Margaret Sekaggya, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, Introduces herself to Gangjeong residents.
On June 4, 2013 Margaret Sekaggya, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, visited Gangjeong to meet with villagers and activists and see the situation. The visit came as part of a two week visit to South Korea, visiting Korea’s unfortunately numerous sites of struggle for human rights and justice, such as Milyang and Gangjeong.
In the afternoon, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. a meeting was held in the village ceremonial hall with the villagers and activists to hear of their struggle. Sekaggya said that she will take her findings from her visit to Korea and would compile a report to be released in March of 2014. At that time the report will be released to the Human Rights Council in Geneva as well as to the Korean government and publicly.
Upon her arrival many reporters and broadcast news personnel were waiting but following a brief introduction were made to leave and the doors were shut, so that the villagers could speak in private without press intimidation.
Village Anti-Base Committee Chairman, Goh Gwon-Il, begins the proceedings.
The proceedings were emceed by Village Anti-Base Committee Chairman, Goh Gwon-Il who began giving a detailed overview of the history and facts of Gangjeong and the base project until now, such as the first fake vote and the second real vote where 94 percent of the 725 villagers in attendance voted against the base.
Descriptions of military, construction, and police harassment of villagers and activists followed. A video from 2011 of naval soldiers harassing and fighting with villagers was shown. Then a video of the 4-on-1 water assault on and beating of Dr. Song Kang-Ho by Coast Guard SSU Special Unite Divers in 2011. Next a video was shown of Villagers and activists attempted to climb a barge to talk to the workers and navy, and being beaten and pushed from the boat by workers and the navy.
Next videos were shown of the recent crackdown on the sit-in tents near the gate, including the near hanging on Mayor Kang by careless police and public workers, as well as the police pushing Villager Mi-Lyang off a 6 meter high ledge. Then Mi-Lyang, who is still in the hospital for recovery, came to give her testimony of the situation. It was clearly very difficult for her to speak of the recent traumatic event.
Villager Kim Mi-Lyang tells about her traumatic fall at the ends of the police.
Then, Catholic Fr. Kim Sung-Hwan came to speak about and show videos of the oppression on the Catholics, including the near death of Father Mun in April of 2012 as well as the pushing over of Father Mun during communion destroying the sacraments, general police oppression and disruption of the daily catholic mass, including the outrageous use of pepper spray on those attending the mass.
Next, tangerine farmer and chairwoman of the Village Women’s Committee to Stop the Base, Jeong Young-Hee, came to talk about and show pictures and videos of further struggles and injuries from police violence as well as base construction pollution damage to crops. After that, Activist Bok-Hee came and talked about oppression on activists including the police and security thug violence at the construction gates, displaying the many injuries. She also emphasized the double standard, that when there are many cameras or visitors, the police are very gentle and polite but when no one is looking they are violent and rude. Next, Activist Youn-Ae came and gave a personal testimony about her life as an anti-base activist and oppression she has faced in Gangjeong.
Tangerine farmer and chairwoman of the Village Women’s Committee to Stop the Base, Jeong Young-Hee addresses the panel.
Finally, Activist Sung-Hee came and talked about oppression on internationals, emphasizing detail the stories of Benjamin Monnet and Angie Zelter who were targeted and forcefully deported. She also talked about the recent re-entry denial of long-term Taiwanese Gangjeong resident, Emily Wang, as well as the more than 20 other entry denials and deportations related the anti-base struggle.
After the nearly two hours of detailed explanation by Gangjeong villagers and activists there was a general question and answer time. The UN visitors thanked the people for their testimonies and information and asked what kind of things they would like to see in the report, such as concrete statements or actions or resolutions. Although there wasn’t much time to comment 5 people responded with suggestions.
Finally, Margaret Sekaggya thanked everyone again and apologized for the short time. She also said she felt very well received and also thanked the organizers for organizing everything so well. In the end, she wished the people the best in their continued struggle. Then she went out for a short tour of the village before departure.
1. Maintenance of UNESCO Biosphere Reserve despite massacre of nature?/ People’s letter to the UNESCO
Despite great mass killing of UNESCO sea creatures in the Gangjeong Sea, Jeju, it isreported that the UNESCO International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere program (MAB) adopted the report by the Jeju Island government in its evaluation on May 28, 2013. The evaluation is held every 10 year. The Jeju Island became to continue to hold the title of the UNESCO triple-crowned: The Biosphere Reserve, World Natural Heritage and Geology Park. Please see the very related and important post regarding the matter of the UNESCO renewal , here.
The Jeju Island was designated as the Biosphere Reserve in Dec. 2012. The total designation area is 30.94㎢, which is about 45% of the whole area of the Jeju Island, It includes the Halla National Park, Youngcheon (Young Stream), Hyodoncheon (Hyodon Stream), Moonseom (Moon Island), Beomseom (Beom/ Tiger Island), Seopseom (Seop Island) that were designated as the CORE Biosphere Reserves in 2012. (See the same article of the Jeju Internet News linked above)
The status of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the Jeju Island. The scarlet areas and spots indicate the core zones of the Biosphere Reserve: Mt. Halla, Beom, Moon and Seop Islands. The blue areas are buffer zones while the pale blue areas are transition areas. (source: Jeju Internet News, May 29, 2013)
The National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island has sent a letter to the UNESCO MAB secretariat as of May 29, to request the UNESCO ‘objective reviews on the Jeju Biosphere Reserve,’ concerning about the ‘destruction and pollution of the Jeju Biosphere Reserve in relation to the Jeju Naval Base construction.’ Please see the letter in English in thesite (Please scroll down mouse until you see the English part).
In its letter, it first raised on the matter of ‘inconsistent maps of the Biosphere Reserve Buffer Zone’ around the core Biosphere Reserve of the Beom Island (Tiger Island):
‘Inconsistent maps of the Biosphere Reserve buffer zone brings confusions and raises doubts on the Government’s performance on monitoring the management and preservation of the entire Jeju Biosphere Reserve.” (See the letter for details)
It also made clear that the ‘sea route of the Jeju Naval Base would cut through the buffer zone’: ‘In the last World Conservation Congress held in September 2012, the Government insisted that the Jeju Naval Base construction does not violate the Biosphere Reserve. However, in any of above mentioned three maps, the sea route of the Jeju Naval Base would cut through the buffer zone, which would bring negative impacts on the Biosphere Reserve. The Government did not mention about these concerns in its Periodic Report submitted in September 2012.’
Despite the letter, according to the the Jeju Island government who stated on May 29 , “the UNESCO MAB-ICC made an overall evaluation that ‘the Jeju Island is faithfully carrying out the Biosphere Reserve network rules and regulations,’ according to its advisory committee evaluation result. The MAB-ICC adopted the periodic reviews from the six regions of Canada, Germany, India, Paraguai, Mexico, and Jeju Island, among 55 regions, without special demand items. It adopted periodic reviews from the other regions with recommendation and demand items.” the same article reads. (See the article)
According to the article, ‘the Jeju Island government delivered that it included the physical character of the Island’s Biosphere Reserve; types of creatures’ habitats; activities within the Biosphere Reserve; activities on study, monitoring; education & training and public relation; management, policy, budget on its biosphere reserve.’ It also added that it ‘introduced Gotjawal, Oreums, inner land wetlands, and soft coral habitats as the habitats of special concern, while introducing stone culture and sea-diving women’ lives as its traditional culture.’
Did they ever report on the current on-going destruction and killing of UNESCO Gangjeong Sea by the naval base construction(destruction)? Probably NONE but with lots of cheats ! The UNESCO is dammed to be cheated by the Jeju Island and ROK governments. You may see the ROK government document to the MAB-ICC, here, which conceals many serious matters of ROK government’s environmental destruction in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, especially in the Jeju.
2. People file for a lawsuit against the navy and Samsung
On May 31, the ROK Day of Sea, some groups such as the Office of Jang Hana, National Assembly woman, Hot Pink Dolphins, and the Gangjeong Village Association filed for a lawsuit accusing the ROK navy, Samsung and Daelim, especially in relation to the navy and companies’ massacre of sea creatures with their thoughtless dismantling works of damaged 6 caissons, which started on May 5, this year, the Children Day in Korea. (See the accusation document in Korean, here).
The groups along with the members of the Seoul and Gyunggi branches of ‘Gangjeong Friends’ also had a press conference in front of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office on the same day.
Jang Hana, National Assembly woman talking and holding accusation document against the navy and corporations such as Samsung C & T, during the press conference on May 31. People wore the hand-made hats of endangered species in Gangjeong by the naval base construction(destruction)
Jo Yak Gol, member of Hot Pink Dolphins and a peace keeper of Gangjeong speaks during the conference on May 31. (Source/ Original Source: Voice of People, May 31, 2013)
According to Jang Hana, National Assembly woman: “The navy’s behavior of contaminating the sea ecology system in the Gangjeong Sea, by its dismantling process of damaged caissons underwater, bringing the very poisonous cement powders and concrete lumps in the sea is in violation of item 2 of article 22 of the maritime environment management.
The item 2 of the article 22 of the maritime environment management defines that “nobody should leak contaminating material that occurs in the maritime space such as maritime facility, beach resort, and mouth zone.” The punishment for the violation of it is up to two years’ imprisonment or up to 20 million won fine.
The people also reminded that when the World Conservation Congress was held in Jeju, 2012, there was a controversy of environmental destruction on the damaged caissons by typhoons. At the time, Captain Yoon Seok-Hwan stated in the press conference, that the navy plans to “float damaged caissons and then dismantle and dispose those ON THE LAND or dispose those in the ways not badly affecting environment. We will NEVER use the way such as underwater blast.” (See a Korean article, here) .
Go Gwon-Il, Village chairman of the Stop the Naval Base Project speaks during the press conference on May 31. The banner reads, ‘Immediately stop the Jeju naval base construction (destruction) that destroys maritime ecology system. ‘(Source/ Original source: Newsis, May 31, 2013)
However, that promise has never been kept. The navy is openly dismantling those caissons ON THE SEA, carelessly blowing out poisonous cement powders and lumps into the sea. Its disastrous result could be seen on the SOS teams’ May 15 video. “Even though the navy and Samsung say that they would dredge the cement on the sea bottom, there is really no way to dredge all the chopped-up parts of cement because those powders are spreading far into the sea by the strong currents of the Gangjeong Sea. It is already illegal to throw down concrete cement, poisonous waste, into the sea.” (from people’s accusation document)
3. Three recent important videos on the navy’s destruction of Gangjeong sea
(1) The navy and companies’ illegal dismantling of damaged caissons on the sea
It is a vivid scene of navy’s illegal dismantling of damaged caissons on the sea, which started on May 5. (Video by Moetppuri Park, edit by Ryu Dong-Kyun)
Seven caissons were destroyed by the typhoons such as Bolaven on Aug. 29, 2012. The whole production costs of those caissons are 35 billion won. The ROK Ministry of Construction and Traffic has concluded in 1998 that the caisson construction method is impossible in the southern part of Jeju, after the result of a year’s investigation. It is because of severe typhoons and currents to the total destruction of harbors in the Seogwipo area, the southern part of Jeju. (See the recent Korean article, here). Especially, the Gangjeong village is of a protruded out geography in its coast. The villagers have warned the navy numerous times that the village geography itself is impossible for any huge harbor, not to mention naval base. Despite that, the navy has enforced the construction (destruction). It is only forthe profits of big corporations such as Samsung.
(2) The UNESCO Gangjeong Sea being killed by the naval base construction (destruction)
(Video by Save Our Sea team on May 15, 2013)
‘While heavy metal-poisonous materials such as leaking earth and sands, concrete lumps and cement powders are injected into the sea as they are by the illegal naval base construction(destruction), the silt protectors never properly work because of unreliable installation and restoration of their damaged status… The Gangjeong Sea where the endangered species such as the Indo-Pacific bottle nose dolphins, red-feet crabs, soft corals have been playing is being killed. There hardly is no trace of living creatures in the bottom of the sea. Only sediment materials can be touched. The damage on the fisheries by the illegal naval base construction (destruction) is extended into Beophwan and Wolpyong, nearby Gangjeong’ (SOS. Source)
You may painfully compare the above video with the below which was taken in 2009, before the destruction of sea by the naval base construction.
(3) Illegal quarrying, transportation, and reclamation of sand and stones.
(Video by Kim Bok-Chul, edit and arrangement by Dungree(Park Sung-Soo)
The Jeju naval base project is already infamously illegal in the sense of dual MOU, violation of EIA, violation of law on the cultural treasure, layout flaw, manipulated fake simulation. It was disclosed by a construction worker last October that the Samsung C & T is building unreliable caissons, using the reinforce rods under-standard, which results in easy destruction of caissons by typhoons.
Not only that. The video discloses the illegal quarrying, transportation and land-filling of sand-stones by the companies.
On Jan. 31, this year, a peace activist, Mr. Kim Bok-Chul traced a truck from the Hwasoon port and Gangjeong and found that the stone-quarrying site located in the Mooreung-ri, Daejung-eup, Seogwipo City is illegal. Given the record, it can be estimated that tens of thousands of illegal sands and stones have been transported for 40 days around Jan. 31. Those illegal stones would never properly work in the basic construction of the base.
It has been also known that there are about nine transportation companies of which trucks commonly violate legal speed, freight amount, central line and traffic signs.
Putting sands and stones in the sea is also done in violation of the EIA. The silt-protectors have never properly functioned but rather contributed to the destruction of environment.
The navy and company should stop destruction of nature with illegal methods which are only for reduction of construction costs. The sea is of the soft coral habitats, which are ROK natural memorial NO. 442, as well as the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
While the Seogwipo Coast Guard is investigating on the illegality of sand and stones, the Seogwipo City and Seogwipo Police should also thorough examine the illegality of construction (destruction) rather than oppressing protesting people in violation of their human rights.
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
“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 postponementof 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!
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!
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
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.
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.
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 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
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 hereand 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
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.
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.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.
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.
