No War Base on the Island of Peace
In this September Edition:
Catholic Conference, anniversary of Catholic solidarity and the fence around Gureombi, International Day of Peace, remembering an Japanese anti-base activist, North East Asia Regional Peace-building Institute, hunger strikes, Okinawa updates, trial updates, international solidarity, and more!
In this this July and August Special Edition:
The Pope visits Korea, more caissons broken by typhoons, World Council of Churches calls for a stop to the base, special section on the 2014 Grand March, special section on the 2014 Peace for the Sea Camp, update on Milyang, Emergency Jeju DMZ forum, youth camps in Gangjeong, Gangjeong housing co-op, prison updates, trial updates, international solidarity, and more!
Last fall, from October 30 until November 8, 2013, The World Council of Churches (WCC) held its every 7-years global assembly in Busan on the southern tip of the mainland of Korea. With the theme of “God of Life, lead us to Justice and Peace”, it was perfectly suited for Gangjeong, and activists and villagers from Gangjeong, as well as nationwide and international supporters attended the assembly, hosting both a workshop on Inter-Island Solidarity and an Exhibition Booth about Gangjeong’s struggle.
At the time, Gangjeong’s struggle was also brought before the assembly as an issue to be discussed in the official statements released each time by the WCC. The public issues committee and the WCC delegates which had the delegated authority to choose which issues would appear in official statements, voted to choose Gangjeong. Gangjeong and its supporters were overjoyed, however due to unresolved issues, there was not time to finish and release the official statement by the end of the assembly and it was pushed back to July 2014 when the WCC central committee would meet again to resolve remaining issues.
Well, finally, from July 2-8, the central committee met in Geneva, Switzerland. There they finished the remaining statements and released them including the one related to Gangjeong. In an official statement entitled, “Statement towards a Nuclear-free World”:
The World Council of Churches central committee, meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, 2-8 July 2014, therefore calls on member churches and related ministries and networks to:
[…] 8. Oppose the expansion of military bases, nuclear forces and missile defences in Asia or targeting Asia, and raise awareness of public resistance to such military expansion including the new naval base at Gangjeong Village on Jeju Island, Republic of Korea.
According to the WCC, they represent over 500 million Christians in more than 110 countries, making them one of the worlds largest religious councils. This clear mandate for its member churches, ministries and networks to oppose the Gangjeong naval base is a major win for the Gangjeong struggle!
Please spread this great news around and encourage those you know in WCC related churches, networks and ministries, to join in this new mandate of the WCC!
In this month’s issue:
Soft corals of Gangjeong dying, Jeju after the elections, Sydney Harbor, Solidarity with Okinawa for the Battle of Okinawa, police disturb Catholic mass, village bus gets painted, nonviolent direct action workshop in Gangjeong, remembering the Korean war, noisy construction, prison updates, trial updates, international solidarity, and more!
The time for the annual Gangjeong Grand March for Life and Peace is almost here! From July 29 to August 2, Gangjeong friends and supporters will march across Jeju from Jeju City to Gangjeong. Then in Gangjeong there will be a festival and celebration.
The Grand March is one of the highlights of the year here in Gangjeong. Watch a video from the 2013 Grand March or the human chain around Gureombi following the march. And here are some pictures from the 2012 Grand March.
Join us! Internationals are welcome! See the poster above for details and contact us at gangjeongintl@gmail.com & peace@pspd.org for info! It will be very helpful if you inform your participation to us through email in advance for the logistics purpose though your participation fee can be paid in the march site.
For the international friends who can physically join the march: For more concrete guide, please see the below. Any peace flags and talents that you may bring and share with the marchers would surely encourage the villagers and activists here. Thanks for joining us in march!
For the international friends who cannot physically join the march: Even though you may not be able to physically join the 2014 Gangjeong Grand March for Life and Peace, you may join us by sending us international solidarity messages(up to 100 words)/photos/videos through gangjeongintl@gmail.com by no later than July 23. As in 2012 and 2013, the village international team thankfully receives solidarity messages from the friends in the world upon the 2014 Grand March for Life and Peace which is followed by the Peace for the Sea International Peace Camp(Aug. 3 to 6), and boosted by other campaigns like writing a letter to Pope campaign . All the messages you send will be publicly shared. Please check the solidarity messages collected in 2012 (Click here) and 2013(Click here) . We want to let you know how Kang Dong-Kyun, ex-mayor of the Gangjeong village, has much appreciated all your messages, sitting and reading all the translated messages printed in 20 pages, with awe and gratitude, without moving for a while. None of your messages will go in vain. We also want to display some of your messages with translation in the Village Peace Center where many villagers and activists always gather. Thanks for encouraging us.
………………………………. Guide to 2014 March ……………………………….
1. Accommodation and meal:
Tent and food are provided during march but you may bring your personal tent and/or sleeping bag(s). Please bring your personal washing tool (tooth brush, tooth paste, shampoo, towel etc) , You may also bring jacket, umbrella etc.
2. Brief schedule July 29 (Tues.):
Please gather across the main gate of the Jeju Island government hall by noon. If you join march in the middle of it, please contact Jungjoo (English,010-8560-3734), Emily (Chinese, 010-6469-9413 ), and Dongseok(Japanese, 010-9334-0933) for information.
Aug. 1 (Fri.):
There will be a Peace Bus in the Jeju airport at 2 pm. The bus directly goes to the village where there will be events (see the below) Once arrived in the village around 5 pm, there will be a Great gathering for people’s talk in the Gangjeong soccer field from 8 to 9 pm. Then movie night after it.
(* 6-7 pm: dinner 7-9 pm: Great gathering for people’s talks (Maningongdonghoe)
9:30 pm ~ : Movie night with Yang Yoon-Mo and Grace)
Aug. 2 (Sat.):
In the morning, there will be various program such as peace mass and human chain. From 7 pm, there will be a Cultural Event for the Stop of the Jeju Naval Base Project and Citizens’ Prayer for Peace in the Gangjeong Soccer Field.
(* 9-11 am: Gangjeong village tour
11 am -12 pm: Life and peace mass
12-1 pm: Human chain, Peace ribbons
1-2 pm: Lunch
2-6 pm: Peace prayer tower building, Peace-Protection Totemic Pole building, Writing wishes, peace prayer ceremony, Ieodo-ro Peace Market, Treasure-search (peace book village team), water play in the Gangjeong stream(watermelon party)
6-7 pm dinner
7-9 pm Cultural Event for the Stop of the Jeju Naval Base Project and for Peace Prayer )
Aug. 3 (Sun.):
Breakfast together at 8 am. You may join Seeding Flowers, Wish tower-building. The official events end on Aug. 2. Therefore Aug. 3 program is optional.
3. Schedule in detail
July 29(Tues.): Jeju Island Government Hall-A small park in the Halla University four way intersection- A Funeral House, Hagwi Agricultural Cooperative(Nonghyup)-Youngmowon-Gosungri Sports Field-Hangpaduri July 30(Wed.): Hangpaduri-Yusooamri Small Park-Saemangreu Research and Training Institute-Saebyul Oreum(Oreum-climbing. Please notice that there is no bathroom here)
July 31(Thur.): Saebyul Oreum-Dongkwangri Welfare Hall-Seogwang Elementary School-Deoksou Elementary School-Sanbang Mt. Resting Place-Hwasoon Beach
Aug. 1 (Fri.): Hwasoon Beach-Andeok Valley-A Small Park-Cheonje Fall-International Convention Center-Yakcheon Temple-Gangjeong Soccer Field (Arriving around 5 pm)
4. Guide on the Peace Bus (At 2 pm, Aug. 1, Jeju Airport): The bus directly goes to the village to join the events that start 7 pm on the day. If you need to use this bus, Please contact gangjeongintl@gmail.com andpeace@pspd.org in advance for the reservation of the bus seats! It is mandatory!
5. Elementary school students For the elementary school students, participation fee is free but a t-shirt should be purchased at the price of 10,000 KRW. Please contact gangjeongintl@gmail.com and peace@pspd.org in advance.
6. Support for the participation fee For the participants who come from the outside of the Jeju and join more than three nights four days, 20,000 KRW of participation fee will be supported.
In this month’s issue:
Protesters refuse fines; go to prison, article by Kathy Kelly, updates on the Pope’s visit, reports from Okinawa and Yonaguni, Tour of Gangjeong’s sacred sites, ocean protest, trial updates, international solidarity, and more!
It’s that time again!
In this month’s issue:
Yang Yoon-Mo Free at last, April 3rd Remembrances, 4 catholics arrested, letter from David Hartsough, Trial Updates, Peace for the Sea Camp, Peace Book Cafe anniversary, international solidarity, and more!
It’s that time again!
In this month’s issue:
Government’s “development” plan, Catholics concerend about Pope’s Korea visit, Anniversary of Gureombi blasting, Solidarity from Benj and Global Network, Visting dancers, a play about Gangjeong, environmental destruction reports, another Gangjeong wedding, and more!
It’s that time again!
In this month’s issue:
Village elder’s letter to the pope, Navy steals more land, solidarity from John Pilger and AWC Japan, Solidarity with Ssangyong workers, Trial updates, Yang Yoon-Mo, Peace School, War Exercises, and more!
The Gangjeong Village Story monthly newsletter has undergone a redesign for 2014! Thanks to the help of the designers at Everyday Practice for their great assistance. In addition to the fresh new look, the online PDF version available here is now easier to read. The old version was designed only for print but this new version is designed for both! Enjoy!
In this month’s issue:
Gangjeong elects a new mayor, letter writing campaign to Pope Francis starts, Solidarity updates from Henoko/Okinawa and Odisha/India, Solidarity from Hawaii, Gangjeong Peace School, Entry Ban Lifted, Letter to Yang Yoon-Mo, trial updates, and more!