At the end of 2013Gangjeong Grand March for Life and Peace (July 29 to Aug. 4), there is a huge and memorable human chain event for two hours in Gangeong village from noon to 2 pm on Aug. 4!
The human chain is a succession of people’s daily human chain in front of the Jeju naval base construction(destruction) gate after daily Catholic mass and Gangjeong dance in protest to stop the Jeju naval base construction.
Two more prisoners of Dr. Song Kang-Ho and Br. Park Do-Hyun! All four prisoners including Yang Yoon-Mo(the court added him fines of 2 million KRW on June 25, which means he would spend 39 days more of prison labor. Because of that, he would be released in May, 2014, not April, 2014) and Kim Young-Jae (the court dismissed people’s appeal for bailing on him on July 8) ! The daily struggle to stop the Jeju naval base project is being continued in Gangjeong.
Peace-loving internationals, even though you may not be able to physically join, please join our human chain in spirit! HOW?
_ You may hurry to mail us some souvenir such as your t-shirts or whatever that can represent you with your name/ messages put on those. We will put those in our human chain. Please see the photos and videos below. OR
_You may send us solidarity messages(up to 100 words)/ photos/ videos no later than July 20. Please see last year’s here.
_Contact: gangjeongintl@gmail.com
We especially encourageall the peace-loving internationals who have been forcefully deportedby ROK government orbeing threatened to be deportedto join us! (To see the status of deported internationals, see here)
All the names will be put at the ending credit of Director Cho Sung-Bong’s documentary, “Gureombi Wind blows.” Dir. Cho plans to take air shot of huge human chain event on the day.
Noon on Aug. 4, 2013
Jeju naval base main construction gate -naval base project committee building complex gate-Peace Center at the Sageori( four way intersection)-Gangjeong port
People in happy faces are to go ALL to Gangjeong to Join the HUMAN CHAIN to HUG GUREOMBI ROCK!
(translation of poster)
Photo fwd by Choi Hye-Young. people’s daily human chain in front of the Jeju naval base construction(destruction) gate. Let’s see all in Gangjeong on Aug. 4. All of you can join us in spirit!Photo by Kim Dong-Won/ Gangjeong is endangered. A peace keeper hung a photo of a villager in his childhood. We dream every life visible and invisible to join our grand human chain event on Aug. 4! For more photos, see here.Photo by Kim Dong-Won/ Every t-shirt or whatever souvenirs you mail to us can represent you. The t shirt is owned by a peace keeper who struggles daily. In that way, we want to represent all the prisoners, deported internationals whom we want to be together in our huge human chain event. For more photos, see here.
People’s promotion video: Please join our human chain to stop the Jeju naval base project on Aug. 4!
‘Independence FROM America’ 4th July at Menwith Hill, Yorkshire, England. This US military spy base is managed by the discredited NSA and linked to Missile ‘Defence’ and drone killings.
Peace flag photo from the Menwith Hill, UK “Flying every week at demo at Menwith Hill x” (Sent by Lindis Percy on June 18) . “The person in the photo is Martin Schweiger – a medical doctor who comes straight from work each week to the demo. He is also a Quaker, activist and….CAAB! The winter was hard with a lot of snow, then a lot of rain but now…summer time! It can be very rough up there.”
The below is a re-blogging from here and here. The statement includes a content on Gangjeong.
To see the report from High North Space Conference, see here.
To see ROK’s involvement on the Arctic development, see here.
For more details on the Kiruna conference, see here.
PROTECTING THE HIGH NORTH, DEMILITARISING OUTER SPACE AND REMOVING THE THREAT OF NUCLEAR ANNIHILATION
The International Conference on the High North and International Security was held in the city of Kiruna, Sweden, on 28-30th June 2013. Representatives from a wide spectrum of civil societies and public movements from a number of Scandinavian, European, Asian and Latin American countries, Russia and the United States of America attended and agreed the following:
Conference members recognize:
that we are facing major threats to our survival through the continued pretence that security can be obtained through aggressive foreign policies and military action;
that the ultimate consequences of these policies is the continued development and threatened use of nuclear weapons and the exploitation and militarization of environments that should be protected for the benefit of all humankind – such as the Arctic and outer space;
that the High North is being used by an expanding NATO as a military practice ground in which to rehearse future war fighting strategies and to test and develop new killing technologies;
that the US has established a satellite ground station in the Svalbard islands in Norway which is used by the military and therefore violates the Svalbard or Spitzbergen Treaty that requires that the archipelago is not used for military purposes;
the rapidly increasing deployment of space based military systems and the global network of ground based stations (including radars, downlink and surveillance facilities) that support and supplement them;
that the uncontrolled and irresponsible use of outer space has resulted in that environment being littered with debris that could eventually render it impenetrable;
the destabilizing effects that the deployment of space based, ground based and sea based missile defense systems have on undermining international stability and that they are risking the possibility of reaching further agreements on nuclear disarmament;
that all states who have signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty should honour its Article VI and “pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a Treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control”;
the negative consequences stemming from the stationing of US tactical nuclear weapons in a number of European nations;
that US President Obama’s focus on his “pivot to Asia”, the sending of missiles and warships to the region and the encouragement of the construction of support bases in the region (such as the one threatening the lives of the Gangjeong villagers on Jeju Island, South Korea), is aimed at containing China and is increasing international tension.
We therefore call on all governments, political parties, members of civil societies and public movements all over the world to share these concerns and urgently request them to call upon:
the leaders of the Permanent members of the United Nations Security Council to arrange an urgent meeting on the revival of stalled arms control processes and to embrace all key areas, including nuclear weapons, missile defense and conventional weapons stationed on the ground, at sea, in the air and in outer space;
the members of the United Nations to firmly work towards the adoption of a Nuclear Weapons Convention, leading to nuclear disarmament, and we call upon the nuclear weapon states not to obstruct the discussion of the Nuclear Weapons Convention in the General Assembly of the UN;
all nations possessing or about to possess missile defense components should recognize their destabilizing nature and seek instead, through diplomatic processes, to reduce international tensions and work towards a situation where cooperation, mutual trust and understanding;
all space-faring nations should engage immediately in high level talks on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space and the adoption of outer space as a de-militarized zone;
all states to respect and renew their commitment to protect the unique and vitally important regions of the Earth, such as the Arctic and Antarctic, and reconfirm that they are not the property of any one nation, and never should be, but are to be protected as a common heritage for all humankind and never used for military purposes.
The money and material assets that will be gained from the above steps and other arms control and disarmament measures should not then be redirected to other military projects but used instead to help convert our militarized societies to peaceful ones that work for the betterment of the social and economic well being of all people – for human rather than state security – and for dealing with our common problem of climate change.
Emily, the Deported Gangjeong Peace Activist, has just visited Timor-Leste to share (1) the Gangjeong’s struggling stories and through this sharing, she also talked about (2) the ideal of Inter-island Solidarity for Just Peace.
This video, Gangjeong in 2012, is translated into Tetun, the most popular language in Timor-Leste, and was used in the sharing in Timor-Leste.
Inter-Island Solidarity for Just Peace from Timor-Leste
From this visiting she also learned that the American navy has tried to take the Atauro Island of Timor-Leste to be its naval base, but so far, not yet succeeded to persuade the government of Timor-Leste. This is an alarm for the newly-independent country Timor-Leste in this trend of islands’ militarization.
Emily met the Human Right Group, Group of Women Peace and Leadership, and the university students and graduate students in the University of Timor Lorosae. These Timorese friends were really amazed by the ongoing struggle of Gangjeong and be more aware about the issue of the militarization in lots of islands.
The following is Emily’s speech especially on inter-island solidarity for just peace in Timor.
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Dear friends of Timor,
I am Emily Wang, a peace worker from Taiwan but I have ever worked in Timor island, Jeju island and Taiwan island. Today I am especially happy to be in Timor-Leste again as Timor is where I started to dream to be a peace maker.
Among the places where I have ever stayed and worked for quite a while, there’s one obvious common element. Is there anyone noticing about it?
Yes, Jeju, Taiwan, Timor all of them are island! But today, I will more focus on the island in North East Asia, including Taiwan, my hometown, and Jeju where I’ve lived for almost 2 years, and Okinawa. Even though I haven’t got chance to visit Okinawa for deeper understanding, many Okinawa people have visited Gangjeong and shared their stories. These three islands are geographically close to each other, and thus when we review the island history by viewing the interaction or relation between these islands and other big powers, you may also get some clue about the reason why I and my co-workers are working to contribute for inter-island solidarity for just peace, and then hopefully, from my sharing, there will be some seeds to grow in the future among us.
Not until my life journey was trapped in Gangjeong, I have been forced to realize and learn lots of hidden stories in the history I used to learn. You know what I am so much surprised that I’ve never realized about Taiwan and Korea’s connected past and present, and I can say most people in Taiwan or Korea haven’t got chance to realize it. Actually, we don’t learn the Korea and Japan’s history in our compulsory school education. Only if the Korea or Japan appeared in the history of China, then the book may have some space for that incident. The history student learned in school in ROC (Taiwan), ROK, and Japan are written on the unnaturally isolated basis of state. Which means we are forced to view our history on the isolated basis of state, and unconsciously, we are divided unnecessarily. The stories which I should have noticed are stolen by an invisible hand.
For I started to realize that, I was motivated to study about the missing history from a missing angle, and I will bring you to a quick history journey in our region through the angle of Island.
For the presentation in Timor, I made the form to compare the history of islands. Thanks for you guys! Because the desire to share our history with you gives me a chance to learn again my history and I just realized a lot of parts of histories before I came to Timor!
Taiwan
Jeju
Okinawa
Timor
In the past, independent island with diverse indigenous people’s tribal culture. Some Han people immigrate to Taiwan.Colonization by Dutch, Spain, and then Chinese regime with lots of Han people’s immigration to Taiwan.
In the past, independent island regime until 12, 13 century, swallowed up by mainland.In the long time ago: battle ground of big countries (China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia…)
In the past, independent island regime. Tributary state to China. In 1609 Satsuma from Japan invaded Okinawa, then Okinawa deftly served both China and Japan.Diverse culture: local culture plus big influence from China and also Japan.
16th century, Portuguese came17th century, Dutch came. West Timor and other island colonized by Dutch between 17th-19th were known as the Dutch East Indies.
Japan imperialism’s colonization(1895-1945)
Japan imperialism’s colonization(1910-1945 ):
Japan imperialism’s colonization(1879-)
Japan imperialism’s colonization (1942-1945)
During war time: Kominka movement(Assimilation policy and a campaign to totally transform the Taiwanese, Okinawa people and Korean into loyal subjects of the Japanese Emperor between 1937 and 1945.)
Island colonies to be militarized, to be exploited for the war preparation and to be used as bases and then victimized
Towards the end of World War II, Taiwan as the colony of Japan became the target of Allied, for example, Taipei Air Raid. The number of deaths totaled more than 3,000, Tens of thousands of people were displaced or became homeless, and many buildings were destroyed either by the attacks or by the fire caused by the attacks. After the conclusion of World War II, because of its pro-American political stance, the government of Republic of Chinatoned down the attack and excluded it from the media and history textbooks.
Towards the end of World War II, the Japanese heavily fortified the island, deployed 70,000 soldiers, and forced the islanders to construct coastal defenses in anticipation of a U.S. invasion.
Towards the end of World War II, the Japanese fortified Okinawa in hopes of thwarting the Allied advance on mainland Japan. U.S. forces, prior to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, saw Okinawa as an ideal location from which to launch potential ground and air attacks against Japan.Okinawa experienced the only ground battle in Japan during World War II. Lots of Okinawa people died and dislocated, lot land…
The end of World War Two:- The end of Japanese colonization- Expectation to build up a new society but…
The end of World War Two:- The end of Japanese colonization in both Korea peninsula and Jeju.- Expectation to build up a new society but…
The end of World War Two:- expectation to build up a new society but…
The end of World War Two:- 1945, Portuguese Timor
– Civil War in China- KMT’s exploitation was like a second colonizer. – In 1947, 228 Massacre – 1948 KMT government launched martial law, Pro-US military dictatorship was establishe– 1949 KMT lost civil war and retreated to Taiwan._ 1950 Korea War broke out, and US Seventh Fleet was send to Taiwan Strait
– Soviet Union and US occupation of north and south Korea – North Korea government firstly built in 1945 but US dislike it. In 1948, with U.S. and U.N. support, South Korea held elections that established a separate Pro-US government in the south, thus solidifying Korea’s division. – In 1948, 43 Massacre
– Occupation by US military- Under the impact of Cold War, the budget for US base construction in Okinawa was passed.- The United States would administer Okinawa but its inhabitants would retain Japanese to svoid criticism of colonization which is good for Japan and US
Okinawa is excluded from the Peace constitution. The history in Okinawa after world war two is very different from the history in other region of Japan
– The Okinawa people started movement to be returned back to Japan
– ?
– Cold War
– Since middle of 1950’, all the military bases in Taiwan provided for US military to use, especially during Vietnam War (1965-1971), around 20,000 US soldiers stationed in Taiwan.- Since 1967, Taiwan was designated as a holiday place for US Army.- White Terror- Economic growth because of War
– Because of Cold War, lots of US army and base in Korea.- Korean army also sends to Vietnam war…- White Terror- Economic growth because of War
– Important US base during Cold War- 1972 US relinquish Okinawa to Japan but the base remains. It shows Okinawa’s victimized role in the US-Japan Security Relationship. Okinawa people realized returning back to Japan is not the point, but military base is the point to fight.- Impoverished by US military administration and started “Base economy” which means islanders relied on the base to survive as the original way of living was destroyed.
– In 1974, after the fall of Portuguese fascist regime, independence was encouraged by the new democratic Portuguese government.- legalise political parties in preparation for elections to a Constituent Assembly in 1976.- Fretilin was criticised by many in Australia and Indonesia as being Marxist. The United States had also expressed concerns over Portuguese Timor- 1975 Indonesia Invasion
China Growth or China Threat / How to face China and how to face each other in our region where the decolonization process was intervened through violence? By holding US’s military hand, we don’t need to face each other!
– 1971, ROC(Taiwan) was kicked out from UN- 1979, US Taiwan Relation Act (US continue to sell weapon to Taiwan and promise Taiwan that in Emergency situation to secure Taiwan)- Taiwan is in a weird situation… (for example: buy the weapons from US and support the US’s war even contributed to the killing in East Timor…)- China and US both cannot tolerate Taiwan to be militarily used by each other,
– US base in Korea’s function is not only for North Korea but largely for China.- Relocation of the base in Korea for the strategy flexibility (eg. Pyeongtaek base)- Jeju Naval Base
– US base in Okinawa’s function also for China
President Obama: Asia Pivot (Rebalance the US focus to the Asia pacific area)- Islands in Asia Pacific area will be more highly militarized- Missile Defense System – an important part of America’s first strike strategy. It serves as a shield for US to prevent the retaliatory action if the first strike were launched.- Who are the targets?# Russia owns the richest natural gas provision and a large portion of the petroleum# America is getting difficult to compete with China economically. How to control China’s economic engine? China imports over 60%’s petroleum through the shipping.- Korea, Taiwan, Japan are all part of the MD system, and the MD system’s Aegis Warship will be stationed in Australia, Japan, Guam, South Korea. Jeju island will be the naval base with Aegis Warship.
– How about Timor-Leste?- Are you safe?- Atauro’s future?
Before the world war two, many of the people in East Asia had been experiencing a common struggle against the imperialism. But after world war two, the common struggling against imperialism was split into two under the cold war. During the World War Two, Islands like Taiwan, Okinawa, and Jeju were unwillingly militarized as the colonies of Japan, but these victimized islands were attacked by America military, the Allied, for attacking the mainland of Japan.
After the World War Two, no time and no need to face peace and justice issue in our region as all of us have to face the cold war together with the US. During the cold war, dividing and dominance in our region was the strategy of US. North East Asia was divided into two sides, and to foster the side of the US partners in our region during Cold War, the Pro-US governments were demanded by the US. That’s why the US installed a new Pro-US government in South Korea and contributed to the division of Korea. And also for US’s interest, the partner countries of US had better to be stabilized to be the US side. Thus, the Pro-US government must have the ability to eliminate the different voices, so the US backed up the Pro-US government’s bloody dictatorship by supporting lots of weapons and military, and money!
Under that background, Pro-US military government in Taiwan and South Korea both suppressed the decolonization effort with the excuse of anti-communist, and the people in Taiwan and Korea both experienced the massacre, 228 massacre and 43 massacre in Taiwan and Jeju, which was both stigmatized as communist rebellion but long time later after both Korea and Taiwan ended the White Terror Era and went on democratization process, both truth of 228 and 43 incident were disclosed more and more.
For the effective social control, in South Korea, the US military and Korea dictatorship even worked together with the Korean vested interests who had served for Japanese colonizer to exploit the other poor Korean. So after world war two, these people back to their power again but this time, worked with US and Pro-US dictatorship to continue the strict social control for the reason of anti-communist.
In China, the KMT government lost the civil war in mainland China and retreated to Taiwan, Taiwan Strait between China and Taiwan become the Cold War dividing Line. One thing to notice is that the whole Taiwan island before the world war two was the colony of Japan, and after the war, Taiwan people experienced a very short cerebration and expectation of emancipation, and then got very much disappointed by KMT government as the Taiwan people were just again became the second citizen of government from mainland and the “self-governance movement” which has started since the Japanese colonization time got suppressed again by the KMT dictatorship government.
(One thing to notice is Korea and Jeju were all fell into the Japan’s colony together but Taiwan alone were given to Japan by Ching dynasty in 1895 after a lost of war between China and Japan, therefore during the World War two while China fought hardly against the Japan’s invading, Taiwan people were Japan’s colony second citizen, and Taiwan island was a land to be exploited for Japan’s imperialism war against China and other countries.)
At the moment when Taiwan’s people who settled down in Taiwan before the 1945 haven’t adapted themselves as “Chinese” yet, and then the Pro-US KMT dictatorship government made them feel they are not equal with “mainland Chinese” but second citizen again as “Taiwan Chinese”, and make Taiwan people thought that Japan and China are actually the same as colonizer. Some even hate KMT more.
There’s one more thing to notice here, when I mention “Taiwan people”, it means diverse group of people who live in Taiwan and other small island governed by Taiwan’s government now.
And the KMT’s lost of Civil War and retreating to Taiwan along with lots of immigration from mainland, due to the bad governance of KMT, these new immigrant people after World War Two had long been called as outsiders (people from other province, people who are not from Taiwan province), a discriminating calling mainly resulting from the dissatisfaction of decolonization and emancipation process. Except for the above-mentioned Han people, there’re indigenous people, the most discriminated group, became under the KMT’s governance. The indigenous people are not Japanese, not Chinese, so even in the emotional feeling, to be “returned” back to Chinese government is not a “returning” but simply just a new colonization by a dictatorship KMT government, for them, a worse colonizer than Japan.
In Japan, under the US military power, a pro-US and anti-communist government was built up too. Japan became US’s partner in cold war system, and it froze the Japan’s society to face the decolonization historical issues as an imperial colonizer and an invader in our region. This gave the militarism in Japan a big chance to be revitalized even after the disastrous war experience.
Okinawa, an originally independent kingdom having a diverse exchanging relationship with both China and Japan, became the imperial Japan’s territory in 19 century. And during the World War Two, due to Okinawa’s geo-graphical importance, Japan highly militarized Okinawa island, but still US military succeeded to take over Okinawa to make it an important jumping step to attack the mainland Japan. Thus, Okinawa being victimized by the powerful countries and experienced a bloody ground battle by US and Japan. After World War two, for its importance and convenience of military, Okinawa was continued to be occupied and directly governed by the US military but remained as Japanese citizen, a deal between US and Japan for their state interest. Okinawa, the only place experiencing the ground battle in world war two in Japan, again was sacrificing for the mainland Japan who enjoyed a peace constitution after world war two. During the US military governance period, Okinawa people never stopped struggling against the US military and US base, and thus the movement to return Okinawa back to Japan began in this background. Finally, Okinawa was “returned” back to Japan’s governance in 1972, but the US base remained, which made the movement to “return Okinawa to Japan” an ironical movement.
US intervention frustrated the decolonization process in our region, makes our common struggling history against imperialism to be forgotten, and also make our region still one of the most highly militarized regions in this world and unfortunately, I have to say our region is still invisibly governed or colonized by the US and imperialism but not so many people realized that.
After the introduction of the historical background, I would like to ask you to think of the history background I just shared, and put one more geographic factor- island-into your mind.
As islands, when we face the same big stream of the world, the same stream gives us, the islanders, and the mainlanders some different impact and experiences.
In the history, Taiwan, Jeju and Okinawa all had its own unique and independent culture. Even though the islands have certain degree of the cultural consistence extended from the Mainland, or Big Island due to the exchange and immigration, the unique island culture and geographic condition makes the islands the region distinct from the land but the difference was not often recognized or respect by the government from the mainland or super powers.
In many cases, for the mainland or the big island, the islanders are forced to sacrifice, to be abandoned or be treated differently as second citizen. In the past, each isolated islands faced this common fate but struggled individually and lonely with limited support from outside. In our region, all of us experienced the westerners’ imperialism and many of us experienced the westernized Japanese imperialism. However, as the islands, we usually faced double discrimination and were triple victimized by both the colonizer and from our culturally related mainland.
Actually for myself, to be an islander, to be given a chance to stay around the island, and to be a peace worker, I think the so-called isolation of island is not “isolation”, but the selfish imperialism state has given us the real feeling of isolation. In the past, the ocean embraces us but not isolated us. However the countries, the borders, the capitals, the imperialism isolated not only the islanders but also the mainlanders as we are all isolated from a possible way of peace.
Today, the growing tension surrounding lots of small islands related to the exploitation of natural resources in the sea brought the islands again to become a battle fields for the human’s greed. The government talked about “national security” but the militarization had brought the islanders a very in secure environment in the history. To talk about security in the way of militarization, the island will always be a jumping step of one super power to attack the mainland or another super power. The peace will never come through this way because the imperialism super power’s core value is not peace but national interest, and in fact, the vested interests’ interest. Peace obtained through force and violent means is not sustainable and in time will be forced to surrender to a larger force or power. The just peace can only be sustained through peaceful means and through our strong solidarity with each other. This kind of peace is the only way for the small islanders to survive and to preserve our island instead of relying on the militarized means which impoverished lots of islands already in the world.
Comparing to big mainland or big island, we are small islanders, very small, and very divided right now, so I strongly suggest that inside our own island, we should motivate people to foresee their possible future to be militarized or to be threaten by militarized states, by realizing this possibility, and by feeling the suffering of others, we should motivate people to demilitarized their island in advance and to make an international solidarity with other islands who are struggling to walk in front to be a Peace Island.
When I was in Gangjeong village, I met an international peace activist whose name is Angie Zelter. She came to Gangjeong shortly but did her best to support the Gangjeong peace movement. She joined to the SOS team’s action to go inside the seashore rock of Naval base, called Gureombi, and in front of lots of people and lots of police, she cut the barbed wire which prevent people from entering into the base. Finally, and not surprisingly, she was deported from Korea. There’re many internationals who got deported from Korea including me. But why do I especially mention Angie Zelter in this speech? Anyone knows the answer?
She has been contributed for lots of non-violent direct peace action and among them, there’s one peace action closely related to Timor Island. In 1996 she was part of a group that disarmed a BAE Hawk Jet, ZH955, causing £1.5million damage and preventing it from being exported to Indonesia where it would have been used to attack East Timor. I am really thankful for these inspiring people’s effort to make someone’s struggling in somewhere not alone. It inspires me.
I think as an island peace activist, when we struggle against the militarization which happened in our island, what we are doing is actually earn a chance to let the world peace begin from us. However, to be a more responsible island peace worker to realize the real world peace, we have no choice but contribute our best to the inter-island solidarity for just peace as we should not let any other island which has no tradition of fighting against militarism to receive the military base after our success. No matter the military base or other unjust thing which the mainland wants to dump to the islands should not just move from one island to another weaker island. If so, then, we cannot call it’s a victory of peace because our struggling is not NIMBY! Our struggling is for Just Peace. Not in my backyard and also not in your backyard because we are brothers and sisters!
Through encountering Gangjeong and experiencing deportation by the Korea government, the invisible imperialism and state violence appeared vividly in front of my life. When I faced Entry Denial in the incheon international airport in Korea, I remembered the immigration officer said to me: “Don’t blame us, if it’s Taiwan, the government will do just exactly the same thing to someone like you. Your government is the same.” Exactly, I agree with that immigration officer, so now the story should not just be about Gangjeong or Korea.
Not only Jeju island, but all the islands should not be victimized as part of the military chain to contain the big land, but the island can be an inspiration for the big land or big island of possible progress on world peace when we don’t leave each other alone on the way of peace. I believe People’s friendships are the most important and reliable basis of sustainable peace not a military base. So again, I am so happy to come back Timor, an island like a friend for me, to share my experiences. Since the Timor also face the danger to be militarized and to be semi-colonized again by the militarism after the hard struggle for independence, I hope my speech will help us to walk the way of Peace altogether. Thank you so much for listening my sharing.
Speech in the Peace Study class with Graduate Students in University of Timor LorosaeSharing of Gangjeong struggle with the group of Women Peace and Leadership
This speech was originally written and translated to be used by Mayor Kang at the 2013 Moana Nui conference, held in the beginning of June in Berkeley California. Upon the actual event, much of the speech was improvised, but some was based off the original speech found here. Special thanks to Fr. Pat for the translation from Korean to English.
Hello!
I am Dong-Kyun Kang, the Mayor of a small village called Gangjeong in Jeju. I am so grateful for this opportunity to speak to you. It’s very meaningful. So far, I’ve heard many stories from around the world which make very scared and worried for our descendents.
Given that fresh spring water is such a precious and scarce resource on Jeju island, the 450 year old village of Gangjeong situated in the southern part of the island was always the envy of other villages as its possession of an abundant spring water supply which always flowed freely ensured it was always ranked first among Jeju’s villages.
During the construction of the naval base, many international activists have visited Gangjeong and others in the process have been denied entry and deported. Other peace activists have been prevented from leaving the country. I’m keenly aware and saddened that many have suffered from many forms of repression and for their sacrifice I feel so grateful and promise to stand with you in solidarity.
You’ve now seen that in recent history there have been two major events in Korea – in 1948 and 1950. As you are aware there was the major upheaval of the 1950 Korean War which broke out in June 25- a tumultuous national tragedy. One could be forgiven for thinking that this was a family feud that led to the country being divided but the reality was that the war was the result of an ideological battle between the major powers at the time and Korea was its victim. This continues until the present time.
The April 3, 1948 Jeju uprising led to the brutal suppression of the population by state security forces which resulted in the massacre of the islanders of Jeju and behind the slaughter was the US government, the self proclaimed keeper of the peace! A conservative estimate puts the number who died from the mass killings at over 30,000 out of a population of 280,000 people at that time.
Fortunately, in 2005 President Roh apologized on behalf of the state to the people of Jeju and acknowledged for the very first time the states brutal suppression and massacre of the people of Jeju. He went on to declare Jeju as an ‘island of world peace’.
Peace can only be sustained through peaceful means. Peace obtained through force and violent means is not sustainable and in time will be forced to surrender to a larger force or power. However, I believe that dialogue and mutual understanding between people who work together in mutual respect to build a sustainable future is the key to a sustainable peace.
The location of Korea positioned in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and particularly the strategic location of Jeju Island is key to understanding its strategic importance to the world’s major powers. However, behind the construction of the naval base in Jeju is the US government. Will Jeju genuinely remain an island of peace or an island of military bases heightening tensions between the world’s major powers? This is a central question that needs addressing.
The naval base project is a national security project. I think one defines genuine national policy as seeking to put the interests of its citizens and their happiness and genuine well being first and foremost. Likewise national security is not only about the state’s administration and its military but should seek to ensure genuine human security for all its citizens. Genuine national policy and national security should seek to secure the confidence and trust of all its citizens which in turn forms the true pillar and foundation for its policies. Working together hand in hand with the people should be the central tenet of its policies.
Aside from the naval base construction creating the strong possibility of a situation of crisis for Korea and Jeju into the future, the village community of Gangjeong is being destroyed with its people being evicted. With the construction of the naval base the navy claims that the national security of the state is its primary objective followed by the economic development of the region and its third objective – the navy and residents coexisting in mutual cooperation and to the benefit of all. However, the construction of the naval base rather than enhancing and bolstering national security will have the opposite effect of increasing already existing tensions between global powers in the region resulting in Jeju being caught in the crosshairs of conflict in the future. How therefore can the building of a naval base bolster regional economic development in such a tense and dangerous environment?
The state in implementing its policies should first consult the people who will likely be impacted the most and endeavor to seek the consent of its citizens through due process which is the most important consideration and an important building block of any democratic society. Even with the project underway listening courteously to and reflecting on the opinions of the other is surely important in trying to achieve real cooperation. The need for transparency in implementing state projects is paramount. However, the naval base has been enforced from the beginning without any consultation on the decision making process and devoid of any semblance of transparency leaving the Gangjeong villagers in the dark about what was going on. Those villagers opposed to the base are in the process of having their lands expropriated without any dialogue or due process of consultation. The villagers are completely perplexed and dismayed by the conflict that has arisen in their village with the naval base decision having separated families and divided parents with siblings becoming enemies and yesterday’s friends becoming today’s enemies resulting in the collapse of the community.
Fully aware of the stark implications of proceeding with plans to build the base the central government and navy planned and designed the base together with the backing of the US government. As a means of promoting the base and quashing any form of dissent, protestors have been treated with great hostility and denounced as leftists and North Korean sympathizers by the military. The brutal enforcement of the base with complete disrespect and arrogance has resulted in the military losing whatever respect it may once have had.
Together with the mobilization of the police and state power is the major issue of the lack of due legal process and the arrests of over 700 activists, charges having been filed against 400 activists with 25 cases of activists having been imprisoned to date. There has to be a fair way to resolve such conflicts but the legal system and court process has failed to provide this.
With the full power of the police state brought to bear on villagers and activists alike it is undeniable that people will get hurt as they are literally being dragged away like animals battered and bruised. However the courageous and brave efforts of so many over the course of a 7 year long struggle are not in vain but are the source of a precious groundwork that is the basis for a bright future for Gangjeong and Korea alike. These continuing efforts will continue to bear fruit long into the future.
The majestic natural environment of Jeju is commonly referred to as beauty inherited from the gods and is home to the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and three UNESCO World Natural Heritage sites. In 2012 The New Wonders Foundation voted Jeju Island as one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World. In September 2012 the World Conservation Congress opened in Jeju where it was hoped that it would promote the international consensus of Jeju as a ‘World Environmental Capital City’. However, this ideal is being undermined by the destruction of the environment caused by the building of the naval base which is a grave threat to genuine national security.
Some concluding remarks.
The 7 year long struggle has left many exhausted and bruised after enduring much pain and suffering along the way. There have been moments of despair but the determination to struggle and defend our village and home and pass it on to future generations has been the enduring legacy and mainstay of the struggle and has been a sacred calling. A new hope springs from the end of despair. This new hope comes from people seeking their true human fulfillment as beings living in harmony with nature, living together in peace.
Instead of Jeju being designated an island of military installations we will work to ensure that it will be known as an island of peace, an island of natural beauty and conservation. Also, together with all the villagers of Gangjeong and the people of Jeju we truly desire that global citizens and true lovers of nature and world peace will have the freedom to gather in this beautiful place without the impediment of a ghastly and ugly military base which aggravates existing tensions between global powers. Therefore, what I truly wish is for everyone around the world to sing the peace song of Gangjeong and to keep it in their hearts. Ladies and Gentlemen, Please join together in solidarity and help us.
Brother Song, Jeong Young-Hee, and Mayor Kang chat in the Gangjeong Peace Center.
On Wednesday, June 12, The Gangjeong International Team hosted an International Solidarity Talkshow during the daily candlelight vigil/gathering time in the Gangjeong Peace Center. The show highlighted recent solidarity trips taken by Gangjeong villagers and activists. There were three guest to the “show”. The first was Mayor Kang, who recently returned from Berkeley, California, where he attended and participated in the Moana Nui 2013 Conference on June 1 and 2. Moana Nui is an international solidarity gathering, hosted of people from by the International Forum on Globalization (IFG) and Pua Mohala I Ka Po, in cooperation with Oceanic Coalition of Northern California (OCNC). The theme was “PEOPLES OF THE PACIFIC–CONFRONTING MILITARIZATION, RESOURCE THEFT, GLOBALIZATION & THE PACIFIC PIVOT”. 45 speakers from 20 nations were there, including Mayor Kang, who spoke about the Gangjeong struggle as a Pacific resistance movment.
Second, Village Women’s Committee Chairwoman Jeong Young-Hee, who recently returned from an extensive speaking tour across the U.S., including Hawaii. For around 20 days starting at the end of April, she visited 6 different areas including Hawaii, Boston, Maine, New York, San Francisco and LA. There she shared about Gangjeong and her personal struggle at a variety of events, including a shared talk with Professor Noam Chomsky. And third, Dr. Song Kang-Ho (Brother Song) who has just come back from a trip to Okinawa. He was invited for May 18 which was the 40th anniversary of the reversion of Okinawa from U.S. Control back to Japanese administration. Aside from joining the events, he visited many areas to share about Jeju and talk about the movement for demilitarized peace island solidarity. For International Team member Silver was the host and emcee for the night, creating both a fun and thoughtful atmosphere. The “stage” was decorated with signed flags and signs of solidarity which the guests brought back with them.
The evening began with a trivia contest, with questions related to trips or the trip areas. Prizes included Jeju tangerine chocolate, solidarity t-shirts, and Indonesian coffee. After that each person was asked to give a 5 minute summary of their trip with pictures if they had them. It closed with a question and answer time.
During his talk and while answering questions, Mayor Kang said that he was impressed by the progressive atmosphere of Berkeley and felt that although it was home to many nobel prize winners, many people lived very frugally and not in a flashy manner. He also shared that he met many people from across the pacific ocean especially from small islands, and from them he found that they too were suffering like Jeju because of the endless pursuit of capital, neo-liberalism, and militarism. And they were all victims of war during WW2. He said that America claims they are working for “world security” with a “peace force” but in reality they are tormenting these small islands. He said he believes that Inter-Island Solidarity for Just Peace, beginning with a triangle of Okinawa, Taiwan, and Jeju is possible, because at the conference he felt a pressing need for forging bonds of solidarity at the conference. He also shared that in Berkeley there was a large 2000 year-old-tree which had a large hole in it that he could even climb inside. They were conserving that tree there and he was impressed and respected their effort to preserve their environment. On the other hand, I felt sad that America keeps its own values but at the same time seeks to destroy others values.
Among other things, Chairwoman Jeong told a story about an almost 70 year old native woman activist who she met in Hawaii and was very impressed by. She lost her parents when she was very young. Even back when her grandfather was still alive, that time was the 100th anniversary of U.S. colonization of Hawaii. Until now she has been working with dedication to recover Hawaii and has been to prison for her struggle. Also she met many Korean-American activists in the U.S. and was very impressed that even though Gangjeong is not their hometown they work hard to fight for Gangjeong. She said she was encouraged a lot by many American’s support for the Gangjeong struggle, but at the same time many overseas Koreans and Korean-Americans who were indifferent. She said that she even yelled at one guy who seems like a Korean government agent. She also shared that she learned a lot from the experience and she hoped that other villagers would get a chance to do the same.
Finally, Brother Song talked about the similarities between Jeju, Taiwan, and Okinawa. He said that all of them have similar histories and are suffering by powerful countries in similar ways. In the effort to create the Inter-Island Solidarity for Just Peace Movement, he suggested that we start with these three places as a “trial triangle”. He told the story of an island controlled by Taiwan called “Lanyu” were China discarded nuclear waste there without discussion. It is ironic that all of the most beautiful islands are destroyed by powerful nations. He then shared that the islands which are weaker than Jeju need our solidarity and experience. Meanwhile, Okinawa which has fought for more than 68 years has managed to get some land back from bases but all the land is very polluted. However, more than land contamination, spiritual contamination is more dangerous. In Okinawa, there is an place called, “American Village” where the land has been returned. But the land was contaminated and the economy was dependent on the base, so the people struggled and eventually created an American style village to service U.S. military members, so that they could survive. He said that we need a strong vision for peace so that even if our land is contaminated and the base is built our spirit will not be contaminated. For example, in Gangjeong we can create spaces for peace activists to migrate, give land for refugees, build a peace park, and do peace education, basically creating one big peace village. To gather islands for the Inter-Island Solidarity for Just Peace movement, he suggested sailing on a boat between the islands. He also invited people from around the world to join the every-seven-year-event of the WCC (World Council of Churches) in Busan, Korea this October, where Gangjeong and the Inter-Island Solidarity for Just Peace Movement will be holding a workshop during the forum.
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.
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.
