Save Jeju Now

No War Base on the Island of Peace

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  • Open Letter to IUCN President Ashok Khosla #2: Sou​th Korean NGOs Endorse Gangjeong Motion #181

    To:
    Ashok Khosla
    President
    International Union for Conservation of Nature
    Rue Mauverney 28
    1196 Gland
    Switzerland

    RE: South Korean Non-Governmental Organizations Endorse the Motion #181. Protection of the People, Nature, Culture and Heritage of Gangjeong Village

    Dear Dr. Ashok Khosla,

    We, South Korean non-governmental organizations, are writing to you today to show our full support and endorsement to the Motion #181 “Protection of the People, Nature, Culture and Heritage of Gangjeong Village”. The naval base construction in Gangjeong has endangered rare marine and land species, destroyed local peoples’ lives and cultures while human rights violations are frequently occurring on environmental defenders.

    We support recommendations to the Republic of Korea in the motion suggested by the Center for Humans and Nature, IUCN member organization. The construction of the naval base must be stopped immediately. A recommendation in the version that was modified by the Resolution Working Group reads, “Take appropriate measures to prevent adverse environmental and socio-cultural consequences associated with the construction of the Civilian-Military Complex Port Project”. It already implies and acknowledges the environmental and socio-cultural destruction by the enforced naval base project in Gangjeong, despite the opposition by the majority of villagers. We, as South Korean civil society organizations, do not agree with this recommendation because construction of naval base contradicts a core value of the UN World Charter for Nature and the Earth Charter.

    On 30 May 2012, the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Human Rights Defenders, and Peaceful Assembly and Association sent a joint allegation letter to South Korean government on ongoing human rights violations in Gangjeong towards environmental defenders who peacefully protested. Unfortunately, even though the letter kindly requests a response within sixty days, the Government has not responded yet. We would like to kindly remind you that IUCN Res. 2.37 is on Support for Environmental Defenders indicating “UNDERSTANDING that the participation of non- governmental organizations and individual advocates is essential to the fundamentals of civil society to assure the accountability of governments and multinational corporations; and AWARE that a nation’s environment is only truly protected when concerned citizens are involved in the process;”

    In this vein, we, as South Korean non-governmental organizations, firmly stand in solidarity with the Motion #181 “Protection of the People, Nature, Culture and Heritage of Gangjeong Village” as originally suggested by the Center for Humans and Nature. If you have any questions or need a clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us at peace@pspd.org or +82-2-723-4250.

    Yours Sincerely,

    Mr. Dong-kyun
    Kang Village Mayor
    Gangjeong Village Association

    Mr. Gi-ryong Hong
    Co-convenor
    Jeju Pan-Island Committee for Stop of Military Base and for Realization of Peace Island
    (26 Jeju based NGOs: 곶자왈사람들, 노래패청춘, 서귀포시민연대, 서귀포여성회,양용찬열사추모사업회, 전국공무원노조 제주지역본부, 전국교직원노동조합 제주 지부, 전국농민회총연맹 제주도연맹, 전국민주노동조합총연맹 제주본부, 전국여성 농민회총연합 제주도연합, 제주 4.3 도민연대, 제주 4.3 연구소, 제주민족예술인 총연합, 제주여민회, 제주여성인권연대, 제주주민자치연대, 제주참여환경연대, 제 주통일청년회, 제주평화인권센터, 제주환경운동연합, 참교육을 위한 전국학부모회 제주지부, 천주교 제주교구 평화의섬 실현을 위한 특별위원회, 탐라자치연대, 평 화를 위한 그리스도인 모임, 한국기독교장로회 제주노회 정의평화위원회, 한국장 애인연맹 제주 DPI)

    Ms. Hee-young Kang
    Co-representative
    Korea Environment NGO Network
    (36 Korean environmental NGOs: 공주녹색연합, 광주전남녹색연합, 국립공원을지키는시민의모임, 기독교환경운동연대, 녹색교통운동, 녹색미래, 녹색연합, 대구경북녹색연합, 대전충남녹색연합, 부산녹색연합, 분당환경시민의모임, 불교환경연 대, 생명의 숲, 생태보전시민모임, 사)생태지평연구소, 수원환경운동센터, 에너지 나눔과평화, 에코붓다, 여성환경연대, 우이령보존회, 원불교천지보은회, 원주녹색 연합, 인드라망생명공동체, 인천녹색연합, 전국귀농운동본부, 제주참여환경연대, 풀꽃세상을 위한모임, 한국YMCA전국연맹, 한국YWCA연합회, 한국자원순환재활 용연합회, 환경과공해연구회, 환경과생명을지키는전국교사모임, 환경사목위원회, 환경운동연합, 환경정의)

    Mr. Taeho Lee
    Co-convenor
    National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island
    (125 Korean civil society organizations: 21세기한국대학생연합, 21세기코리아연구소, 4.9인혁열사계승사업회, 4.9통일평화재단, 615공동선언실천청년학생연대, AWC한국위원회, IVF사회부, KYC한국청년연합, 강정마을회, 강정을사랑하는육지 사는제주사름, 개척자들, 경계를넘어, 공의정치실천연대, 교회개혁실천연대, 기독 교사회선교연대회의, 기독교환경운동연대, 기독청년아카데미, 나눔문화, 남북평화 연구소, 남북평화재단통일을준비하는사람들, 노동사회과학연구소, 노동인권회관, 노동전선, 노점노동연대, 녹색연합, 농민약국, 다함께, 동북아평화교육훈련원 (NARPI), 무기제로팀, 문화연대, 민가협양심수후원회, 민족문제연구소, 민족민주 열사희생자추모단체연대회의, 민족자주평화통일중앙회의, 민족화합운동연합(사), 민주노동자전국회의, 민주민생평화통일주권연대, 민주사회를위한변호사모임, 민주 언론시민연합, 민주화를위한전국교수협의회, 민주화실천가족운동협의회, 반전평화 연대(준), 불교인권위원회, 불교평화연대, 불안정노동철폐연대, 비폭력평화물결, 빈곤사회연대, 빈민해방실천연대, 사월혁명회, 사회진보연대, 새벽이슬, 생명평화 결사, 생명평화기독연대, 생명평화마당, 생명평화연대, 생태지평, 시민평화포럼, 실천불교전국승가회, 언론소비자주권 국민캠페인, 얼굴있는거래, 예수살기, 외국 인이주노동운동협의회, 원불교사회개벽교무단, 인권실천시민행동, 인권재단 사람, 전국교직원노동조합, 전국노동자회, 전국농민회총연맹, 전국목회자정의평화협의회, 전국민족민주유가족협의회, 전국민주노동조합총연맹, 전국민주화운동유가족협의 회(사), 전국빈민연합, 전국여성농민회총연합, 전국여성연대, 전국장애인차별철폐 연대, 전국학생행진, 전쟁없는세상, 전태일노동대학, 전태일재단, 제주군사기지저 지와평화의섬실현을위한범도민대책위원회, 제주사회문제협의회, 제주해군기지반 대강정주민대책위원회, 조국통일범민족연합 남측본부, 주한미군범죄근절운동본부,진보사랑, 진실을알리는시민, 참여연대, 천주교인권위원회, 천주교정의구현전국연 합, 통일광장, 통일문제연구소, 평화군축박람회준비위원회, 평화네트워크, 평화누 리, 평화를 만드는 여성회, 평화바닥, 평화바람, 평화박물관, 평화와통일을여는사 람들, 평화재향군인회, 평화통일시민연대, 평화통일연구소, 하나누리, 한국가톨릭 농민회(사), 한국교회인권센터, 한국기독교교회협의회(NCCK) 정의평화위원회, 한 국기독교사회문제연구원, 한국기독교장로회 교회사회위원회, 한국기독교장로회 생명선교연대, 한국기독청년학생연합회, 한국비정규센터, 한국아나뱁티스트센터 (KAC), 한국여성단체연합, 한국정신대문제대책협의회, 한국진보연대, 한국청년연 대, 한국YMCA전국연맹, 한민족생활문화연구회(사), 한빛누리, 함께하는 시민행동, 현장실천연대, 환경운동연합, 환경정의, 희년함께)

     

     

    Click to Download Original Letter

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • UN Special Rapporteurs send joint allegation letter to South Korean government on human rights violations in Gangjeong, Jeju

    In response to individual complaints sent to the UN special procedure mandate holders, a joint letter was sent to South Korean government on alleged acts of harassment, intimidation and ill-treatment of peaceful protesters in Gangjeong village on 30 May 2012.

    In the letter, the Rapporteurs ask questions on the cases for clarification and request the Government to send a response within sixty days so that it can be presented at the UN Human Rights Council. Unfortunately, according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights until today which has passed almost 100 days since the letter was sent, the Government has not submitted any responses to the Rapporteurs.

    The letter was jointly written by the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression (Frank La Rue), Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of associations (Maina Kia), and Special Rapportuer on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders (Margaret Sekaggya). The letter is included in the Communications Report of Special Procedures (A/HRC/21/49) and is submitted to the 21st Session of the UN Human Rights Council which is now being held in Geneva, Switzerland (10 September~28 September 2012).

    In the letter, three special rapporteurs expressed serious concerns regarding the physical and physiological integrity of all persons involved in the actions against the construction of the naval base. It also reminds the Government on principles and values in various international human rights standards including the UN code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials, the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individual, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally.

    The Rapporteurs urged the Government “to take all necessary measures to guarantee that the rights and freedom of all persons involved in” the actions against construction of the naval base respected. They also requested that the Government “adopt effective measures to prevent the recurrence” of these violations.

    We believe that the allegation letter and attention of the Special Rapporteurs on the human rights violations in Gangjeong shows that human rights violations on no Jeju naval base campaigners are grave. We would also like to remind the South Korean government that they will be soon reviewed under the Universal Periodic Review in October 2012. As the Government has shown their interest in running for the election to be a member of the UN Human Rights Council in 2013, we urge the Government to promote and protect human rights as enshrined in the international human rights standards and respect procedures of the UN Human Rights Council including Special Procedures. The South Korean government should responds to the joint allegation letter based on facts and immediately stop human rights violations on human rights defenders who are peacefully protesting against the naval base construction.

    Please note that names of human rights defenders and sites where human rights violation happened are not made public in the UN document.

    For further inquiries, please contact:
    Ms. Gayoon Baek, People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, Coordinator, +82 2 723 4250, peace@pspd.org

     

     

    Click to Download: Joint allegation letter from UN Special Rapporteurs to South Korean government

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Click to Download: UN 21st Session Human Rights Council Communications Report (Gangjeong mentioned on page 53)

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Open Letter to IUCN President Ashok Khosla #1: Regarding Improper Conduct at Sept. 12 Contact Group for Gangjeong Motion 181

    Re: Improper Conduct at September 12 Contact Group for Motion 181: Protection of the People, Nature, Culture, and Heritage of Gangjeong Village

    *********

    Dear Mr. Khosla,

    My name is Sukhyun Park. I am a Research Fellow with the Korean IUCN member organization, Citizens Institute for Environmental Studies.

    This evening, September 12, a Contact Group was held for the deeply controversial issue regarding the construction of a navy base at Gangjeong Village. I’m afraid I must write to let you know that I am extremely offended by statements you made this evening concerning Korean environmentalists.

    You spent much valuable time during our Contact Group discrediting the Open Letters to IUCN concerning the Gangjeong navy base. You said that because so few Koreans were included in the letter’s long list of signatories that the campaign to save Gangjeong is actually a colonial-style case of foreigners coming to a sovereign land to tell people what to do and how to do it. Wow! Talk about flawed logic! With all due respect, Mr. Khosla, you are thoroughly mistaken. Please do not project your own colonial experience on us. Instead, if you truly care about what the local people in this country want, as you say you do, then please listen to what WE have to say, instead of obsessing on the foreign colonials!

    We told you, in our own open letter of July 10, 2012, signed by 125 Korean organizations totaling thousands of members, that we are opposed to the navy base that is slated to destroy Gangjeong Village. We told you that 3,000 university professors and five leading religious groups in South Korea oppose the Four Rivers Restoration project. We told you that we environmental organizations in South Korea are united in opposition to this project. We asked you if you were aware of the serious environmental and human rights violations that have been committed by the Korean government in the construction of the navy base at Gangjeong Village.

    But we Koreans from civil society seem to be invisible to you, even when there are thousands of us signing. You did not once this evening acknowledge the open letter that we Koreans wrote. You only continued to discredit our brave international allies, notably the Center for Humans and Nature. You wasted a lot of our Contact-Group time with that. We are invisible to you. It appears we count for nothing.

    We had already gotten a taste of being treated as second-class citizens by the IUCN. No, I’m not talking about when the Gangjeong villagers were denied their booth. I’m referring to Julia Marton-Lefevre’s August 28, 2012 letter stating that “no IUCN Members from Korea are signatories to this and previous open letters.” This remark was made in an effort to discredit the letter’s genuine pleas for the human dignity of the Gangjeong villagers. How cheap.

    Actually, my organization is both an IUCN Member and a signatory to the open letter. But you, nor Julia, seem to be paying attention. When members of my group, Citizens Institute for Environmental Studies, read Ms. Marton-Lefevre’s letter, of course we felt like second class citizens. Then, tonight, your behavior at the Contact Group meeting confirmed our suspicions that we count for nothing in the eyes of the IUCN.

    If you are interested, there is a reason that our open letter was separate from the internationals’ open letters. It is because when the internationals asked us to sign on, they also asked us to sign our personal names. Unfortunately, in our repressive nation, doing so would lead to employment blacklisting. South Korea is a democracy only in name. This is why we chose to write our own open letter, which has no individual signatories, only organization names, in order to protect people from government persecution.

    So, Mr. Khosla, please don’t assume that every non-European fits into your specific experience as a colonized person. You have proven tonight that you know very little about the situation in Korea or the Korean people.

    And if the Open Letter from 125 Korean civil society organizations could not convince you of the corrupt and oppressive human-rights violations that the Korean government levies on its people, then would you be convinced by the letter from the United Nations that was also cited at tonight’s meeting? At the meeting, the woman from Gangjeong Village spoke about a letter sent by three UN Rapporteurs: Frank La Rue, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Maina Kiai, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; and Margaret Sekaggya, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders. Their 30 May 2012 letter of inquiry was sent to the Korean government regarding numerous “acts of harassment, intimidation and ill-treatment of peaceful protestors in Gangjeong village,” requesting a response within 60 days. That was three and half months ago. The government never responded. But being ignored is nothing new to us.

    You are living proof of that.

    Very sincerely,
    Sukhyun Park

  • Motion on Gangjeong Village

    Motion 181: Protection of the People, Nature, Culture and Heritage of Gangjeong Village

    World Appeal to Protect the People, Nature, Culture and Heritage of Gangjeong Village

    UNDERSTANDING that Gangjeong Village, also known as the Village of Water, on the island of Jeju, also known as Peace Island, is a coastal area home to thousands of species of plants and animals, lava rock freshwater tide pools (“Gureombi”), endangered soft coral reefs, freshwater springs, sacred natural sites, historic burial grounds, and nearly 2,000 indigenous villagers, including farmers, fishermen, and Haenyo women divers, that have lived sustainably with the surrounding marine and terrestrial environment for nearly 4000 years;

    NOTING that Gangjeong Village is an Ecological Excellent Village (Ministry of Environment, ROK) of global, regional, national and local significance, sharing the island with a UNESCO designated Biosphere Reserve and Global Geological Park, and is in close proximity to three World Heritage Sites and numerous other protected areas;

    NOTING that numerous endangered species live in and around Gangjeong Village, including the Boreal Digging Frog (Kaloula borealis) listed on IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species; the red-footed crab (Sesarma intermedium); the endemic Jeju fresh water shrimp (Caridina denticulate keunbaei); and the nearly extinct Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins;
    NOTING the global uniqueness of the Jeju Soft Coral habitats, designated as Natural Monument 422 of Korea: the only location in the world known to have temperate octocoral species forming a flourishing ecosystem on a substrate of andesite, providing ecological balance to the Jeju marine environment and the development of the human culture of Gangjeong Village for thousands of years;
    UNDERSCORING that of the 50 coral species found in the Soft Coral habitats near Gangjeong, 27 are indigenous species, and at least16 are endangered species and protected according to national and international law, including Dendronephthya suensoni, D. putteri, Tubastraea coccinea, Myriopathes japonica, and M. lata;

    THEREFORE CONCERNED of the Civilian-Military Complex Tour Beauty project, a 50-hectare naval installation, being constructed within and adjacent to Gangjeong Village, estimated to house more than 8,000 marines, up to 20 warships, several submarines, and cruise liners;

    NOTING the referendum of Gangjeong Village on August 20, 2007, in which 725 villagers participated and 94% opposed the construction;

    ACKNOWLEDGING that the construction of the military installation is directly and irreparably harming not only the biodiversity, but the culture, economy and general welfare of Gangjeong Village, one of the last living remnants of traditional Jeju culture;

    NOTING the Absolute Preservation Act, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province (1991) and that Gangjeong Village was named an Absolute Preservation Area on October 27, 2004: a permanent designation to conserve the original characteristics of an environment from the surge in development, therefore prohibiting construction, the alteration of form and quality of land, and the reclamation of public water areas;

    CONCERNED that this title was removed in 2010 to allow for the Naval installation, and that this step backwards in environmental protection violates the Principle of Non-Regression;

    RECALLING the numerous IUCN Resolutions and Recommendations that note, recognize, promote and call for the appropriate implementation of conservation policies and practices that respect the human rights, roles, cultural diversity, and traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples in accordance with international agreements;

    CONCERNED of reports that the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) for the naval construction was inaccurate and incomplete and may have violated well-known principles of international law concerning EIAs, transparency, public and indigenous participation, right to know, and free, prior and informed consent;

    CONCERNED of the destruction of sacred natural sites in and near Gangjeong Village, noting that the protection of sacred natural sites is one of the oldest forms of culture based conservation (Res. 4.038 recognition and conservation of sacred natural sites in Protected Areas);

    ACKNOWLEDGING that IUCN’s Mission is “To influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable;” and that “equity cannot be achieved without the promotion, protection and guarantee of human rights.”;

    NOTING Resolution 3.022 Endorsement of the Earth Charter (Bangkok, 2004) that endorsed the Earth Charter as “the ethical guide for IUCN policy and programme,” and that the military installation is contrary to every principle of the Earth Charter;

    NOTING the U.N. World Charter for Nature (1982), and that the military installation is contrary to each of its five principles of conservation by which all human conduct affecting nature is to be guided and judged;

    AND ALARMED by reports of political prisoners, deportations, and restrictions on freedom of assembly and speech, including the arrests of religious leaders, for speaking against the naval installation and for speaking in promotion of local, national, regional and world conservation and human rights protections;

    NOTING Res. 2.37 Support for environmental defenders, “UNDERSTANDING that the participation of non-governmental organizations and individual advocates is essential to the fundamentals of civil society to assure the accountability of governments and multinational corporations; and AWARE that a nation’s environment is only truly protected when concerned citizens are involved in the process;”

    NOTING principles enshrined in the Draft International Covenant on Environment and Development such as those concerning military and hostile activities (Art. 36), culture and natural heritage (Art. 26), and the collective rights of indigenous peoples (Art. 15);

    FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGING that militarization does not justify the destruction of a community, a culture, endangered species or fragile ecosystems;

    AND UNDERSCORING that IUCN’s aim is to promote a just world that values and conserves nature, and the organization sees itself as nature’s representative and patrons of nature;

    The IUCN World Conservation Congress at its 5th session in Jeju, Republic of Korea, 6-15 September 2012:

    1. REAFFIRMS its commitment to the UN World Charter for Nature and the Earth Charter;

    2. CALLS ON the Republic of Korea to:

    (a) immediately stop the construction of the Civilian-Military Complex Tour Beauty;

    (b) invite an independent body, to prepare a fully transparent scientific, cultural, and legal assessment of the biodiversity and cultural heritage of the area and make it available to the public; and

    (c) fully restore the damaged areas.

    Sponsor – Center for Humans and Nature

    Co-Sponsors
    -Chicago Zoological Society (USA)
    -International Council of Environmental Law (Germany)
    -El Centro Ecuatoriano de Derecho Ambiental, CEDA (Ecuador)
    -Sierra Club (USA)
    -Fundacion Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (Argentina)
    -Center for Sustainable Development CENESTA (Iran)
    -Asociación Preserve Planet (Costa Rica)
    -The Christensen Fund (USA)
    -Terra Lingua (Canada)
    -Ecological Society of the Philippines (Philippines)
    -Citizen’s Institute Environmental Studies (Korea)
    -Departamento de Ambiente, Paz y Seguridad, Universidad para la Paz (Costa Rica)
    -Coastal Area Resource Development and Management Association (Bangladesh)
    -Fundação Vitória Amazônica (Brazil)
    -Fundación para el Desarrollo de Alternativas Comunitarias de Conservación del Trópico, ALTROPICO Foundation (Ecuador)
    -Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano (Ecuador)
    -EcoCiencia (Ecuador)
    -Fundación Hábitat y Desarrollo de Argentina (Argentina)
    -Instituto de Montaña (Peru)
    -Asociación Peruana para la Conservación de la Naturaleza, APECO (Peru)
    -Coordinadora de Organizaciones Indígenas de la Cuenca Amazónica, COICA (Ecuador)
    -Fundación Biodiversidad (Argentina)
    -Fundacao Vitoria Amazonica (Brazil)
    -Fundación Urundei (Brazil)
    -Dipartimento Interateneo Territorio Politecnico e Università di Torino (Italy)
    -Programa Restauración de Tortugas Marinas (Costa Rica)
    -Corporación Grupo Randi Randi (Ecuador)
    -Living Oceans Society (Canada)
    -Instituto de Derecho y Economía Ambiental (Paraguay)
    -Korean Society of Restoration Ecology (Korea)
    -Ramsar Network Japan (Japan)
    -The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (Isreal)
    -Chimbo Foundation (Netherlands)
    -Endangered Wildlife Trust (South Africa)

  • Cover Letter for the IUCN WCC Jeju 2012 Gangjeong Motion

    The following motion was submitted to the IUCN WCC Jeju 2012 Motions Committee. It has 34 co-sponsors, reportedly the most in WCC history.

    TO: Motions Committee
    FROM: Kathryn Kintzele, Esq. Director, Global Programs, Center for Humans and Nature
    Deputy Chair, Ethics Specialist Group, IUCN Commission on Environmental Law
    with
    Dr. J. Ronald Engel, founder of the IUCN Ethics Working Group (1984)
    Dr. George Rabb, Honorary IUCN Member and former Chair of the IUCN SSC (1989-1996)
    The Honorable Kang Dong-Kyun, Mayor of Gangjeong Village
    DATE: September 9, 2012
    RE: EMERGENCY MOTION SUBMISSION: MOTION ON THE GANGJEONG VILLAGE

    In accordance with paragraph 52 of the Rules of Procedure of the World Conservation Congress, the Center for Humans and Nature as sponsor, and the 34 co-sponsors listed below, submit this emergency motion regarding the Civilian Military Complex Tour Beauty being built in and near Gangjeong Village, Seogwipo Province, Jeju Island, Republic of Korea:

    World Appeal to Protect the People, Nature, Culture and Heritage of Gangjeong Village

    As required, more than three of the following five criteria have been met and are explained as follows. Please note that what is listed is only a small part of what could be listed.

    I. Subject is new, means that the issue which is the subject of the resolution or recommendation has arisen within ninety days before the start of the session of the World Conservation Congress;

    1. Gangjeong Village, the party most directly affected by the naval construction, did not have access to information regarding the nature of IUCN or the process to bring their concerns to IUCN. They first learned about it from IUCN members responding to their July 11, 2012 Open Letter. They were never approached by the host country about membership, workshops, motions, etc., as was done with other NGOs, universities and government bodies.
    2. IUCN members outside of the country were assured by the Union that everything was appropriately being carried forward, and new information emerged over the course of the last 90 days that this was not true.
    3. The EIA was only completed after villagers filed suit, and did not involve input from the local community. It was released to the Gangjeong Villagers on July 18th, and the subsequent translations and/or disbursement to scientists and academics was around July 26th. Knowing the IUCN Congress was quickly approaching, well respected and dedicated scientists immediately flew to the country to make a proper assessment of the species at risk. The revised assessment from a team of scientists with Endangered Species International was received September 3, 2012, ENDANGERED SPECIES RELOCATION ASSESSMENT, CIVILIAN-MILITARY COMPLEX PORT DEVELOPMENT, JEJU ISLAND, SOUTH KOREA. (entire report available).
      1. Findings from the habitat and species relocation assessments show failed relocation for the endangered K. borealis where all breeding frogs were left on site and only tadpoles were removed. The released tadpoles are thought to have a low survival rate due to the presence of potential predators.
      2. The relocation of the C. denticulata keunbaei was incomplete, as a population still remained on site. Further, 5,300 shrimps were released downstream along Gangjeong Creek where a population of C. denticulata keunbaeis had already been established. This increased the risk of surpassing the carrying capacity of this area. Shrimps should have been released at other alternative suitable sites to increase the chance of their survival.
      3. Also in August, a second scientific team conducted an underwater survey of Jeju soft coral habitat and completed four dives at three locations in two days, the Coral Garden, the light house vicinity, and Seo Gun Do.  The lead scientist stated “As a specialist in Octocorallia (soft corals), it is my duty, and my honor, to help the local villagers defend their environment and their way of life, and their beautiful octocorals to which I am so devoted. I have been studying Octocorallia all around the world, in both the Atlantic (Florida, Puerto Rico, Belize, Mexico, Jamaica, Bermuda) and the Pacific (the Philippines, Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia,Thailand, Chuuk, Hawaii, Japan and Okinawa) for 42 years. I can state unequivocally, based on my personal observations and a review of pertinent scientific literature, that Jeju’s octocoral assemblages are unique, spectacular, and worthy of special protection. They form the largest and most spectacular temperate Octocoral forests known on Earth. Jeju’s soft coral habitat has not been reported outside of Korea. It’s existence is yet unknown to the international soft coral society.” (full report available)
      4. The irrevocable nature of the damage has become apparent as the caissons were built in the last 90 days and cannot be removed without explosives.
      5. The government currently gives the impression that this project has the consent of the citizens of Gangjeong. On April 26, 2007, the previous mayor held a small referendum where 87 villagers were present, and for the first time, counted a vote through clapping. However, only upon recent fact-finding was it discovered that there was a referendum on August 20, 2007: 725 villagers voted, 680 voted against, 36 voted for, and 9 votes were defective; therefore 94% of voters were in opposition of the project. This second referendum is not recognized by the government.
      6. Dr. Imok Cha, a highly respected oncologist and registered participant of IUCN, was deported on September 4th for the first time in her life. She was invited as a panelist to the official CEL workshop on ethics. She was helping the villagers to understand the EIA and the scientific gaps of the document. No reason was given for her deportation.
      7. Umisedo Yutaka and Matsushima Yusuke, members of Save the Dugong, a new IUCN member as of WCC4 Barcelona, were deported on September 6th. They are listed partners of Save Jeju Now.
      8. In the past three months, numerous requests were made to the DG, President and other IUCN Secretariat leadership to create a space for the discussion of the naval base, and all requests were denied. When members modified their own workshops to give the issue a voice, and made it known during the weeks before the WCC, they were targeted and questioned by IUCN Secretariat.
      9. The Korean Navy gave its first press conference on the naval base on September 6th, stating it as ‘eco-friendly.’ The level of green-washing taking place is something new, urgent and unforeseen. We are concerned that private and public sectors from around the world are misusing the term ‘green’, ‘green economy’, and ‘green growth’, similar to the misuse of the term ‘sustainable development’ historically (Res. 1.46 Use of the Concept of Sustainable Development, “CONCERNED THAT in practice environmental factors are not yet fully incorporated into all projects and programmes which are termed “sustainable development”).

    II. Subject is urgent, means a matter in respect of which developments are about to take place soon after the World Congress and upon which a resolution or recommendation of the World Congress may reasonably be expected to have an impact;

    1. Due to their protests, many villagers are in prison and awaiting trial.
    2. Construction and dredging is taking place, and the pace is increasing, day and night.
    3. Deportations are increasing, and includes nationals and internationals.
    4. Over the past few months, arrests and police brutality have been increasing, from four raids a day, upwards to ten. 100-300 police a day march out to push the protesters aside and make arrests. In addition to the arrests, particularly of religious leaders, and the lack of transparency and indigenous participation in decision-making, a January 2012 report was made by the Asian Human Rights Commission “Case of Gangjeong: good example of worst governance.”
    5. Unless action is taken immediately, the loss of biodiversity, the loss of this ecosystem, and the loss of this community, will be irrevocable.
    6. The caissons are being set in place, and once they are placed, there is no way they can be removed except through explosives.
    7. Water supply of this southern region of Jeju comes from an aquifer in the village that is being irrevocably destroyed.
    8. The tangerine farms in Gangjeong and the soft corals are already seeing damage due to the settling dust from the construction. Entire fields of tangerines are rotting. This is directly impacting their economy today.
    9. Registered Korean participants are being searched for Gangjeong Village materials when they enter the WCC which are then immediately taken away. In the DG’s letter, she stated that they would be able to hand materials out.
    10. Registered participants and invited speakers from the village are afraid to enter the WCC, that they will be harassed by the alarmingly high levels of police, military and security. One registered participant had her sticker ripped from her IUCN badge after entering the conference center.
    11. The construction has already fenced off coastline that is integral to the welfare and survival of the villagers: this winter, for the first time in 4,000 years, the villagers will not be able to gather the many seaweeds that grow on the Gureombi, a main source of sustenance.

    III. Subject could not have been foreseen, means a matter which, while not itself new, has been the subject of developments within ninety days before the start of the session of the World Congress which call for action by the World Congress;

    1. It would seem reasonable that IUCN would anticipate issues of this fundamental seriousness within the host country, and in such close vicinity to the Congress site, and prepare a vehicle by which it could be discussed and objectively assessed by the membership. It was unforeseen that IUCN did not inform the membership or provide a space for dialogue at the Congress.
    2. Typhoon Bolaven hit the island around August 27, 2012, damaging all seven caissons and other structures, giving evidence to the scientific geographical inappropriateness of the base. Typhoons hit Jeju many times each year and are increasing in intensity due to climate change.
    3. Samsung, the sponsor of WCC, was not promoted on the official IUCN WCC site until the WCC opened. Samsung funds the naval installation. This is the same concern for Hyundai. So, not only is IUCN not informing its participants of the issue, but they are taking financial support from one of the developers of the base. IUCN has a duty to investigate its partnerships.
    4. The formal application of a booth was denied to the villagers, due to ‘on-site partners’ (August 28, 2012 IUCN Statement Responding to the Third Open Letter) on August 22. It was completely unknown to membership that a host country or ‘on-site partners’ could have any censorship role in the policy and programme of IUCN.

    IV. arises out of deliberations of the World Congress, means a matter which has been discussed at any officially scheduled matter during the World Congress; including business and conservation sittings, technical meetings, Commission meetings, meetings of working groups or associated meetings;

    1. The need for a motion was discussed at the IUCN CEL Commission Meeting, Days 1 and 2; the Knowledge Cafe on September 7th, A Case Study in Integrating Ethics into the Management of Water Ecosystems, “The Loss of Wild Rivers and Coastal Communities in Korea: reconciling IUCN partnerships and their vision of a just world that values and conserves nature” hosted by the Ethics Specialist Group, IUCN Commission on Environmental Law; Save Jeju Now; Gangjeong Village Association; the Water-Culture Institute; the Water Ethics Network; and the Center for Humans and Nature; and is the focus of the CEL Workshop on September 10th.
    2. The Knowledge Café was the largest in the known history of any of the involved members, drawing numerous media and over 30 participants, all surrounding a single table. Our membership yearned for this information. They care about the issue and want a stop to the construction of the base, a stop to the destruction of the people and nature.

    This motion needs to be voted upon, for the future of this village, for the future of this island, for the future of the people and species that live here, and for the future of IUCN as a leader in the international environmental forum. This is an issue of democracy, transparency, conservation, science, law and ethics. This is an issue of a small village, a unique and disappearing culture, surrounded by complex and fragile biodiversity, and all immediately and irrevocably threatened.

    Thank you for your attention.

    Sponsor – Center for Humans and Nature

    Co-Sponsors

    -Chicago Zoological Society (USA)
    -International Council of Environmental Law (Germany)
    -El Centro Ecuatoriano de Derecho Ambiental, CEDA (Ecuador)
    -Sierra Club (USA)
    -Fundacion Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (Argentina)
    -Center for Sustainable Development CENESTA (Iran)
    -Asociación Preserve Planet (Costa Rica)
    -The Christensen Fund (USA)
    -Terra Lingua (Canada)
    -Ecological Society of the Philippines (Philippines)
    -Citizen’s Institute Environmental Studies (Korea)
    -Departamento de Ambiente, Paz y Seguridad, Universidad para la Paz (Costa Rica)
    -Coastal Area Resource Development and Management Association (Bangladesh)
    -Fundação Vitória Amazônica (Brazil)
    -Fundación para el Desarrollo de Alternativas Comunitarias de Conservación del Trópico, ALTROPICO Foundation (Ecuador)
    -Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano (Ecuador)
    -EcoCiencia (Ecuador)
    -Fundación Hábitat y Desarrollo de Argentina (Argentina)
    -Instituto de Montaña (Peru)
    -Asociación Peruana para la Conservación de la Naturaleza, APECO (Peru)
    -Coordinadora de Organizaciones Indígenas de la Cuenca Amazónica, COICA (Ecuador)
    -Fundación Biodiversidad (Argentina)
    -Fundacao Vitoria Amazonica (Brazil)
    -Fundación Urundei (Brazil)
    -Dipartimento Interateneo Territorio Politecnico e Università di Torino (Italy)
    -Programa Restauración de Tortugas Marinas (Costa Rica)
    -Corporación Grupo Randi Randi (Ecuador)
    -Living Oceans Society (Canada)
    -Instituto de Derecho y Economía Ambiental (Paraguay)
    -Korean Society of Restoration Ecology (Korea)
    -Ramsar Network Japan (Japan)
    -The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (Isreal)
    -Chimbo Foundation (Netherlands)
    -Endangered Wildlife Trust (South Africa)

     

  • Reports on the Human Rights Violations and Environmental Destruction of the Jeju Naval Base Published

    Today, The National Network of Korean Civil Society for Opposing to the Naval Base in Jeju Island published two issue reports regarding the Jeju Naval Base construction.

    Issue Report I is “Human Rights Violations on ‘No Jeju Naval Base Campaign’”. The report includes entry denials of foreign human rights defenders, freedom of peaceful assembly and associations, excessive use of force by the police and impunity for police violence, major human rights violations. The cases have been collected by the Gangjeong Human Rights Violation Investigation Team. The report gives recommendations to the Government of Republic of Korea and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This report was also presented to the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association on 4 September 2012 during the 5th Asian Human Rights Defenders Forum which was held in Bangkok, Thailand. The full report will be published in September.

     

     

     

    Click to Download Report I: Human Rights Violations on ‘No Jeju Naval Base Campaign’

     

     

     

     

     

    Issue Report II is “Environmental Disaster by Jeju Naval Base Construction”. The report is on how the suggested sea route creates environmental disaster, flaws in the environmental impact assessment conducted by the Government, and change of absolute preservation zone by the Governor of Special Self-Governing Province. It also includes recommendations to the Government of Republic of Korea and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on the raised environmental concerns. This second report was jointly published by The Gangjeong Village Association, The Jeju Pan-Island Committee for Stop of Military Base and for Realisation of Peace Island, and the National Network.

     

     

     

    Click to Download Report II: Environmental Disaster by Jeju Naval Base Construction

     

     

     

     

     

  • Asia-Pacific Peace Declaration for No Naval Base in Jeju Island International Action Week

    Update! Deadline extended to September 30! Sign Now!

    “Bring peace and cooperation to East Asia!

    Don’t militarize Jeju Island and the pacific!

    Make Jeju an Island of World Peace!

    While witnessing the construction of a gigantic naval base in beautiful Gangjeong village in Jeju Island, located in the Western Pacific Ocean, we cannot help but raise questions again: why war and destructions are repeated under the name of peace and prosperity?”

     

    Korean group People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) is promoting an asia-pacific peace declaration against the Jeju Naval Base during the International Solidarity Action Week. Please sign before September 15 30!

    Click here to read more and sign the declaration!

  • Five Anti-Base Activists Occupy Caisson in Hwasoon, Jeju

    Updated Below!

    As South Korean state oppression increases in light of the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) 2012 WCC (World Conservation Congress), with three Okinawans, one Japanese, denied entry on September 5th, and the entry denial of Imok Cha on September 3rd, Gangjeong villagers and activists are not giving into fear of unjust government attacks, something they have dealt with for 5 years.

    On September 6th, the opening day of the 2012 WCC in Jeju, 5 anti-base activists climbed a 10 meter high, 8,800 ton caisson in Hwasoon Port, about a 40 minute car ride from Gangjeong village. Samsung is making these massive concrete caissons there and shipping them to Gangjeong, where they plan to use them to build the huge piers of the naval base.

    The five simultaneously released a statement, translated and excerpted here:

    Given that it is clear that the Jeju Naval base to be built in Gangjeong Village will be a military outpost of the United States, we cannot stand for our Gangjeong Village, Our Jeju Island to be in the middle of a conflict between an expanding China and the United States containment efforts. We know that the destruction of Gangjeong Village and Jeju, the Peace Island, will become the suffering of all our people. […]

    Because of the recent typhoons, all seven caisson [brought so far to Gangjeong], the symbol of the Jeju Naval Base construction, were completely broken to pieces and left under the Gangjeong Sea. Still the Navy and [construction companies] Samsung and Daelim continue to eagerly produce new caisson in Hwasoon Port […]

    Many villagers, religious figures, and peace activists have been injured, arrested, and imprisoned to stop this naval base construction (destruction) in the village.

    Even though our power might be small, we will fight with all our strength against this enormous dominating power, symbolized by this caisson.

    Therefore we will eventually REVOKE the Jeju naval base project, save the peace of Gangjeong and the peace of all humanity

    The action began around dawn, with the 5 protestors scaling the caisson and displaying three large banners, two in Korean, on in English which said, “No! Naval Base in Jeju!” At approximately 7:30 a.m., construction workers violently assaulted the occupiers and began destroying the banners. The police began arresting the protestors by 8:30 a.m. 3 were arrested first as two of the protestors had chained themselves. Finally by 9 a.m. all were arrested and are, as of this posting, in police custody in the Seogwipo police station. Two of them are complaining of strong back pain as a result of assault by the workers. As of this time, the charges appear to be “Group Trespass of a Facility”.

    The aforementioned caissons are a subject of major contention by the anti-base activists and Gangjeong villagers. In the late 90s, years before the Jeju Naval base construction was even begun, the South Korean Ministry of Construction and Traffic declared that, due to the topography and weather of the South Jeju Sea, caissons were not proper to be used for construction in this area.

    Completely ignoring this statement, the Navy/Construction company plan calls for  total of 144 caissons to be dropped in the total conservation area of the Gangjeong Sea of Southern Jeju. These massive caissons are also being dropped only 1km from a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site and amidst Korean some of the worlds largest soft coral habitats. Soft coral is also a natural monument and endangered species in Korean.

    When Samsung first began to bring the caisson to Gangjeong, it was discovered that they had not even done a simple and legally required inspection of the giant floating dock which is used to transport them. Samsung was later fined for this highly dangerous action.

    Finally, two recent typhoons have been completely destroyed the 7 poorly made and dangerously placed thus far in the Gangjeong Sea. Their wreckage has litered the sea floor and contaminated the famously clean waters of Gangjeong. Learning nothing from this, Samsung continues to produce the caisson and will not change their plan. The Gangjeong sea is in a state of environmental emergency and if these unstable, unfit, and dangerous caissons continue to be dropped in this precious environment, the destruction could turn catastrophic.

    In light of this new emergency, and the ongoing emergency of the illegal, unjust, and environmental destructive construction of the Jeju Naval Base in Gangjeong, the Gangjeong Village Association applied for a booth at the WCC 2012, to spread the word of this disaster. However, this booth was rejected by the IUCN under pressure from the South Korean Government and Samsung, a major sponsor of the WCC and primary destroyer of Gangjeong.

     Please spread the word on this action and the Gangjeong Struggle. Especially, IUCN members, we appeal to you to listen to the cry of Gangjeong!

     Peace in Gangjeong! No Naval Base!

    More Photos Available Here

    Update:

    The five caisson occupiers in police custody at the Dongbu Police Station in Jeju City.

  • Member of Emergency Action Committee to Save Jeju, Speaker at WCC 2012, Denied Entry to Korea

    Emergency Action Committee to Save Jeju and Speaker at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) World Conservation Congress (WCC) 2012, Imok Cha has been denied entry to Korea.

    On September 3, Imok Cha, who has been working tirelessly to spread news related to the struggle against the Jeju Naval Base project was unjustly blocked from entering Korea, upon arrival at Incheon Airport, outside Seoul. According to Imok, she arrived in Incheon Airport and had her passport scanned and then was fingerprinted.

    She said, “As soon as they scanned my passport and fingerprinted me, they took me to an office. No explanation of why I am not allowed in to even see my elderly parents!”

    She was then detained for 30 minutes before being forced to board a plane to Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. Save Jeju Now recieved this news from her while in Seattle awaiting a plane back to San Fransisco.

    As stated, no explanation was given for her denial of entry by the Korean Immigration Office.

    The IUCN’s WCC 2012 is being held in Jungmun, Jeju, just 7 km from Gangjeong and the Jeju Naval Base project site. She had planned to join the WCC as a speaker to speak on important environmental justice issues surrounding the illegal and violently enforced destruction taking place in Gangjeong.

    Furthermore she was hoping to visit her elderly parents who live in Korea. It is an inhuman act of cruelty to deny her the ability to see her parents.

    With the entry denial of Cha, the total number of internationals denied entry to Korea, related to the struggle to save Jeju, since Aug 26, 2011 is now 16. This includes 3 members of the U.S. Veterans for Peace and 12 people from Japan and Okinawa.

    This entry denial highlights again who much the Korean government (and perhaps the U.S Government) wishes to hide the truth of what is happening on Jeju. This denial comes right after news that the IUCN has rejected to give an exhibition booth at their congress to Gangjeong Village due to pressure from the Korean government.

    The South Korean government is clearly afraid of the increasing international solidarity as more people find out the real truth behind what is happening in Gangjeong. This pathetic and cowardly attempt to stop our movement will only increase our momentum. Or does the Korean government plan to block all the IUCN speakers?

    Please help us spread this news, and denounce this oppression on international supporters as well as the continued violent and destructive naval base construction!

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

    In this month’s issue:
    6000 bows for peace in front of the Governor’s building, special international solidarity feature, harassement of village elderly, Father Mun wins the 5.18 Human Rights Prize, a letter from Guam and more!

    Download PDF