 arrest warrants have been claimed since April, 2011 to the current. Among them, 16 have been dismissed ( 44% dismissal rate while the avarage dissimisal rate of the Prosecutors’ claims in 2012 was 20.5%). It shows how the Jeju Prosecutors have unreasonably wielded their judicuture power by now. The bigger problem is that tremendous parts of even the cited arrest warrants are filled with lies

For example, in their arrest warrants on July 3, 2012 against Mr. Kim who was arrested for his crane sit-in in protest of ‘uninstalled silt-protectors,’ on June 30, 2012, they stipulated that “since double silt-protectors were completely installed, there is no possibility of floating materials in the vicinity sea. However there has been not once that double silt protectors have been installed in the Gangjeong Sea observed of the regulations in the environmental impact assessment. Moreover, on July 2, just one day before the arrest warrant against Kim, the Jeju Island governor, sending an official letter to the joint chief of naval operation, had directed him to “resume construction after carrying out restoration construction on silt protectors and then receiving the Island government inspection on it.” The fact that the prosecutors manipulated arrest warrants against Kim, ignoring navy’s such illegality but representing only the positions of the construction companies, shows the current status of the prosecutors. Such cases are not limited to one or two.

It is not only in case of arrest warrants. The ‘written arrangements’ are also filled with various lies and distorted facts. The prosecutors defined a citizen who has not done even one-man protest in the Gangjeong field as ‘a professional protester,’ only to demand an imprisonment sentence against him. They have even forcibly indicted a peace activist in Gangjeong despite the proof of a photo that it was a construction company worker who kicked and damaged the construction fence. The prosecutors ‘cancelled indictment against the peace activist’ during the trial. There has been a case that the prosecutors have claimed 10 months imprisonment against a citizen but got the court decision of ‘no guilty on him/her. Not to mention it, a trial of a citizen who was charged for the violence against police ended because of the police violence shown in the screen submitted by the police themselves. The citizen filed later a written accusation against the police. To oppress religious events, the prosecutors over-issued mass indictments against the people who were sitting for the Catholic mass and prayer meetings in front of the gates. They have even demanded a sentence that is not stipulated in the ROK criminal law.

The fact that is especially a problem is that such cold application of law is boundlessly benevolent on the violence by the police and construction companies. The representing examples are: The disposal on non-indictment of a cement mixer truck driver who wielded violence against a woman; a connivance on a police director of criminal investigation who took violence against Yang Yoon-Mo [on April 6, 2011]; a connivance on the navy who took violence against Dr. Song Kang-Ho [in June, 2011]. Because of that, the victims of four times police violence that resulted in their bones being broken have not even filed written accusations against the police. It is because it is obvious that it would result in wasting of paper to file to the Jeju Police and Prosecutor’s office with written accusations, regarding the police violence .

The prosecutors dispose with ‘no guilty’ for the violence by construction company thugs and police even though there are proofs; indict citizens who protest to such violence by construction company thugs and police, only with the police testimony; but demand an imprisonment sentence against the citizens. Such behaviors of the prosecutors show the typical type of judicature violence.

Tens of Asian Human Rights organizations who have visited Gangjeong in 2012 and UN Human Rights rapporteurs have expressed serious concern about the ‘state violence and human rights violations’ that occur in the Gangjeong village. The Jeju prosecutors should not forget that the subject that has brought in the international society’s concern is nothing but themselves.

The prosecutors, abusing their judicature power, have afflicted the Gangjeong villagers and citizens who oppose the naval base project. Even though it is natural that they immediately release the citizens who took just resistance act or protested against police violence but whom the police arrested, the prosecutors used to release them fulfilling the legal limit of 48 hours or used to indict them based only on the police’s lie testimonies or slipshod interrogatory documents without concrete proofs and then used to over-issue unreasonable prosecutions and arrest warrants against them.

While it is the responsibility of the judicature power to measure justice by collecting the claims by the anti-base side with even minimum principle of equity, the Jeju Prosecutors have not only condemned the accused with their subjective hostility and over-issued sexual discriminatory remarks, but also have prosecuted hundreds of imprisonment sentences based on partial value judgement that the citizens ‘should be strictly punished because they oppose the national project.” Further, considering that the case of actual prison sentence is only one (actual prison sentence rate is less than 1%) and there are many cases of no guilty sentence, it is clear how unreasonably the prosecutors have over-issued their judicature powers.

Therefore we strictly warn to:

: Prosecutor Park who has filled written arrangements by manipulating facts to represent the state power and capitalist position and who has directed the judicature violence against innocent citizens to drive them as if they are devils;

(Prosecutor Park was recently promoted to a position of prosecutor in the 2^nd criminal department of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ office. He is the responsible subject in most cases mentioned above)

: The Jeju Prosecutors’ Office that Prosecutor Park has been belonging to

: And the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, ROK, that defined the Gangjeong villagers’ struggle as the ‘public security situation.’

Stop all the oppression of unreasonable wielding of judicature power against the citizens, by asserting that there should be no opposition to the Jeju naval base project interspersed with illegality and law-evasiveness! If such judicature oppression is to be continued, the prosecutors will face more tremendous citizens’ resistance than the current.

The press statement that we have read is of tremendous fines, imprisonments, arrests and cries of blood in every line. Now when the voice for the reform of judicature is higher than ever, we demand that the prosecutors take responsibility for their positions with vocation even it is minimum

March 21, 2013

The Gangjeong Village Association

Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for Realization of Peace Island

Peace activists in Gangjeong

Image source: Rev. Jeong Yeon-Gil/ “Where is the judicature justice?/ The prosecutors do “by law” to the powerless citizens, but “by bribe” to the riches, and the police do “Like dog” to puppet government!

Exposure on the reality of the ROK prosecutors’ oppression in Gangjeong

(Video by Dungree on March 22, 2013 )

March 24, 2013
Benjamin Monnet speaks in UK

(Fwd from the UK Solidarity team)

Guest Speakers; Benjamin Monnet. French activist who lived in Gangjeong for eight months before being violently (and illegally) deported for defending the beautiful coastline currently being destroyed.

Yoon Young Joon: ex SOAS, peace and human rights activist, visited Gangjeong last summer, and experienced first hand police violence to peaceful protestors.

Learn about the struggle to stop the US / South Korea naval base on Jeju Island, South Korea. Benjamin Monnet gives his personal reflections on joining the amazing ‘peace makers’ of Gangjeong village. As Obama pushes for a US military ‘Asia Pivot’, South Korea steps up political arrests and human rights abuses against its citizens and denies entry to NGO officials and international supporters. Meanwhile, a renowned film critic, jailed for his opposition to the naval base, approaches the 50th day of his hunger strike to demand justice.

An Illustrated talk and discussion open to SOAS students and the public. T shirts, books and jewellery from Gangjeong village, Jeju Island will be on sale and Village newsletters available.

Source: UK Solidarity team

A Letter to Deported Benj (Video by Dungree on April 18, 2012)

(Fwd from the UK Solidarity team)

March 16, 2013
Recollection on the blast of the Gureombi Rock and oppression on international activists

Photo and caption by Fox David/ March 11th, 2012
GANGJEONG, Jeju Special Self-governing Province, South Korea

1 year has passed

March 7th, 2013 was the date commemorating one year anniversary on the navy’s blast of the Gureombi Rock despite people’s fierce opposition to it.

The people’s struggles to save the Gureombi Rock, the absolute preservation coastal area of the Gangjeong village, reached one of their highest points during the time when the blast was continued for two months since March 7, 2012.

Photo by Lee Wooki, March 6, 2012/ Just one day before the start of the blast, tension was already being formed as people made efforts to stop the explosive-loaded trucks from a gun powder factory. For more photos by Lee Wooki who reminds the atmosphere of March 6, 2012, see here.

A recollection video on March 7, 2012, here.

On March 2, 2013, there was a nationwide citizens’ rally in the Gangjeong village, which commemorated it. See the days’ photos and video, here.

The below is a small recollection and is focused on the oppression on international activists. It might not fully include all the happenings. Please pardon for any missing in advance.

Why the Gureombi Rock?

It was because as a villager has laid bare his heart, “Gangjeong is the Gureombi. Gureombi is the Gangjeong.” The one-body andesite that extends about 1 km from the east and west of the coast is very rare in the dominantly basalt-formed Jeju Island that was created by volcanic activity. With its soft and smooth rock surface of which the forms are various, the fresh abundant spring water among those provides the habitats for diverse endangered species, such as red-feet crabs, Jejusaebaengii(Jeju fresh water shrimp), and narrow mouth toad. For villagers, it has been not only a life ground for making living, but for maintaining community spirit and meditation on life. It is a site where one realizes that it is the very site that one has looked for somehow: The wholeness of life.

Such common feeling and idea on the Gureombi Rock was one motivation that could strengthen people’s unity against the Government’s merciless destruction of the Gureombi Rock, the nature, the peace, and ourselves somehow.

Further, the water mattered.

Headline Jeju, March 9, 2012 (Original source: Gangjeong Village Association) / Water became soon contaminated after the Navy’s first blasting on Gureombi rock. On the day, the woman who took this photo in the Metboori, the east part of the base project area, was also arrested though released soon.

The underground water underneath the Gureombi rock is highly guessed by the villagers to be connected with the Gangjeong stream that feeds 70% of the citizens in the Seogwipo City (the southern part of the Island). Beside that, the Gangjeong Sea is known as the cleanest and most beautiful sea throughout the Jeju Island, being the only UNESCO-designated soft coral habitats and one of the most frequent sites of the Indo-Pacific bottle nose dolphins, the IUCN-listed species.

Prof. Yang Yoon-Mo who had lived in the Gureombi Rock for three years until the navy forcefully set up its fence on Sept. 2, 2011, in an effort to stop the naval base project, was being imprisoned for the 3rd time and was in the hunger strike. As the blast started on March 7, he hit his 28th fast day. He stopped even water and salt since the day until his release on March 20.

March 4, 2013. One year later. “Illegal construction site/ The construction companies eventually broke the silt protectors while they unreasonably push those. The pristine Gangjoeng Sea where soft coral and Indo-Pacific bottle nose dolphins have been dancing is being destroyed (Photo and caption by Park Incheon/ Fwd by Saltcandy Yohan)”

The blast was unjustly forced through political fraud.

For the two months, the navy blasted about 10% of the Gureombi Rock: East and west parts of it to build the caisson production area and shipment site.

The National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island stated in recollection of one year ago, on March 7, 2013. See the whole Korean statement, here:

On Feb. 14,[2012], the technical verification committee on the Civilian-Military Complex for Tour Beauty issued its last report and acknowledged the fact that: “If the current execution design for the Jeju naval base construction is [continued to be] applied as it is, the original government pledge that it would build a civilian-military complex port for 150,000 ton cruise passenger ships cannot be kept. However, Lee Myung-Bak the President, declared that he would build the Jeju naval base construction without any explanation on it. Then the Prime Minster who had written in his facebook that the civilian-military complex port for tour beauty is impossible to be realized suddenly changed his attitude and started to push the construction. The Minister of Prime Office held the related government institutes’ measure meeting joined by the National Police Agency and Coast Guard etc. to support the enforcement of construction declared by the President, followed by assertion that there is no problem in the base construction, one-sidedly accepting the simulation report presented by the Ministry of National Defense on [Feb.] 23. Then it enforced the blast of the Gureombi Rock with a rush on [March] 7, [2012].

It was such an unjust and unreasonable process even Woo Keun-Min, the Island governor and members of the ruling conservative Saenuri Party opposed. See here and here.

A second 4.3: The human rights violation reached its highest point during the blast.

For 28 days alone since the start of the blast on the Gureombi Rock, more than 90 people were arrested while 20 people, swooned, were carried in ambulance for the police violence. Still the village sirens for protest rang everyday. For more, see here.

On March 9, the 3rd day of people’s war against the blast alone, 30 people including Angie Zelter, Nobel Peace nominee, Catholic and Protestant missionaries were violently arrested. Four people were carried to hospital. See the Dungree video in the below. On the day alone, the siren rang six times.

Following the arrest of Rev. Lee Jeong-Hoon and Jesuit priest, Kim Jeong-Wook on March 11 ( imprisoned on the day and released on April 4), Dr. Song Kang-Ho was eventually imprisoned for his fierce struggle on April 3 (released on Sept. 28). As for the navy and police’s abuse of their power, Mr. Lim Ho-Young was another victim. Prof. Yang Yoon-Mo who was arrested and imprisoned since Jan. 30 could be released only on March 20, after more than 42 days’ prison fast. Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyeon who fell from the 7 m tetra pod during his protest to the reckless coast guard on April 6 would suffer from the back and waist pain for long time despite his unexpected quick release from the hospital.

The people entered into the Gureombi Rock, risking high sea waves, security-filled fences, dangerously piled up tetra pods, and police and navy threat. The people chained themselves to vehicles to stop the explosive cars, eventually being taken away of all their cars. The cars were returned back only six months later. The people connected their arms with pipes to stop the explosive cars, only to be met by police’s merciless breaking down of those pipes with hammer (March 19) and electric saw (April 16).

It was the 2nd 4.3 in the sense that the base project is pushed despite people’s opposition, by the foreign (United States)and outside power(main land). On Feb. 24, the Chief of the Seogwipo Police Station had been informally decided to be changed with Lee Dong-Min, a figure from the main land. It was coincided with an opening of the Jeju International Peace Conference (the 20th anniversary of the Global Network against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space)

With the start of the blast, about 700 police personnel from the main land arrived the Jeju, reminding the 4.3 incident period from 1947 to 1954 when the central Rhee Syngman government, a U.S. puppet then, dispatched military, para-military, and police of the main land to mercilessly suppress the people’s uprising in the Island.

Oppressions on international activists were never precedent.

On Feb. 26, 6 Koreans and 10 international peace activists including seven Global Network members, such as Bruce Gagnon and Dave Webb were arrested while they crawled under the razor wire on the Gureombi Rock. See the report on it here.

After the blast of the Gureombi Rock started, the actions by international activists and oppression on them were remarkable. Angie Zelter who entered the Gureombi Rock on Feb. 26 was eventually arrested on March 9 when she entered the fence. The Daelim company thugs’ violence on her during the process was one of the subjects of people’s criticism on March 10 Press Conference. You can see her own account on March 9 arrest, after her release here.

It was the time that oppression on international activists started in earnest. Benjamin Monnet who first came to Gangjeong in May 2011 and had stayed for months eventually got injunction order on March 14 after his arrest on March 12 (See here). Angie Zelter who was arrested again on March 12 got exit order on March 15, as well. See the people’s statement in relation to it, here and Angie Zelter’s here.

Source: Organizing Notes, March 15, 2012/ People’s Press Conference on March 15, 2012

To be coincident, Elliot Adams (Past President of the VfP), Mike Hastie, Tarak Kauff, three members of the Veterans for Peace, US, were violently and inhumanly denied entries on March 14 while their intention was to ‘stand in solidarity with the villagers.’ See here. Bruce Gagnon states that ‘the South Korean authorities had a photo of each of them in their hands and told them they would not be allowed to enter Jeju Island.’ You can see the report here . And the statement by the VfP, here. Remarkably, it was for the first time that the members of the VfP, United States, were denied entry into South Korea, signifying that the naval base project is a highly sensitive matter for the authorities of the United States and South Korean governments.

It was not only those three VfP members. During the two months of March and April, 5 people from Okinawa and Japan were denied entries. They are Nakamura Sugae and her daughter(March 27), Ryuji Yagi ( March 31), Umisedo Yutaka (Okinawa, April 2), Tomiyama Masahiro (Okinawa, April 6). From August 26, 2011 to Oct. 16, 2012, the total people who were denied entries to Korea, in relation to the Jeju naval base issue, were at least 20, while the total numbers are 24. It is because the last three people were repeatedly denied entries during the WCC period, Sept. 6 to 15, 2012. In June, even an international Catholic priest was threatened to be deported. See here. For the whole matters on the deportation, see here.

Though, not deported, harasses on international activists were remarkable. Paco Booyah reported on the incident of March 24, 2012. See here.

The oppression on internationals especially during the time of the blast on the Gureombi Rock signified the growing international solidarity to the threat of the United States and South Korean authorities, otherwise.

The International peace activists have often gotten unjust disposal from the South Korean authorities for their peaceful protests against the war-base building in the Jeju. We so thank them and hope to share with you the urgency to protect international activists who fight to save the Peace Island.

Post by Pat Cunningham/ “Stop the Oppression on International Peace Activists”
It was the sign that the village international team held on March 2 upon the 1st year anniversary of the blast on the Gureombi Rock. The oppression on internationals were in earnest with the start of the blast on the Gureombi Rock on March 7, 2012.

Remembering international peace messages. Time to strengthen solidarity for peace

Beside Benjamin Monnet who still sends his deep friendship and solidarity with Gangjeong, here is a heart-touching message from Angie Zelter who sent us a message on the 1st anniversary of the Gureombi Rock-blast:

Source: Angie Zelter in Gangjeong on March 8, 2012, 104th International Women’s Day. She held the Earth flagwith Jeong Young-Hee, chairwoman of the Village Women’s Committee to Stop the Naval Base.

Dear Jeju Friends, a year ago I was with you in Gangjeong, crying as the blasting of the sacred rocks started. I know your struggle continues and is very hard and long. You are courageous and are fighting for all of us. Our struggles are the same – to fight against war, oppression, and the abuses of corporate power. I am sorry I cannot be with you but know that I share your pain and struggle.’

Here in the UK I have just started a new direct action campaign to try to stop the replacement of our nuclear weapon system and persuade the Government to give them up. It is linked with your struggle as we must all in our own ways stop our Governments from wasting resources and lives on war preparations.

I send you much love and solidarity and will never forget you. Please send my greetings to all those whose knew me and whose emails I do not have.

Love and hugs, Angie.

( Angie Zelter on March 7, 2013)

The below video (by Yang Dong-Kyu) was taken for the 4.3-memorizing event in Jeju, just before Angie Zelter’s leave of the village where she stayed for a month. It is always great to remember all the valuable experience of international solidarity and to strengthen it. We pay our deep gratitude to all the international friends who have shown friendship and solidarity despite serious hardships that they had to suffer from, continuously reminding us that the universe and we are one.

March 10, 2013
Gangjeong Village Story: Monthly News from the Struggle | February 2013 Issue

In this month’s issue:
Launch of the new demilitarize Jeju campaign, Samsung above the law?, U.S. military wrecks in coral reef, more prisoner releases, Yang Yoon-Mo arrested and on hunger strick, Interview with former prisoner, continued environmental regulation problems, and more!

Download PDF

February 23, 2013