Tag: government oppression

Park Geun-Hye, Stop absurd remark on Hawai’i : Kyle Kajihiro’s letter

“I would invite Ms. Park to take a swim in Hawai’i’s most famous military-tourist attraction: Pearl Harbor (the true name given by Native Hawaiians is Ke Awalau o Pu’uloa). However, the water is too toxic. And before she could get very far, she would be arrested by the Navy for trespassing in military waters. There is no tourist activity within Pearl Harbor except for those museum sites controlled by the government.” (Kyle Kajihiro)

Photo: Sisa Jeju, May 1, 2012/ Park Geun-Hye met protests in the Jeju

On May 1, Labor Day, Park Geun-Hye, daughter of deceased ex-President Park Chung-Hee who ruled South Korea for decades with military dictatorship made absurd remarks that, “In case of Hawai’i, tourism income is 24% while military-related income is 20% in its whole finance,” and “If we construct the Jeju naval base as civilian-military dual use port and make it well so that 150,000 ton cruise can enter and exit, it would not likely to be less than Hawai’i” (Headline Jeju, May 1).

On March 30, before General election on April 11, Park, supporting the candidates of the Saenuri Party (the ruling conservative Party)-though none were eventually elected in the Jeju Island whose citizens has been furious on the naval base project, has said, “We should make Jeju like Hawai’I famous for global tourism site and naval base.” It was a happening that reminded absurd remark by Kim Tae-Yong, ex-Minister of National Defense on March 20, 2010.

Amidst raining all day, Gangjeong villagers and activists protested against her spreading absurd remarks of so called civilian-military dual port, from morning to afternoon.

Kyle Kajihiro has sent a below writing refuting her remarks on April 25. Kyle Kajihiro is the program director for the American Friends Service Committee in Hawaii. He works on demilitarization, environmental justice, and Kanaka Maoli human rights issues. He has been involved in immigrant worker organizing, community mural projects, antiracist/antifascist activism, the Central America Solidarity movement, Hawaiian sovereignty solidarity efforts, and community radio and television. He has visited the Jeju and has many times expressed his solidarity on Jeju. Please refer to DMZ Hawai’i / Aloha ‘Aina (http://www.dmzhawaii.org/)

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Protest letter to Park Geun-Hye

http://www.parkgeunhye.or.kr/english/01pgh/pgh01.asp

http://www.parkgeunhye.or.kr/english/

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The Military Impacts in Hawai’i should be a Warning to Koreans about the threat to Jeju island.

By Kyle Kajihiro

April 25, 2012

Source: DMZ Hawai’i/ Militarized areas of O’ahu, Hawai’i

Ms. Park Keun-Hye is gravely mistaken to claim that military bases have been good for Hawai’i and therefore would be good for Jeju. The U.S. invaded and occupied the sovereign country of Hawai’i in order to build a military outpost. This included the taking of more than 200,000 acres of land for military bases, training and other activities. The result has been the destruction of the environment with more than 900 military contamination sites identified by the Department of Defense. The military’s toxic cocktail includes PCB, perchloroethylene, jet fuel and diesel, mercury, lead, radioactive Cobalt 60, unexploded ordance, perchlorate, and depleted uranium.

When the U.S. took over, especially during WWII, the military seized thousands of acres of Hawaiian land. Whole communities were evicted, their homes, churches and buildings razed or bombed for target practice, their sacred sites destroyed by bombs or imprisoned behind barbed wire.

Recently, hundreds of landless Native Hawaiian families were evicted from a secluded area of O’ahu where they had been living in cars and makeshift tents. They are the internally displaced native people, evidence of the so-called ‘benefits’ of militarization. Meanwhile the military occupies more than 13,000 acres of Hawaiian land, comprising a third of the land in that part of the island.

The enormous military presence did not bring security. On the contrary, it made Hawai’i the prime target during WWII and the Cold War. Militarization imported the most virulent forms of racism and martial law to the islands and provided the U.S. a launching pad from which to expand its empire. The military interests of the U.S. continue to override the needs and security of local communities as it distorts our development in ways that serve empire.

I would invite Ms. Park to take a swim in Hawai’i’s most famous military-tourist attraction: Pearl Harbor (the true name given by Native Hawaiians is Ke Awalau o Pu’uloa). However, the water is too toxic. And before she could get very far, she would be arrested by the Navy for trespassing in military waters. There is no tourist activity within Pearl Harbor except for those museum sites controlled by the government.

Ke Awalau o Pu’uloa is a perfect example of the dangers of militarization. The U.S. invaded and occupied the Kingdom of Hawai’i in order to take Ke Awalau o Pu’uloa as a strategic port. What was once one of the most productive fisheries for Native Hawaiian people with extensive wetland agriculture and aquaculture complexes that fed many thousands on O’ahu island has become a giant toxic Superfund site. Today there are approximately 749 contaminated sites that the Navy has identified within the Pearl Harbor Naval Complex. The seafood from Ke Awalau o Pu’uloa is no longer safe to eat. The famous pearl oysters are no more.

It is partially true that the military has become a major economic source in Hawai’i, but at a very high price. The military economy is artificial. It is largely a result of the corrupt processes of the military-industrial-political complex that injects money for pet projects in the islands like a drug. Politicians, businesses, and even unions become addicted to the quick high of these federal infusions and then become desperate to chase the next fix, even at the expense of the environment, Hawaiian rights and sovereignty and peace in the Asia-Pacific region. Meanwhile the real source of Hawai’i’s economy – the beauty and health of our natural environment and our cultural richness – deteriorates at an alarming rate.

The questions that we must always ask about the alleged economic benefits of the military in Hawai’i are: “Who gets paid? Who pays the price? What are the real social, cultural and environmental costs of such a dependent economy?” The native people of the land are the ones whose lands are always stolen and destroyed by the military. They and other poor groups live in the toxic shadow of the bases. Other productive capacities wither away as Hawai’i has grown completely dependent on imports (90% of food is imported) and federal spending. Meanwhile those who benefit most from the military economy are the contractors (many who flock to Hawai’i when new military funds are approved) who feed on the destruction wrought by all this so-called ‘prosperity’.

Jeju island is a unique cultural and natural treasure that must be protected from military expansion. The beautiful islands of the Pacific are being targeted because the governments think we are small and insignificant. But islands do not have to be isolated. As the peoples of the Pacific have known for centuries, Ka Moananuiakea (the great ocean) unites us, brings us life, culture, food and solidarity. We must join our efforts and broaden our solidarity beyond our local shores, we can weave a net that is big and strong enough to restrain those monstrous fish that threaten to devour us all.

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Reference

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=149257
박근혜 “해군기지로 제주발전 재도약 뒷받침할 것”
해군기지 업무보고…”70년대 감귤이면, 지금은 해군기지가 성장동력”
제주도 “15만톤급 크루즈 안전성 꼭 필요”…박 “좋은 결론 나왔으면”
2012.05.01 14:43:44

http://www.sisajeju.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=146386
[사진]짧은 거리 경호원이 우산 펴자, 박근혜 위원장 손 저으며…
2012.05.01 13:24:46

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=149232
박근혜 위원장, “제주해군기지 업무보고 받겠다”
오후 1시 제주도청서 민군복합형 관광미항 업무보고 받기로
제주항 터미널 현장투어…노인복지시설 현장 방문 후 이도
2012.05.01 09:44:34

http://www.pressian.com/article/article.asp?article_num=60120330170329
박근혜 “제주, 해군기지로 ‘동양의 하와이’ 만들어야”
“민간인 사찰, 지위고하 막론하고 철저히 수사해야”
2012-03-30

http://www.jejuall.co.kr/

May 2, 2012
March 19 Victims’ Press Conference

Photo by Headline Jeju, March 22, 2012/ People’s press conference on March 19 incident

Right after the villagers’ press conference on March 22, the victims of police hammer violence on March 19 had a press conference in front of Island government hall. The victims holding the signs with the photos of injuries on them strongly demanded the punishment of police personnel in charge of the accident and claimed an introduction of Special Prosecution System on the matters of the Jeju naval base. (# The Special Prosecution system was first initiated by people’s lawyer Shin Yong-In on Feb. 27, 2012)

Here are some excerpts from people’s statement :

‘The reckless police operation (of hammering down on the PVC pipes activists were putting over their arms to tie themselves one another, for the purpose of non-violently stopping the moving of the explosives to the Gureombi Rock ) was continued despite the crying of shocked women.

Because the diameter of each PVC pipe was narrow to no gap when the two hands by two people were held together inside, the shock of hammering was directly felt to activists while the broken fragments made wounds in the hands of activists. The hammering was continued despite the cry of activists who felt direct suffering.

During that unreasonable process, activists were injured small and big: the back of woman hand(s) was torn by broken PVC fragments with blood, being swollen while a man’s thumb was directly hit by hammer with a upper part of nail be torn and flesh peeled off.

Especially the riot police unit NO. 1300 [of the Seogwipo Police Station] that were in charge of arrest in the incident field pushed back even the news reporters and lawyers; folded arms of a citizen who were taking record of the situation based on the rule of the police duty on protection of human rights and even attempted to throw down him by hooking his foot for prompt arrest. Further they even made an arm of a man who protested against the police attempt to arrest the citizens outside of barricade broken by pushing him-he is now waiting for operation while his swollen arms to be soothed down. We are shocked by policemen’ such wielding merciless violence to help the illegal business (* Jeju naval base project) of Samsung and Daelim.’

Video by Dungree on new conference (Source)

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Reference

Whole statement

http://www.headlinejeju.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=145681
“‘화약운송 저지 인간띠 ‘망치질 체포’ 책임자 엄벌하라”
인간띠 시위 참가자 연행과정 망치질 체포 규탄
2012.03.22 17:31:09

http://www.jejudomin.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=29772
“비명 지르며 울어도 망치질 계속됐다”
‘망치질 체포사건’ 피해자 기자회견…“경찰서장 퇴진하라”
2012.03.22 18:09:55

http://www.sisajeju.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=143146
‘망치질 체포’ 규탄 기자회견…서귀포경찰서장 퇴진 촉구
2012.03.22 14:53:53

April 23, 2012
Details of Father Moon’s Tetrapod Accident on April 6, 2012

As you all may know, today we here in Gangjeong have suffered a huge shock. Finally we see the result of the over aggressive and illegal actions of the police. Father Moon was almost murdered. It is a miracle that he is still alive.

Today is Good Friday according to the Christian calendar. Because of this, at 11 a.m., the ocean team, the catholic fathers, other catholics, and other activists joined together to perform the “Stations of the Cross” traditional catholic ceremony. This ceremony involves 14 “stations” marking the last moments of Jesus’ life before his death. We adapted it and made 14 stations all around the edge of the destruction site. At each stop the Fathers led us in prayer and short meditations related to Jesus death and also to our struggle here. We began at the Naval Base Office gate and ended on the west pier of Gangjeong Port. It was a very beautiful and moving time.

During the final station, #14, an activist went down the huge concrete tetrapods to the water to swim. This area is a public area and none our actions were even close to illegal. As the activist attempted to enter the water, a coast guard officer very aggressively chased him, despite both of them being on the dangerous tetrapods. This scared and angered many of the people attending the mass, and several people walked out onto the tetrapods to see, and also to ask the coast guard officer to be more careful.

When this happened, another coast guard officer came and also began acting very aggressively, trying to illegally block our access to the public area of the tetrapods and the surrounding water. As the coast guard officer tried to block another swimmer from going down to water, Father Moon, tried to help the swimmer and block the coast guard officer. Shockingly the officer was very aggressive even though they were both dangerously at the top of the tetrapod pile (and he was a young man, while Father Moon is elderly and walks with a cane). Many people called for the officer to be reasonable and careful and that Father Moon could fall down. As they struggled, suddenly the coast guard officer accidentally caused Father Moon to lose his balance and fall.

The next moments were a terrible shocking nightmare to all of us watching. The young coast guard officer regained his balance but Father Moon could not and fell into a huge hole between the tetrapods. As he dropped around 5 meters, his body bounced off the tetrapods below three times, before he landed at the bottom. All of us were totally shocked at this horror that had happened for absolutely no reason, and many of us thought that Father Moon was dead. Although several people went down to him, it was very deep and we were afraid to move him in case of spinal injuries.

Finally, the 119 (Korean Emergency Rescue) came and after around 30 minutes lifted him out. He was taken to a hospital in Seogwipo for tests and treatment. He has been conscious this whole time. Very, very happily, he did not die. As has been reported, according to initial tests and scans he broke several vertebrae in his back quite seriously and will need to stay in the hospital at least 3 months. He has been moved to Jeju University Hospital in Jeju City. We are still waiting for the final report about his condition after a complete medical exam, but its seems that he didn’t hit his head. Of course he is very weak and shocked and in a lot of pain. When we met him, he asked about Brother Song and when he heard that Brother Song has developed a ringing in his ear because of police violence, he cried. We are all in a state of shock here.

Finally to add to our shock and sadness, the coast guard has decided that our lives are not important and that they are going to lie to cover their mistake. They are claiming that Father Moon pushed the coast guard officer and then the officer didn’t touch him and he fell on his own, losing his balance because of the push. Of course, in the moments after it happened, you could see very clearly in the face of the officer that he knew he had made a huge mistake. And even if this story were true, why was he even there and why was he aggressively blocking us from a public area? But now the police are going to lie to cover it all up! Are they really human? Have they no sympathy for suffering? Do they not care about human life? Unbelievably shameful.

Please pray for Father Moon. Please pray for all of us here. And please pray for the hearts of the coast guard, that they will not lie about what they have done.

Update 1: April 6, 11:44 p.m.

We are still waiting for more details but a slight update: apparently Father Moon has broken 4 vertebrae in his back (earlier 3 were reported) and also broken one of his hands. Also he will need to stay at least 6 months in the hospital to recover (before 3 months were reported). More updates as we hear them…

Update 2: April 19, 11:44 p.m.

Father Moon is out of the Hospital! 13 Days ago we watched this 71 year old man fall 5 meters to what we thought was his death. He said he thought it was his death too. He broke 4 vertebrae in his back, he broke his arm, he was bruised all over. The doctors said, that two other patients who were in their 30s and fell only 3 meters were paralyzed. The doctors said he would have to stay in the hospital for 6 months. 13 Days later, and he’s walking around, smiling! Tomorrow, he will go to his hometown to rest for around a week. Amazing and unbelievable! If you don’t believe in miracles, now’s your best chance…Hurray!!!

April 6, 2012
April 5 People’s news conference on police violation on human rights; History is repeated 64 years later

Source: Lee Sang-Min, Jeju Domin Ilbo, April 5, 2012/ A disabled woman holds a banner depicted of police violence on people during the April 5 press conference

As daily sit-in was continued on April 5, the people in the village had a news conference in front of the naval base business committee building complex at 10:30 am, April 5, 2012. The title of the statement by the Gangjeong village was “Are the police taking the citizens as rioters even until the 64th anniversary of 4.3? The police should try to get public trust.’ Cho Hyun-Oh, the Chief of ROK Police Agency visited the Jeju, bringing clash with the Gangjeong villagers who demanded meeting with him, in front of the Seogwipo police station (# He is to meet local officers on April 6)

In the statement, the people pointed out that:

“Like the main land policemen 64 years ago who led the massacre of the Island people on April 3rd, the police that have been led by Lee Dong-Min who came from the main land have made a record of accidents in a month since his inauguration, which is more than the whole numbers of illegal and unjust police behavior in Gangjeong village in the past.” ( # Lee Dong-Min, the new police chief is also the one who allowed the navy to blast the Gureombi rock)

“When the male policemen arrested women, the male policemen indiscriminatingly took away them touching their thigh, taking off their clothes. The police broke citizens’ fingers, arms and legs, wielding violence to them. Citizen’s hands were swollen by hammers, wrists were broken off, teeth were smashed, and chin was torn. Since the start of the blasting the Gureombi Rock, more than 90 people were arrested while 20 people, swooned, were carried in ambulance. We are living days like being slaughtered dogs and pigs.”

The numbers of 90 within less than a month are compared to 164, in the whole last year. The numbers are in detail; 19(near the naval base committee building etc on March 7), 20 (in the Gureombi Rock etc. on March 9), 16( in the Gureombi Rock on March 12), 9 (in the explosive storage etc on March 31) for example. The charges have been obstruction of business, obstruction of government affairs, general obstruction of traffic, property damage etc.

The people demanded police of open hearing regarding police mal practice of fake charges against people; halt of illegal taking camera shots of citizens that provoke citizens; and fairness.

Full translation of 3 page statement comes later. You can see the original Korean script here.

In the conference, a disable woman also testified on police’s metal harassment and physical injuries to her and on arrest of a man who protested against such violence on her.

There were two banners in the news conference: one about police violence and the other, painting by Natasha Mayers

Source: Lee Sang-Min, Jeju Domin Ilbo, April 5, 2012

You can also watch the news conference video here. Dungree, the video editor put the scenes of mentioned cases on March 29(when Mr. Lim Ho-Young was arrested) and April 1 (When Dr. Song Kang-Ho was arrested) beside the cases of March 19 (police hammer violence), March 25(police trampling down a villager’s garlic field and arrested citizens protesting to it) and March 26( When the Jeju island government officers forcefully demolished people’s tent to an injury of a woman head. (Video source)

April 5, 2012
Lim Ho-Young’s Account on Illegal and Violent Police Arrest of him on April 2, 2012

Photo by Lim Ho-Young on March 29, 2012/ In the Police Station right after his arrest

On March 29, 2012, Lim Ho-Young, media team leader of Gangjeong village was arrested under the charge of ‘obstruction on government affairs’ while he protested against police who ordered unidentified civilian-costumed men to take camera shots of people, which was illegal. During the arrest, he was kicked in the knee and hit in the face with camera, bleeding in his forehead. On April 2, Wooki Lee has visited Lim currently being held at the prison in the Jeju Dongbu Police Station. On the day the court made decision to imprison Lim and he is moved to be prison on April 6. The following is a transcript of the handwritten letter Lee received from Lim on April 2.

*******************************************

I’m doing all right. They’ve issued a warrant for my arrest today and for some reason, I feel all the more composed for it. Even as I was being arrested two days ago, I didn’t think anything too serious would happen. But once the police investigation began, I realized that the authorities had plenty of charges already prepared for me.

I’m beginning to come to terms with the actions of the Navy and local police, since I must have been quite the nuisance for them all this time. The police have assessed my charges as having “deliberately caused aggression with the police by recording video footage, manipulating this footage in a malicious way, and spreading this distorted information to the public by posting it online.”

I couldn’t help but laugh for a while on this note. Is this really how far Korea’s police intelligence has declined? I’m sorry to disappoint, but I don’t possess any video-editing skills. And I have no memory of posting any footage of conflict with the police online. Furthermore, I haven’t had the time to post any kind of footage online since late last year. All I can think of relating to footage would be the few instances in which I provided on-site footage to Dungree.

If this is what the police have reduced me to, what more could I possibly expect from them? Even at a stretch, no more than 30% of their claims against me are true. I’m sure most of these charges will be cleared in court, but nevertheless I have been arrested and must prove myself before a judge. I’ve been placed in a dire situation in which I cannot gather enough information and evidence to prove my case. This is an unjust treatment by the face of justice itself, to say the least.

How the Navy has handled the matter is even more appalling. On March 8th, a scuffle broke out with Navy soldiers by the main gate of the naval base. Captain Tae-yang Lee of the Korean Navy has falsely testified that I assaulted him during this incident, hitting him with my fist once on the face, and twice with my camera. That bastard! Tae-yang Lee is the one who assaulted Dr. Kang-ho Song on June 20th last year, kicking him over ten times when he climbed up a barge. And on March 8th, he just started to attack me the moment he saw me, hitting me on the face with his fist despite the fact that I had glasses on. He eventually broke my glasses and the lens fell out. I was indeed furious at his irrational behavior, which led me to thump him a few times on the head with my right hand, the hand that had been holding my camera. I did not hit him with much force, let alone downright assail him as he had done to me and Dr. Song. Why is it that every single time, the Navy refuses to acknowledge their own mistakes and claims that they were the ones getting assaulted?

Captain Lee also testified that I damaged federal property by tearing off a large part of the fence surrounding the naval base. It’s a steel-plated fence that sits two meters high, which they claim originally cost about \500,000 ($500). This may seem an absurd price for a flimsy fence, but keeping in mind that this is the same Navy that managed to pay a whopping \1,000,000 ($1000) for a lousy USB drive, I guess such things might not be so absurd after all.

Truth of the matter is, I didn’t tear down that fence on purpose and with my two hands. I was clutching onto the fence when Navy soldiers on the other side of it kicked me repeatedly, causing part of the fence to tear in the process. This can be clearly seen in the video footage the police have recorded as evidence of the scene. This ridiculous pincer operation between the police and the Navy has led to my official arrest today.

I fear that I will have to remain like this for at least another two months. I believe they’re trying to stop us and weigh us down by imprisoning our bodies and ultimately abusing governmental authority. If we were to let such things strike us with fear and break our spirits, then we’d be doing nothing more than falling in according to their calculations. It will prove a struggle, no doubt, but we need to stand strong against their unwarranted actions. Authority and arrest is not what we should fear.

Writing this letter has helped me come to terms with my frustrations. I’m sorry for not being able to stand among you all, and the townspeople of Gangjung, but I have hope and I believe there will be something I can achieve in my place here. What pains me the most is that I won’t be able to keep the promise I made to my son, to go and see him when he enters sixth grade next week. I find comfort in knowing that my son is a strong, good-hearted child who will understand the situation his father is in. Still, it would have been nice to have been able to congratulate him in person for becoming vice president of the student council…

I’m planning to spend my time on reading books now. It was something I had always wanted to do during my time in Gangjung. I’ll reflect upon all the moments I had in Gangjung, and every single person I met there. I’m grateful for having had the opportunity to be with you all. The past eleven months I spent in Gangjung have truly been the most meaningful moments of my life, and I know all of you feel the same way. I know it’s a tough struggle, but let’s not lose hope and keep going strong. It may not be the time right now, but in the end, there will come a time when we can all smile together.

Sincerely,

Ho-young Lim

March 31st, 2012

(Translated by Stefanie Hong)
(Thanks to Jungmin Choi to arrange translation request)

*******************************************
It was known to be later that the violence by the Gwangju riot police was one of the worst that has occurred in the struggle against naval base. On the day, the police broke off fingers, arms of a man and threw down him who protested against violent arrest of Mr. Lim. The police also ignoring women’s human rights, brutally carried away women as part of attempt to scatter people, touching their bodies. The police also took away a woman’s mobile phone and hit her back head when she protested it. The police also used slanders to protesters and scolded a villager whose garlic field was trampled down by them, saying, “Why are you agitated for such minor thing?”

Dungree video on the day, including the scene of arrest of Mr. Lim Ho-Young

The activists’ account can be seen here and here.

Mr. Lim Ho-Young’s handwriting received on April 2, 2012. He was injured in his forehead when he was arrested on March 29, 2012.

April 5, 2012
Dr. Song Kang Ho’s Handwritten Statement Regarding his Violent Arrest on April 1st, 2012

(Translated from Korean; Click here for original Korean version)

On April 1st, at around 2 p.m., I was on Gureombi to protest against the heavy construction equipment that is destroying Gureombi. From outside the razor-wire fence on the western side of Gureombi, I was shouting, “Don’t Destroy Gureombi!” and “Stop Construction!” and “Stop!”

In that place, I was not alone but together with Priest Moon Jung Hyeon, Priest Kim Sung Hwan, and [former Jeju Assembly woman] Hyun Ae Ja, venting our pent up anger. Despite our protests, about 10 meters inside the fence, two huge hydraulic excavators were break rocks and loading the broken rocks into a dump truck. I felt deep despair because even though we yelled and shouted, the construction workers didn’t listen. Because of my despair, without knowing what I was doing, I found myself grabbing the fence, pulling it down to the ground, and stepping across it, wanting to shout at them near the excavators. In front of me, around 30 riot police blocked the way with their shields and their captain sneered mockingly. As soon as I crossed the fence, I was surrounded and isolated. When I tried to resist, the police beat me, pushed me to the ground and held me down with their feet. They twisted my left hand and pinned it behind my back. One police officer painfully jabbed his finger into my ear. The ground was covered with sharp, broken rocks but their feet pushed my feet forcefully downward. While they carried me, my head hit the rocks on the ground two or three times.

Around 2:30, I was delivered to a naval jeep and transferred to the Naval base office gate. There, a police car was standing by. Around 100 police officers made a big wall and blocked the villagers and activists who came to protest, making a space for the police to move me into the police car. I thought that my arrest was unjust, so I resisted being put in the car. During that time, the police tried to force me into the car. While doing so, my body was turned upside down at the open car door and my upper body fell to the ground and under the car. Because of this, I tried to hold anything that I could grab causing my upper body to be pulled underneath the car. Several police officers pulled my legs but my head became stuck between the car and the asphalt ground. I yelled that my head was stuck, but the police officers were not concerned, and pulled my legs more strongly. From the left side of my chin to the middle of my chin my neck was stuck on some metal structure underneath the car.

My lower body continued being pulled by several people and because of the pressure on my neck, I couldn’t speak anymore, only groan furiously. As the police pulled my body more strongly, the edge of my teeth began to crack. I could feel and chew tiny sand-like grains of tooth inside my mouth. I heard the bones in my neck popping and became afraid that my head was separating from my body. To protect myself from dying or at least protect my head from separating from my neck bones, I frantically tried to escape to my left. During this whole time, the police just continuously pulled my legs and several times some of the police officers even pulled my genitals. I couldn’t see their faces but I could hear their mocking laughter. Behind me, I heard Priest Kim Sung Hwan protesting their cruel treatment towards me. After 5-10 minutes of fear and pain, I pulled myself towards the left with all of my strength, to release my chin from the metal structure where it was stuck. I could barely release my neck and then police pulled me out.

After the police put me into the police car, I spit out my broken teeth, which the police complained about. Behind the driver’s seat, one police officer with the last name of “Goh”, punched me with his fist. I felt pain from his fist on the left side of my stomach.

After that, in the Seogwipo Police Station, I appealed about the pain in my chin, neck, right shoulder, and back. I was lying down at that time and asked them to borrow a cell phone to make a phone call. However, they derided me saying that since I was lying down, I must just be sleepy, so I should just sleep. After giving this answer they disappeared. I had requested that they call 119 [Korean emergency medical number] but they didn’t call for 30 minutes.

I am filing a lawsuit with the Korean National Human Rights Commission against the police officers who arrested me. I request legal punishment and penalties for the police officers who treated me in an unreasonable way, so that the police will no longer trample on people’s human rights, threaten people’s lives, and disrespect people’s bodies.

April 2, 2012,
Song Kang Ho

April 3, 2012
[Immediate Release] Repeal the deportation order against Benjamin Monnet and Angie Zelter!

Photo by the village international team/ Benjamin Monnet and Angie Zelter in the Dongbu police station on March 14, 2012.

Photo by the village international team/ On March 14, 2012, In front of the Dongbu Police station, Benjamin Monnet and Angie Zelter are met by the Jeju Immigration Officers who noticed them that they would carry the two to the Jeju Immigration Office to get investigated on the matter of deportation

[Immediate Release] Repeal the deportation order against Benjamin Monnet and Angie Zelter!

By the Gangjeong Village International Team, March 15, 2012

(Translated by Jooyea Lee. See the Korean statement here.)

On March 14th, Jeju District Public Prosecutor’s Office released 13 who had been arrested two days before, but requested an extension for the arrest of Ms. Seri Kim. At around 4:00 p.m., they transferred the French activist, Mr. Benjamin Monnet and the peace activist from the U.K., Angie Zelter, to Jeju Immigration on the basis that they would decide on deporting these two activists.

Lawyers for Democratic Lawyers’ Association, along with the Gangjeong International Team had previously met up with the three individuals at 10:00 a.m. Ms. Seri Kim was wearing a neck support for the injury that occurred when two Daerim contractors violently restrained her. In addition to her neck pain, Ms. Kim complained of pains on her left shoulder and also on her knees. The toes on her right foot were also twisted, according to her. At 2:00 p.m., Mr. Benjamin Monnet visited the local hospital, also complaining of the pains caused by injury when Daerim employees pushed him: on his legs; the back of his neck; muscle pains on his upper and lower back. The inside of his left knee occurred when Jeju coast guard overturned Mr. Monnet’s kayak and rapidly advanced the guards’ rubber boat. Doctor said it will take two weeks for the injury to heal completely.

On March 12th, both Ms. Seri Kim and Mr. Benjamin Monnet had crawled under into the barbed wire side of the Gureombi rocks, where they sustained 2 and half hours on an excavator, in order to avoid potential violence from the Daerim employees. As for Ms. Angie Zelter, she had cut the barbed wire—installed illegally by the Korean navy. The Police charged Ms. Kim for obstruction of business on March 12th, as well as for obstruction of traffic on March 7th—she had held out in front of the vehicles, which belonged to those who set barricades, to stop the blast). For Mr. Monnet, the police charged him with: unlawful interference with official duty (for the event that occurred on Feb. 27th); misdemeanor, infliction of injury, obstruction of business (March 12th). For Ms. Zelter, misdemeanor for entering into the construction site over the fence (March 9th); so called group damage with dangerous tool (* which means wire cutter to cut the wire razor fence) and misdemeanor (March 12th).

All these allegations are arbitrary and malicious interpretation/application of the law, considering the customary violence against the villagers and activists who protested against the naval base construction. No action has been taken towards Mr. Benjamin Monnet’s lawsuit against Daerim employees and the police respectively—Mr. Monnet was beaten on Nov. 9th 2011 by Daerim employees; and by the Police on Dec. 26th, 2011. On April 6th, 2011, despite the police assault against the film critic Mr. Yang Yoon-Mo, no investigation so far, as for the accountability. Mr. Monnet only pushed the policeman in order to protect himself, rather than injuring the police as he had been charged as such. As for the charges that were brought upon himself regarding the incidences on Feb. 27th and March 12th, Mr. Monnet strongly claims that they are lies and excessive charges.

On March 6th, Jeju Provincial Governor Mr. Woo Keun-Min, jointly with representatives of Jeju—both the ruling and the opposition parties—had requested the provisional pending on the Gureombi blast as well as for the construction itself, expressing regrets at the unreasonable execution of the construction with all the design errors. But the navy, ignoring the needs of these Island representatives forged ahead with the blast to destroy Gureombi—Korea’s one and only costal wetland and the bedrock inhabited by where rare flora and fauna; an area that deems to be connected to Gangjeong Stream that provides 70% of drinking water to Seogwipo residents. The construction site is the country’s only UNESCO soft coral habitats and also where Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins make appearances, which are designated by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) as endangered species.

The three individuals—Seri Kim, Benjamin Monnet, and Angie Zelter—devoted themselves through consistently non-violent and peaceful measures under international law: the principles of peace: against the construction of naval base and militarization, they simply tried to prevent the destruction of the Earth through another military base.

But the Jeju Immigration Office, after investigating nearly three hours ordered deportation for Mr. Monnet at 8:00 pm, when ten Immigration Office employees entered the office. Female employees, as if they had been prepared to do so, started collecting evidence with their cameras. The three-hour investigation on Mr. Monnetwas all an act. Lawyers for Democratic Society representative, appalled by this, urgently raised the complaint but the staff arbitrarily transferred Mr. Monnet, unfed and still in his prisoner’s uniform. Their excuse was being that Mr. Monnet should be on the last flight out of Jeju.

Angie Zelter, who is also confined at the Jeju Immigration Office will be investigated around 3:00 p.m. on March 15th. Around 11:00 am or 1:30 pm, Seri Kim’s case will be examined to issue an arrest warrant against her. In solidarity with the film critic Mr. Yang Yoon-mo, Angie Zelter is temporarily fasting. Benjamin Monnet is also fasting in the prison of Hwasoon Immigration Office, Gyunggi province against illegal destruction of the Jeju naval base project and illegal arrest.

We strongly condemn the Lee Myung-bak government who, in addition to the illegal construction (destruction) and arrests, is forging ahead with the forceful deportation of international activists who are dedicating themselves to protect the Island of Peace, Jeju. Lee Myung-bak regime’s human rights abuses are unscrupulous, as it ignores the potential diplomatic criticism. In addition, the construction and the human rights violations in relation to the construction cannot be explained without the United States’ undue desire for domination as it tries to utilize the Jeju naval base as a springboard to contain China. It is also the move to undermine the international solidarity against the Jeju naval base construction. The struggles against the Jeju naval base construction has already evolved into international struggle. Capitalism and government and any other forces that resist the contemporary needs for peace cannot be sustained.

Immediately release those arrested and;
Repeal the deportation order against Benjamin Monnet and Angie Zelter;
Stop the illegal naval base construction immediately!

March 15th, 2012

Gangjeong International Team

…………………………………………………….

We have just heard that the entry by the three members of the Veterans for Peace, US. Who were supposed to visit the Gangjeong village on March 14 has also been denied. We strongly denounce the Lee Myung-Bak government who shamelessly commit violation on human rights internationally.

…………………………………………………….

Reference articles and videos

Video by Dungree: Letter to deported Benjamin (April 18, 2012)

Articles

http://space4peace.blogspot.kr/2012/03/people-keep-coming-to-gangjeong.html

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

PEOPLE KEEP COMING TO GANGJEONG

http://www.space4peace.blogspot.com/2012/03/deportation-from-jeju.html
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 2012
DEPORTATION FROM JEJU

http://www.space4peace.blogspot.com/2012/03/three-vfp-leaders-denied-entry-into.html
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 2012
THREE VFP LEADERS DENIED ENTRY INTO JEJU ISLAND

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2012/03/117_106941.html
Arrest warrants sought for 2 foreign protestors on Jeju
03-14-2012 18:31

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2012/03/14/14/0302000000AEN20120314007800315F.HTML
Police seek first arrest warrants for foreigners in naval base protests
2012/03/14 17:15 KST

March 15, 2012
Jeju Council members and Jeju-based National Assembly men oppose the blast plan

Re-blogged from the Organizing Notes, March 4, 2012, ‘From This to This’

Which view do you like? Which vision of the future do you support?

Below Sung-Hee Choi brings us the latest twists from Jeju Island. Things are moving swiftly. You see the internal debate raging in South Korea. Please know that what we each do in our own community to support the villagers on Jeju Island will have some impact.

Sung-Hee Choi writes:

On the matter on the blast of the Gureombi, the Island provincial council would have an emergency general informal gathering at 11am on March 5. Three National Assembly men based on Jeju Island warned the Lee government. The Jeju regional branch of the Democratic Unity Party warned the possibility of the 2nd Yongsan tragedy, as well.

Upon the navy’s plan on the enforcement on the blast of the Gureombi, the Island council members and Jeju-based National Assembly men are all together denouncing the central government.

1. Oh Choong-Jin, chairman of the Jeju Island Council said in his interview with the Headline Jeju that “In the government measure this time, the opinion of the Jeju was harshly cut. The central government declaration on the enforcement of construction (destruction) is very disdaining of the Island people. In our meeting, we would seek for our own measures and would strongly urge the government to stop construction as the Island governor has rights to stop it.”

If the members of Saenuri Party (Former Grand National Party, the ruling party) are passive or express their opposition on such move, confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties are expected. Currently in the Jeju Island Council, the numbers of the ruling party members are smaller.)

2. Kang Chang-Il, Kim Woo-Nam, and Kim Jae-Yoon, three members of the Jeju-based National Assembly (All are members of the Democratic Unity Party) warned the central government in their joint statement, saying that, “If the Gureombi Rock is blasted , bigger disaster will come. The Seogwipo Police Station should not approve the navy’s blast on the Gureombi Rock.”

“The navy has re-applied for the blast of the Gureombi Rock to the Seogwipo Police Station, riding on the Lee government’s drastic measure. It is told that the matter has already been decided in the ‘secret meeting’ by the related offices of the Prime Minister Office, excluded of the Jeju Island. The Lee Myung-Bak government is showing an attitude of through ignorance on communication, full of arrogance and self-righteousness in its drive for the Jeju naval base.’

“How much more pain the Lee government is to inscribe into the Island people, by its enforcing of the construction masking the naval base as a ‘civilian-military combined port of call,’ ignoring the opinion of the National Assembly and villagers? How many people in the Gangjeong village should be arrested, taken away and imprisoned under the charge of obstruction of business for the government to pay attention to the voice of the Island people?”

“The Jeju Island and all the Island people have constantly demanded the central government to stop the enforcement on the naval base project and to form the objective and neutral verification committee on the layout. The police should never approve the navy’s blast of the Gureombi Rock.”

3. The Jeju branch of the Democratic Unity Party demanded the navy and its contracted companies to immediately stop their attempt to blast the Gureombi in their emergent statement on March 3.

The Democratic Unity party members said,

“In case of the blast on the Gureombi rock, the Gangjeong matter could bring an unexpected results and further concern on the possibility of the 2nd Yongsan tragedy has been raised. (The Samsung and Daelim companies who are leading the base construction, both were involved in the 2nd Yongsan tragedy in January, 2009. At the time five men resisting against forceful eviction were killed by the SWAT teams. These corporations were bulldozing entire neighbhorhoods and building high rise building that they would control.)

“The fact that the National Assembly has cut most of this year’s [base construction] budget with the agreement by the ruling and opposition parties is because the National Assembly has publicly acknowledged the problems of the currently driven Jeju naval base business. If the Lee Myung-Bak government is to drive the business despite that, it is a behavior thoroughly ignoring the National Assembly, the representative institute of the People.”

“In the condition when the ‘continuous business,’ is not guaranteed even though the construction including the blast of the Gureombi is enforced, it may remain disgrace of the totally unreliable national business that remains only a serious wound.”

“ The Jeju Island having publicly announced that the justification on the business has been in fact damaged though it is a national policy, has to make all the efforts to stop the blast of the Gureombi as a manager on the public water and its adjacent surface.”

March 5, 2012
Rebecca Johnson’s appeal letter to the court on behalf of the three arrested (Dec. 13, 2011)

See Organizing Notes, Nov. 8, 2011

Re-post from here

Appeal Letter of Dr. Rebecca Johnson to Judges regarding judicial charges against Kang Young-sil, Choi Sung-hee and Dr. Song Kang-ho

To whom it may concern:
December 13, 2011

Regarding judicial charges against Ms Kang Young-sil, Ms Choi Sung-Hee and Dr Song Kang-ho

Dear Judges, Lawyers and Colleagues,

I am unable to be here in person but request that this letter be submitted as evidence in the judicial proceedings regarding nonviolent demonstrations by Ms Kang Young-sil, Ms Choi Sung-Hee and Dr Song Kang-ho at the Hotel Shilla, November 7-8, 2011.

I, Dr Rebecca Johnson of the above address in London UK, was an invited participant at the 10th ROK-UN Joint Conference on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Issues: The Past and Future of Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, which was held at the Shilla Hotel, Jeju, November 7-8, 2011.

I flew from London for this Conference, and was asked to serve both as an expert presenter and a rapporteur for one of the sessions. As a panel speaker, I was on the Conference platform when a young woman quietly and peacefully entered the room and held up a yellow banner with the message “No Naval Base”. Indeed, the speaker who was presenting at the time, Professor Han Yong-sup, drew attention to this protest, which was part of a larger but equally nonviolent demonstration at the entrance of the Conference. Like others in the Conference, I was interested to learn more about the concerns that the protesters were raising, and asked questions about this in conversations with several of the participants from the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and diplomatic service, many of whom are my long-standing friends from many years of collaborative work on security, non-proliferation and disarmament issues. The protest sparked some interesting and informative discussions, but at no time did I or anyone else in the Conference feel worried, alarmed or threatened by the protesters, who behaved completely nonviolent throughout.

I was therefore shocked to be told after the Conference concluded that three of the protesters had been arrested, taken into custody and held overnight. I was even more dismayed when I heard that these two women and religious brother had been hurt and injured by police or hotel staff in the course of that unnecessary arrest. The Conference was on issues of security, disarmament and non-proliferation, and I think it was completely relevant and legitimate for nonviolent demonstrators to try to participate and inform us about a local issue – happening so close to the hotel we were meeting in. Freedom of protest and freedom of speech are important characteristics and rights in democracies, and it should have been important to guarantee these rights and enable citizens such as the Gangjeong protesters to exercise these rights without being hurt or arrested.

From what I saw and heard, the protesters behaved respectfully towards both the international and South Korean participants in the Conference. It is true that they were not formally invited to the Conference, but they did bring us important information. As I wrote in my rapporteur’s report for the United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs (ODA), their protest “brought home a personal dimension of the relationship between military policies and conventional weapons deployments, missile defences, nuclear weapons and dangers, regional insecurity and potential long term threats to the environment, including space, as well as raising challenging questions about the UN’s role and responsibilities and the links between human rights, environmental protection and disarmament and human security. In effect, this broader context formed the backdrop to Session I’s discussions about whether the achievement of disarmament, nonproliferation and freedom from nuclear insecurity will require a paradigm shift from the framework and assumptions of cold war arms control towards humanitarian-based disarmament, and if so, where such an approach might arise and what it might entail.”

The protesters invited the Conference participants to visit Gangjeong and see for ourselves the environmental and humanitarian desecration being caused by the construction of the unnecessary naval base. As I had time the next day, I visited Gangjeong and spoke with many of the villagers and concerned South Korean citizens. I was deeply concerned at the environmental destruction and that explosives were being laid in preparation for blowing apart the Gureombi. Over dinner on Monday evening (November7), our host, the Governor of Jeju, the Honourable Mr Woo Keun-Min, called Jeju an “Island of World Peace” and expressed his hope that Jeju would be designated one of the new Seven Wonders of Nature. His hopes seem to be completely contradicted by what I saw being done to Gangjeong as part of the construction of the naval base for Aegis destroyers (associated with the launch of armed missiles as part of a ‘missile defence’ force).

I was not distressed by Ms Kang Young-sil, Ms Choi Sung-Hee, Dr Song Kang-ho or any other of the nonviolent protesters who came to talk to us about the naval base. On the contrary, they gave me information that I consider important and relevant to my reasons for being at the UN-ROK Conference. I was, however, very distressed that they were arrested and have been charged for this, as if they had done something wrong or criminal.

I am unable to travel back to Jeju to act as a witness in trial proceedings on this matter, but I respectfully request that this letter be used in evidence on behalf of Ms Kang Young-sil, Ms Choi Sung-Hee and Dr Song Kang-ho, confirm‍ing that their exercise of freedom of speech and demonstration during the UN-ROK Conference November 7-8 2011 should not constitute any kind of offence in a democracy such as the Republic of Korea.

Yours faithfully,

Dr Rebecca E. Johnson
Executive Director
Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy
To whom it may concern:
December 13, 2011

See Organizing Notes, March 8, 2011

Dungree video

Nov. 8 to 9, 2011

Nov. 7, 2011

January 5, 2012
Rebecca Johnson’s letter to Governor Woo on Nov. 16, 2011

Photo by Jung Jae-Eun, Media Choongchung, Nov. 12, 2012

Re-post from here

Rebecca Johnson’s letter to Governor Woo

Princeton University, New Jersey, USA
November 16, 2011

Dear Governor Woo,

I was privileged to be invited to speak at the recent UN-ROK Conference on Non-Proliferation and Disarmament held at the Shilla Hotel(* Samsung owned) in Jeju on November 7-8, 2011. At the dinner that you so kindly hosted I was delighted to hear you speak of your desire to see Jeju Island recognised as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature as well as an Island of World Peace. Together with the UNESCO triple-crowned status, Jeju island is among the world’s most precious cultural and national treasures.

I was also very impressed with the peaceful protesters who came to talk to us about the way in which construction of a new and unnecessary naval base for submarines and Aegis destroyers is causing desecration of Gangjeong village and coastal waters. When the UN Conference ended I went to Gangjeong to see for myself, and was shocked at the devastation being inflicted on this beautiful part of the world. I met Catholic priests, fruit farmers, village leaders and Haenyo divers and heard how the base construction — and in particular the planned detonation of explosives at Gureombi — will devastate their fishing areas and could destroy their livelihoods forever.

I have worked on disarmament issues for many years, and have studied the negative impact of military bases for local populations. As well as destroying the livelihoods of local farmers and the famous Haenyo sea women, the Gangjeong naval base will increase the risks of rape and other forms of violence against women and girls. As it destroys traditional fishing and agricultural jobs, the base will cause an upsurge in prostitution and erode women’s rights, security and safety. Is this what you want on Jeju Island?

I have just heard that Gureombi is scheduled to be blasted open on November 18. I beg you to have this irrevocable destruction of the seabed halted immediately.
As I learned on my visit, the marine ecosystem connected with Gureombi is a precious heritage of the South Korean people and must be protected and preserved. The destruction of Gureombi threatens the surrounding marine life, the traditional Haenyo fishing areas, and the clean water that farmers and villagers depend upon for their survival.

You have the power to stop the use of explosives at Gureombi and Gangjeong, and I appeal to you to halt this violence as a matter of the greatest immediacy and urgency.

You also have the power to order the Navy to stop construction of the naval base so that the interests of Jeju Islanders can be properly considered and assessed. If it is not already clearly recognised what a crime of vandalism will be committed if these explosions and the construction of this unnecessary naval base go ahead, at least halt the construction so that an independent environmental and cultural impact assessment can be conducted before any further violence and desecration are inflicted on the environment and Jeju people.

I am sure that you do not want your legacy to be the governor who enabled the destruction of this unique natural environment and site of ancient Korean relics. I am convinced you would rather be remembered as a protector of democracy and peace on Jeju Island rather than the person who destroyed the livelihoods of local villagers and opened the door to the rape and prostitution of Jeju women – a human rights violation that invariably accompanies military bases such as that which is being planned.

I appeal to you to act with the wise foresight of which I know you are capable and put a stop to the blasting of Gureombi and the wanton destruction of Gangjeong for a naval base that is not needed for South Korean security and which the vast majority of local people oppose. Uphold the principles you expressed at the UN meeting and your promises to those who elected you and stop the blast and construction immediately.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours Sincerely,

Dr Rebecca Johnson
President, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN Europe, Middle East, Africa)

Dr Rebecca E. Johnson
Executive Director
Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy
24 Colvestone Crescent
London E8 2LH
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 207 503 8857
mob: 07733360955
website: www.acronym.org.uk

…………………………………………….

Peace activist Rebecca Johnson visits the Jeju Island naval base site

(Video by No Base Jeju Island)

November 17, 2011