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No War Base on the Island of Peace

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Month: May 2013


  • Morning with the Mayor | Organizing Notes

    Reblogged with permission from: MORNING WITH THE MAYOR | by BRUCE K. GAGNON *

    On my first trip to Gangjeong village Mayor Kang (just behind me in dark jacket) took me to see the place where the fresh water stream flows into the sea.  This was to be one end of the massive Navy base now being built in the village.  At that time I was able to see the undisturbed beauty of the coastline.
    On my first trip to Gangjeong village Mayor Kang (just behind me in dark jacket) took me to see the place where the fresh water stream flows into the sea. This was to be one end of the massive Navy base now being built in the village. At that time I was able to see the undisturbed beauty of the coastline.

    I arrived in Berkeley, California last night about 7:30 pm and was able to join a group of conference participants at a Chinese restaurant where they were having dinner together. When Gangjeong village Mayor Kang saw me he rose and gave me a big hug. At that time there was no translator available so we didn’t get to have much conversation.

    This morning at breakfast Mayor Kang arrived with a Korean professor from the university. The mayor had just come from doing an interview for Democracy Now which is supposed to air on Monday. Koohan Paik (Hawaii) was on the radio with the mayor. Koohan has been a great Jeju supporter and made it possible for the mayor to speak at this event on behalf of the village.

    During breakfast the mayor told me that when I first came to visit Gangjeong he remembers me talking about space technology. He told me that he now understands much better what I was saying. He said he believes that the US is bringing the South Korean government into the military space program as a junior partner to help control China. I was happy to hear that he has put all the pieces together.

    A translator took the mayor and I for a long stroll through the vast University of California campus. We went to the top of a huge bell tower that enabled us to see the entire San Francisco bay area. While we were looking out over the bay I told the mayor how much their non-violent resistance has inspired people all over the world due to their strong spiritual grounding. He told me that they made a conscious decision to act in that way to help them deal with the obvious depression and sadness that comes from the Navy base construction project. He said that if they were going to resist then they had to find a way to stay connected to what was good in nature and in each other. He offered to teach me the dances…


    *Reblogged posts do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Save Jeju Now

     

    May 31, 2013

  • Paco Booyah, sentenced of unjust 700,000 won fines from the higher court held by prosecutors’appeal

    P
    “How can this happen?” Paco Booyah humorously expresses his upset and infuriated feeling after May 30 court decision.

    Paco Booyah was sentenced of unjust 700,000 won fines (approx. 700 USD) on May 30. The prosecutor has appealed to the higher court and the appeal trial was held on May 9. In the original court on Feb. 8, this year, he has been sentenced of postponement of same amount of fines.

    The judge, Choi Nam-Sik said that, “the prosecutor reasoned his appeal that the sentence on the accused (Paco Booyah) is too weak, compared to that on Koreans.’ The decision of higher court is that ‘there is no reason to seek for adequate management merely because he is a foreigner. There should be balance to be considered as the original court sentence on him is weaker, compared to the same charge on Koreans. The matter on deportation will be decided, considered of all sorts of situations by the Ministry of Justice, not by this court decision. The reason that the accused’ wife is Korean would be a condition for its consideration. However, the court cannot make difference of sentence for that reason. We dismiss the court decision of original court and sentence the accused of 700,000 won fines. If he does not pay for fines, he should take prison labor of 50,000 won a day. The application for the Supreme Court decision should be within a week. He should submit the document to it to the Jeju local court. The document on this court decision can be mailed to the accused’ address within a week after the accused applies for it.”

    As well as in the original court that made 700,000 won sentence on Paco Booyah, there was no explanation of why it was ‘obstruction of business,’ when he sat only 8 minutes in front of the naval base project building complex during the Catholic mass. He was sitting there to avoid hot sun lights while taking photos.  There was absolutely no consideration on the illegality of naval base construction (destruction) even in violation of Environmental Impact Assessment, not to mention the navy’s thorough ignorance of democratic procedures.

    Also, while the original court considered that it happened during his NGO peace activities, there was no consideration on it in the higher court.

    Paco Booya applied for the Supreme Court decision right after the end of higher court decision.

     Stop the oppression on international peace activists!

     

    May 31, 2013

  • Gangjeong Village Story: Monthly News from the Struggle | May 2013 Issue

    In this month’s issue:
    Crackdown in Gangjeong, Catholics stand up to police, SOS international training, Jeong Young-Hee returns from US tour, Emily Wang’s reflection on deportation, Villager Mi-Lyang badly injured by police, Conscientious objection in Korea, and more!

    Download PDF

    May 29, 2013

  • A Jeju Kind of Weekend Here in Maine | Organizing Notes

    Reblogged with permission from: A JEJU KIND OF WEEKEND HERE IN MAINE | by BRUCE K. GAGNON *

    vets

    gang

    On Saturday Regis Tremblay held the first public showing of his new 80-minute film about Jeju Island called The Ghosts of Jeju at the Brunswick, Maine public library. At least 70 people turned out and much to the delightful surprise of everyone, at the end of the documentary, the audience rose as one and clapped along with the lively music that played as images of protesting South Koreans flashed across the screen. People loved the film and some of the comments included things like: This is the best documentary I’ve ever seen. High praise indeed.

    Then early this morning members of PeaceWorks and Maine Veterans for Peace gathered in Topsham for the annual Memorial Day parade that passes through that town, crosses the river, and ends in Brunswick where the crowd along both sides of the road is always quite big. We carried the yellow “No Navy base” flag from Gangjeong village with us – particularly since the theme of the Topsham-Brunswick parade this year was 60th Anniversary of Korean War Armistice.

    So this weekend we held the struggling people on Jeju close to our hearts.


    *Reblogged posts do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Save Jeju Now

     

    May 27, 2013

  • A Quaker group, “Nashville Friends Meeting” sends Obama a protest letter in support of Gangjeong

    Forward from S. Roberts, May 23, 2013

    Sunday May 19th, 2013

    To: The residents of Gangjeong village,

    We, Nashville Friends Meeting (Quakers), would like to extend to you our utmost regard and support for your non-violent struggle to stop the construction of the naval base on your island.

    We hold all of you in God’s Light and are deeply saddened by so much needless destruction of precious natural and cultural resources and by the spirit of violence that lies beneath that destruction.  We add our prayers and voices to yours for the permanent halt to the construction of the naval base.

    Please note the attached letter which we have sent to the President of the United States, a similar one is also being sent to your President in South Korea.

    In peace,

    Nashville Friends Meeting

    530 26th Ave N, Nashville, TN, 37209  USA

    ………………………………………………….

    Barack Obama                                                                                                         Nashville Friends Meeting

    President of the United States of America                                                  530 26th Ave. N.

    1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW                                                                            Nashville, TN

    Washington D.C.                                                                                                      37209

    20500

     

    cc: Chuck Hagel, FGC, FCNL, SAYMA, The Tennessean

     

    Sunday, May 19th 2013

     

    Dear Mr. President,

    We, the Nashville Friends Meeting (Quakers), are writing to you at this time to urge your intervention to stop the construction of a naval base at Gangjeong Village on Jeju Island, South Korea.

    As we are sure you are aware, in 2005 Jeju Island was designated as an Island of Peace, and has been appointed as a Biosphere Reserve, World Heritage Site, and Global Geological Park by UNESCO.  The residents of Gangjeong Village have been organizing nonviolent protest to stop the construction of a massive naval base which will destroy their community, way of life, and rich marine ecosystem which women sea divers, fisherman and farmers depend on for their livelihoods.

    In our discernment of this issue, we have found that although the United States of America has maintained operational control over the military of South Korea since the beginning of the Korean War, your administration denies responsibility for the decision to construct the naval base on Jeju Island.  We believe that it is unacceptable for the government of the United States of America to sustain an official stance of non-intervention in this matter while it effectively maintains operational control over the military in South Korea.

    Nashville Friends Meeting supports the non-violent protest of the residents of Gangjeong Village.  The construction of this naval base is anti-democratic, flies in the face of the spirit of the island’s identification as an “Island of Peace”, and threatens its UNESCO designations.

    The lack of transparency by both the United States and the South Korean governments in this matter is unacceptable. Equally unacceptable are the numerous violations of basic human rights by the South Korean government, with tacit approval of the United States, in the suppression of nonviolent protests by the people of Gangjeong.  We urge you, Mr. President, to take personal responsibility and stop the construction of the naval base on Jeju Island.

    Thank you for your diligent attention to our concern.

    In peace,

    Nashville Friends Meeting

     

    May 25, 2013

  • 2013 Jeju Life and Peace forum from May 28 to 30

    May_28_poster
    2013 Jeju Life and Peace Forum from May 28 to 30, 2013.  Wang Yu-Hsuan, Taiwan,  who was unjustly deported on April 26, this year, has been taken in this photo by Cho Sung-Bong.  ( poster image was forwarded by Kang Ho-Jin)

     

    The Gangjeong Village Association, Jeju Pan-Island Committee for Stop of Military Base and for Realization of Peace, National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island will hold Life and Peace forum called ‘Dear You, Let’s Dream for Peace Now!  in the building of Venture Maru (See the address of Venture Maru at the bottom) of Jeju City from May 28 to May 30. There is a cultural event called ‘Peace, You Come When Even Waiting For You Is Lost!’ on May 29.

    The idea of forum initially came to resist the JEJU FORUM for Peace And Prosperity that only concerns with the interest of government and capital. The idea was first raised in the event of Jeju The Demilitarized Peace Island, 2nd Rally.

    In the morning of Jan 30, the groups will have a joint press conference upon the opening of Jeju Forum near the Haevich hotel, Pyoseon-myeon, Seogwipo City, where the forum is held. The press conference is to disclose injustice of the naval base project and to demand the revocation of it.

    The Pan-Island committee stated that, “the Life and Peace forum has an alternative character of the Jeju forum, May 29 to 31. It will be a space for public opinion to build the Life and Peace village as a future vision of the Gangjeong village.”

    Venture Maru

    1176-67 I-do 2 dong, Jeju City, Jeju, Korea

    Tel: +82 64-725-2024

     

    …………………………………….

    The below is the translation of program. Original Korean script can be seen here.

    Dear you, Let’s dream for peace now!

     

    May 28 (Tues.) to 29(Wed)

    Forum, expo, cultural event (film screening, music concert)

    From 1 pm each day, 10th floor, Venture Maru, Jeju City

     

    May 30 (Thur.)

    10:am Near Havichi hotel, Pyoseon, Jeju

     

    No Participation fee

     

    Programs in detail

     

    May 28(Tue)

    13:00 Peace Talk by Novelist Hyun Gi-Young, poet Kim Soo-Yeol

    15:00 Discussion onJeju naval base and peace in the Korean peninsula, and Northeast Asia peace community

    17:00 Peace Expo, music and talk show on street near the Venture Maru

     

    May 29(Wed)

    13:00 Screening of film, ‘Love Okinawa’

    15:00 Discussion- Dream being realized together: Gangjeong as Life and Peace Village

    19:00~: Culture event: “Peace, you come when even waiting for you is lost.”

     

    May 30 (Thur.) 10:00 Joint Press Conference near the Haevichi hotel, Pyoseon, Jeju

     

    May 29  Culture event: “Peace, you come when even waiting for you is lost.”

    at the Jeju Venture Maru, 7pm

    May 29 life and peace culture
    May 29 Culture event: “Peace, you come when even waiting for you is lost.”
    (Image forward by Kang Boo-Won)

     Talking Peace by Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyeon and Park Rae-Gun, executive adviser of Sarang Human Rights Foundation

    Screening of films by Yang Dong-Kyu, Song Dong-Hyo, Cho Sung-Bong and Lee Wooki

    Poet recitation by Mr. Kim Sung-Kyu, Gangjeong Village poet

    Songs by Park-Ha-Ye-Chong, Singing group of  Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), children of the Gotjawal Little School, Yeon Young-Seok

    Peace message selection (gifts of peace necklace)

     

     

     

    May 23, 2013

  • Celebrating the 6th anniversary of the launch of the Villagers’Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project

     

    1.  Summary on the recent hardships and international solidarity activities.

     

    The recent joint war exercise by the ROK-US-Japan in the water areas of the east  and south seas of Korea –including the water area between the east south of Jeju and Kyusu Islands, Japan on May 15 is with the mobilization of Aegis destroyers from three countries and US nuclear aircraft carrier that has brought students’ protest in Busan.  The war exercise is suspected of the US Missile Defense system.

    Meanwhile, between May 7 and May 17, so many things happened in the village. Following the re-imprisonment of Park Suk- Jin who was directly arrested from the court for the charge of so called violation of bail conditions on May 7, Kim Jong-Il, co-representative of Seoul branch of Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea (SPARK) was arrested directly from the Jeju Prosecutor’s Office and imprisoned on May 15. He was unjustly charged of unpaid fines of 450,000 won. It is his 2nd imprisonment in relation to the naval base issue. The total number of current prisoners is five including three before them.

    Further, as the Island government conducted murder-like crack-down of people’s sit-in tents(see here and here), even mobilizing some main land policemen, four people including mayor Kang Dong-Kyun, uncle Kim Jong-Hwan, a villager, and two activists of Mr. Lee Jong-Hwa and Koh Gwang-Sung were arrested. They were all released by now.

    The crack-down resulted in two villagers’ medical diagnosis or hospitalization. Kim Mi-Lyang, a woman villager was pushed off by the police elbow and fell from 6 m railing. Fortunately she is alive. But she had to get stitches in her belly. She is still in hospital. Uncle Jong-Hwan fell during the police investigation due to tension and stress during the crack-down. More details should come but you can see some photos of them here and video on police’s intentional pushing-her-off, here.  On May 10 event, see Organizing Notes, here.

    The next day, Jang Sung-Shim, a Catholic follower and Jeju native was arrested when she protested illegal construction (destruction) of the naval base project and demanded the Island government and police’s official apology to Kim Mi-Lyang.  She carried out self-injury by hurting her wrist with knife and the embarrassed policemen released her soon the next day (See the photo and video each).

    Still, inspiring solidarity activities have been done in Taiwan, Okinawa, and the United States. The details would come, too. Especially Jeong-Young-Hee, Chairwoman of Women Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project has been thankfully invited for the US speech trip for 20 days. We so thank you all the international friends who have shown constant care and support on the struggle.

    On May 17, the village welcomed the 6th anniversary of the launch of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project.  Here is the text sent by Mr. Go Gwon-Il, Chairman of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project, which was sent to the people in the village in the morning of May 17. You can see the original Korean script and some photos, here (article and photos by Kim Min-Soo, Jeju Internet News, May 17)

     

    2. Celebrating the 6th anniversary of the launch of the Villagers’Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project

    By Go Gwon-Il, Chairman of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project

     

    1
    Chairman Go Gwon-Il congratulates the release of mayor Kang Dong-Kyun and Mr. Lee Jong-Hwa, as well as safe returning-back of Jeong Young-Hee, Chairwoman of Women Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project on May 12.

     

    Today is the day when Buddah came to this world , as well as the day that remembers the 6th year of foundation of the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project.

    It has really been an exhausting and very hard time.
    However, it has been alomost a miracle that merely a small village like Gandjeong has resisted as such against huge organization named Government

    Now, the Gangjeong village has become well known with its name in the nationwide and overseas.
    Even though the naval base is being driven with its changed and false name of so called civilian-military complex port for tour beauty, we are not losing yet.

    Unless we give up, the navy cannot progress to the stage of militarization of the village and Island as it wishes.

    Even though the navy has not given up its military residential housing project and is to extend its business such as to entry road and cruise terminal etc., it will be difficult for it to drive as it likes, if only the Gagjoeng villagers’ will is firm.

    Even though last six years have not been by our will, our own achievements have been that we have differentiated the direction of government, though small, braking its unilateral way. Isn’t it same with the thing that an ant, though cannot abruptly stop the steps of elephant, interrupts it not to properly walk or to change its direction by making it cover its own eyes or by tickling its ears?

    If there are many more ants, the elephant cannot but turn away.

    Now the struggle against the naval base has become the fight between justice and injustice, haves who attache to money & power and have-not-s who know to be happy despite small possessions and who live well without law, though the latter do not have power.

    The people in the world are watching us.

    They will be the judge of this struggle.

    The more judges, the more difficult is for the navy to win over us with its unfair acts.

    Jeong Young-Hee, chairwoman of the Village Women’s committee to Stop the Naval Base Project has traveled the United States and made public relation on the struggle.

    Most overseas Korean societies are supporting the Gangjeong village. She tells that many United States citizens are with us.

    It is only possible because we have fought for seven years overcoming the hardships of six years.

    The first start has been today, six years ago.

    We truly express our respect and gratitude to the initiators who courageously created the Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project at the time when it was wrongly presupposed that many would be in favor of naval base.

    And thanks so much to the Gangjeong villagers who have courageously endured hardships and crisis. Please be with us in the future as well.

    Go Gwon-Il

    Chairman of the Gangjeong Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project.

     

    2
    Jeong Young-Hee, Chairwoman of the Women Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base Project, Gangjeong Village, reports on her US trip on May 12.
    3
    Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun, released two days later after his arrest on May 10, talks about unjust murder-like crack-down on people’s sit-in tents and police arrests of them on the day. He chained himself and was dangerously hung to chain during the police crack-down. On May 12, the court dismissed police application on the arrest warrant against him.
    Solidarity messages from the friends in the United States. Jeong Young-Hee brought this from her about 20 days’ trip to the US that included Hawaii, Maine. Boston, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
    Messages of solidarity from the United States

     

    “We gonna dance in the Gureombi!”

    May 17 was also celebrated by the Christian youths. The video is a scene from the event program of Christian youths’ peace pilgrim visit to Gangjeong. “Peace Starts When We Cry Together.” The original title of the music is told to be “We gonna dance in the DMZ.” Some dancers include village chairwoman Jeong Young-Hee and Paco Booyah.

    May 18, 2013

  • A court hearing following prosecutor’s unjust appeal against Paco Booyah

    P
    Photo by Save Jeju Now/ Paco Booyah after the court hearing on May 9, 2013

     

    There was an original court judgement on Paco Booyah, an international peace worker staying in Gangjeong on Feb. 8, 2013. See here. He was the 1st international to stand in the court in person, in relation to the naval base project issue. On Feb. 8, the judge, Kim Kyung-Sun made a decision of ‘postponement of sentence’ on 700,000 won fine, saying he has ‘no criminal record in the past, his act happened during the NGO activities, and the damage of the victims (company) is  little as the whole duration of his sitting time [in front of gate] was short (* which was 8 min. during a daily Catholic mass). Even though the judge Kim said he was guilty, she did not accept the prosecutor’s demand of 6 months prison sentence against him on Dec. 21, 2012 when the only hearing of original court trial on him was held.

    However, the prosecutor has appealed to court against the original court decision. On May 9, there was a hearing of it in the Jeju local court, which is the first as well as the last hearing of the appeal court. It started around noon and lasted for about 30 minutes.

    The prosecutor talked on the reason of his appeal against Booyah saying that: 1. The accused does not acknowledge and does not show any of his repentance, 2. There is the possibility of his committing second offense.  3. [Compared to sentence on Koreans in the same charge of obstruction of business] the original court sentence on him is too weak.

    In repute of it, Paco Booyah’s lawer, Paik, argued on harsh and unjust Immigration Control Act, especially in relation to No. 3, saying that she cannot agree with the prosecutor’s definition of weighing of an offence against him. The summary of her repute is that:

    The policy of ROK Immigration Office on foreigners is too harsh. She has heard from an Immigration officer that a foreigner with 100,000 won fine sentence could be forcefully deported by option. Further, it is heard that there is even an internal regulation of the Immigration Office that it would forcefully deport a foreigner only if one gets fine sentence. According to the Immigration Control Act, one cannot make re-entry at least for five years if one gets injunction. One cannot ignore possibility that one cannot make re-entry again, for a long time, in fact. In relation to naval base project, about 21 internationals- some of whom have never visited Gangjeong-have been denied entries(* Wang Yu-Hsuan is the latest victim of it). Once deported, the victims have to endure suffering from the matter of separated family, in case. One should not argue on balance with the cases of Koreans.

    The lawyer Paik also said that Paco Booyah has been recently carrying out international NGO peace activities by  focusing on recording photos. He might suffer from the possibility that he cannot re-enter Korea once deported though he has his family members in Korea.

    As Paco Booyah has stated in his statement as the accused, he has not done anything that the police and prosecutors would pick him up, following  police call four times and prosecutor’s indictment against him. Even though the current Immigration Control Act is unjust and vicious, he has no intention to make disadvantageous of his life as he has family members in Korea and as the act is currently working. In other words, there is little possibility of his second ‘offence’ that the prosecutor ‘asserts.’ Further it was only 8 min on July 23, 2012 that he made so called ‘sit-in’ that the prosecutors talk. Moreover, it was during the daily Catholic mass and he was sitting there because of hot weather while taking photo record.

    The people who watched trial today could not but be shocked that the prosecutor raises his reason of appeal from the baseless inference that Paco Booyah has the possibility of so called ‘second offence’ and that he shows ‘no repentance,’ which is without proof. We should watch whether the ROK prosecutor authority loyal to the government and Samsung would oppress another innocent international peace worker or not. We should also watch whether the ROK judge make a just decision.  We should join together to protect their safety.

    The court decision on Paco Booyah will be at 2 pm on May 30.

     

    May 10, 2013

  • Update on the Conscientious Prisoners as of May 5

    To read the latest update on the three prisoners, go to here.

    Please write letters to:

    Jeju prison, 161 Ora 2-dong, Jeju City, Jeju, Korea

     

    Yang Yoon-Mo (Prisoner No. 301)

    57, Arrested on Feb. 1, 2013. Directly arrested from the appeal court with 18 months’ actual prison sentence

    94th day as of May 5

    Yang
    Photo by the unknown(source)/ Yang Yoon-Mo during the speech in a church, Daeku, July 22, 2012

     

    Kim Young-Jae (Prisoner No. 435)

    41, Peace keeper in Gangjeong. Arrested on April 12, 2013

    24th day as of May 5.

    Youngjae
    Photo by Park Yong-Sung (source) / Kim Young-Jae with a blue protest banner (left) on Feb. 6, 2013 when Choi Yoon-Hee, Chief of Joint Naval Operation visited the Island government

    Lee Jong-Hwa (Prisoner No. 125)

    55, Peace keeper in Gangjeong, poet, writer. Arrested on April 28, 2013

    8th day as of May 5

    Lee-Jonghwa-march
    Photo by Cho Sung-Bong (source)/ Mr. Lee Jong-Hwa joins the writers’ march from Dec. 26, 2011 to Jan. 20, 2012.

     

    May 6, 2013

  • “Police, if you move this altar, the world will watch over you”

    May3_1
    Photo by Save Jeju Now (Source)/ Father Woo holds an Eucharist on May 3. For all 30 photos, see the source.

     “Policemen, if you move this altar, 1 billion Catholic followers all over the world will watch over you.” The young Father Woo from Jeju finished ALL the orders of the Catholic mass despite the repeated remarks by Koo Seul-Hwan, security director of the Seogwipo Police Station, who was embarrassed but continued to threaten him that it is an obstruction of business.

    It was for the first time that an altar was set up in front of the main naval base construction(destruction) gate since the navy forcefully set up fence on the way to the Gureombi Rock on Sept. 2, 2011.

    Kim Mi-Lyang, a woman villager, held up a sign that reads, “Return back the Gureombi Rock to Kim Mi-Lyang, daughter of Gangjeong!” After the mass, we could observe an elderly follower teared and hugged Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyeon. There were lots of woman followers. It was really moving that they danced the Gangjoeng addictive dance together with the peacekeepers in Gangjeong.

    Please see the video made by the Peace Nomad and Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyeon’s writing on the meaning of mass in front of gate, here.  See also Organizing Notes, here.

    May3_3
    Photo by Save Jeju Now/ Catholics dancing after the mass together with the peacekeepers in Gangjeong on May 3

    It was April 8 that the construction company thugs blocked the gates then on April 25, Kang Un-Sik, a new chief of the Seogwipo Police Station, fostered threatening mood with his military boots and mobilization of 800 policemen who occupied the two gates. A police unit were searching village to arrest people.

    It has become already four prisoners this year, including Yang Yoon-Mo, Park Sung-Soo (released on April 1), Kim Young-Jae, and Lee Jong-Hwa. The people’s press conferences led by the Jeju Pan-Island Committee for the Stop of Military Base and for the Realization of Peace Island on April 10 and National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island on May 2, were oppressed respectively.

    May 2-2
    Photo by Park Young-In on May 2 (Source) / People’s legal press conference to denounce  government’s abuse of state power in front of gate at 1 pm was even interrupted by the police. For more on the day’s photos by Park Young-In and Kang Eun-Joo, see the source.

    The press conference on May 2 was to demand the stop of illegal construction (destruction) and to criticize the government’s recent abuse of state power- indiscriminate arrest, imprisonment, and deportation of people.  In Korea, press conference can be legally held without report. However, the police removed people twice to allow the construction trucks to pass by, despite people’s demand for time and protest to it.

    The National Assembly has passed about 200.9 billion won budget for the 2013 Jeju naval base project on Dec. 31, 2012. Why does the government enforce illegal destruction that is already tremendous violation of EIA and human rights? Is it because of Samsung that gets 108.3 billion won for caisson production & stationing and basic formation of breakwater in the 1st work area of the project? See here.

    The police interrupt people’s press conference to denounce the abuse of state power  ( Video by Go Gwon-Il on May 2)

    The peacekeepers who have kept the gates day and nights have been at the risk of worsening health, arrest and imprisonment. Wang Yu-Hsuan who has acted in Gangjeong for a long time has become the 21st victim of ROK government’s entry denial, in relation to naval base issue.

    Mass that has been daily continued got oppression, as well as life and peace 100 bows. Even though the article 20 of the South Korea Constitution protects the freedom of religion.

    However, the exemplar struggle by the Catholic Fathers, Brothers, Sisters and followers in Gangjeong is raising a new beacon of hope in the struggle against the Jeju naval base construction(destruction).

    The Fathers’ struggle risks  their own dignity as human beings and priests.

    April 30-1
    Photo by Pang Eun Mi on April 30/ Catholic Fathers are encircled during the mass in front of naval base construction gate to stop construction (destruction) trucks. For more photos, see here.
    April 30-2
    Photo by Pang Eun-Mi on April 30/ Catholic Fathers are encircled when they take a mass in front of naval base construction gate to stop construction (destruction) trucks. (Source)
    April_29_1
    Photo by Leejesu on April 29/ Catholic Fathers block destruction trucks

    Heart-breaking struggle by Catholic Fathers and Jeju Island people continues while hymns are sung (Video by Pang Eun-Mi on May 2 : Source)

    However, isn’t it amazing to imagine all the Fathers, Brothers, and Sisters, in Korea appear in front of the gate to express opposition against the Jeju naval base and will for the true Peace Island?

    Such possibility has been shown when lots of Fathers and Sisters from the Jeju  stood in front of destruction area and danced together. On the day, you could say The Holy Spirit has arrived in the village.

    April_29_2
    Photo by Leejesu on April 29 (Source)/Fathers and sisters stand together in front of destruction gates to hold a holy mass.

    Dancing Fathers and Sisters  (Video by Leejesu  on April 29)

     

     Update on May 4:  Is it because of Fathers’ strong protests including the setting of altar on May 3? On Saturday, May 4, trucks did not pass by the main gate during the 11 am mass. It could be for a short time. But Fathers’ struggle is very appreciated. Here are some photos of Fathers, Brothers, Sisters and Catholic followers who pray and meditate during the mass. The big brother, Samsung is looking over the field in the form of a big monitor. The police with ‘red hats,’ with the background of fence where people left resistance slogans are decorations of the world where people’s aspiration for peace and democracy is urgent.  For more photos, see here. The 1st photo is by Pang Eun-Mi. The others are by Save Jeju Now.

    May-4-5
    Photo by Save Jeju Now (source)/ Trucks do not pass by the main gate during the morning mass on May 4.
    May 4, 2013

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