Photo by Cho Sung-Bong/ First Caisson built on Gureombi. . . Bigger caissons (8,800 ton)have been built on Hwasoon port. Now the floating dock has located near Gureombi rock to move caissons to Gangjeong sea. For more photos of Cho Sung-bong, see here.
It was Oct. 30 that the first 3,000 ton caisson supervised by Daelim Co. was made on the Gureombi Rock. To build this one, there was 24 hours construction since Oct. 25. No night construction for three days of Oct. 30, 31 and Nov. 1, as the workers needed time to dry it, move it to the coast near to a floating dock on the sea, and resetting for building new one.
On the same day of Oct. 30, Jeju Island government submitting to the central government(Prime Minister Office) its final opinion on the simulation verification on the entry & exit of 150,000 cruise, related to the Civilian-Military Complex for Tour Beauty (Jeju naval base project), stated that it requested to the central government not to execute construction on stationing caisson until there is a simulation of which the Island government opinion is accepted. What the Island government should do is to immediately ORDER the navy construction stop, not delaying its critical decision without delusion on the so called civilian-military port (which is in fact a pure military-only port)and 150,000 ton cruise. (See here)
What was the cost of the 1st caisson? The navy-contacted company, Daelim plans to build 82 numbers of 3,000 to 4,000 ton caissons to put into the Gangejong Sea, the UNESCO-protected soft coral zone. Given that it takes 5~6 day to build one, it needs minimum 410 days’ 24 hour construction because of cement character, no choice, the navy says (See here)
However, villagers’ rights to sleep in the night have been robbed off. It was at the price of human rights violation. There have been at least 6 people who were carried to hospital during 24 hour construction so 24 hour protests from Oct. 25 to Oct. 30. See here and here. Many were injured, too. The waste of tax to mobilize 500 policemen every night is speechless. If it was a righteous and reasonable construction, the government does not need to mobilize such stunning numbers of policemen. It is for the navy to get the budget on the naval base project, 2013 (the Ministry of National Defense has proposed 200 billion won for the Jeju naval base construction in 2013) by rapidly moving up construction (destruction)! The navy has promised the National Assembly last year that it would not get the budget if its work rate does not reach 30 % this year.
It was also at the price of nature environment destruction. See here.
In the field, many young peacekeepers’ painful efforts go on. Some sketches during the day of Nov. 1 here.
Around 11am, Nov. 1. Bishop Kang U Il held the mass in front of construction gate. Recently a Catholic priest, Fr. Lee Young Chan was imprisoned on Oct. 25. interview with an international reporter.
Around 2:30pm, Nov. 1. Music and dance are people’s positive way to overcome the police violence that they would go through during the police’s roughing out them.
Around 3:37pm: Fr. Kim Sung-Han and Catholic sister nicknamed Joan D’arc. Right before police’s roughing out people.
Around 3:30pm, Nov. 1. Another police’s roughing out people. We saw at least two young female activists had tear in their eyes… Many women peace keepers are upset when they are circled around by male policemen. The policewomen are insensitive to the same sex women peacekeepers. Why they are so slow when women need them? Scratch by policewomen nails have been usual … Male peacekeepers commonly appeal pain in their right shoulder. Two of them have been carried by ambulance for it. The photo is the scene that the police take apart people in front of construction gate.
Around 4pm, Nov. 1. After police roughing out, eating roasted tangerine is a joy though.
Around 4:30, Nov. 1. Another police’s roughing out people. For 4~5 detained women, there are only three policewomen shown in the photo. The others are policemen who walled against us with multiple layers. The policewomen were to exit often but we protested to them so that they should be with us.
Around 8pm. People’s candle vigil. Massage one another.
How you can help us? Please pressure the ROK National Assembly members to cut all budgets on the Jeju naval base project. For example, ENGLISH@ASSEMBLY.GO.KR or Moon Jae-In, Permanent Advisor, Democratic United party, Presidential candidate: moonriver365@gmail.com.
Video by Navi
Scene of caisson on the Gureombi Rock and a floating dock that is to station caissons in the sea around 2pm, Oct. 31
(Source: Village website )
