[Jeju Update] Don’t oppress the villagers! November is Critical for the struggle against the Jeju naval base construction plan 주민들을 탄압하지 말라! 11월은 중요!

* Image source: artist Kim, Gangjeong village, Jeju Island, Jan. 18, 2010

* Image source: Seogwipo Daily Newspaper, Jan 18 2010 (click)
이미지 소스: 2010년 1월 18일,서귀포 일간 신문 (클릭)

▲ 지난 1월18일 강동균 마을회장이 경찰에 강제연행되고 있는 모습. 이날 경찰은 마을주민과 시민단체 관계자 등 50여명을 연행해 현재 제주동부서부, 서귀포경찰서 등에 분리 수용해 조사를 한 바 있다.
▲The photo above is the mayor Kang Dong-Kyun forcefully being taken away by the police last January 18. On the day, the police arrested about 50 villagers and the civil organization personnel, to the Dongbu, Seobu polices offices in the city of Jeju and Seogwipo Police office where the arrested were separately accommodated and got investigations.

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If one remembers, during the Gangjeong villagers’ struggle to prevent the ceremony to set up a naval base in the ceremony planned area near the Gangjeong stream, in the morning of last January 18, this year, 47 villagers have been arrested on the day, most of who were released on the same night or next day.

It was also the time that Bruce Gagnon, Secretary of the Global Network against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space thankfully initiated the international petition to support the Gangjeong villagers’ struggle to prevent a Jeju naval base which would ‘be used to surround and provoke China’ in the Jeju Island which has been named as the Island of Peace, in 2006.

Since then the personnel such as the mayor Kang, in the Gangjeong village, have been indicted under the charges to interrupt the execution on the official business. The Nov. 4, 2010 Jeju media reports the result of the1st court decision as the below translated.

According to the Sisa Jeju article on Nov. 4, 2010 (시사제주, 2010년 11월 4일자):

‘Imprisonment or fine penalty were sentenced upon the personnel in the Gangjeong village people’s council, in the city of Seogwipo, who have been indicted under the charges of interrupting the execution on official business in the site of the ceremony-planned area to set up the construction of the Jeju naval base last January.

The 2nd criminal case department, Jeju local court sentenced Kang Dong-Kyun, mayor of the Gangjeong village who had been indicted with the charges such as the interrupting execution on official business, a year & half imprisonment but three years’ suspension of execution and 160 hours’ social service.

[The department] sentenced upon a Gangjeong villager, Yoon, who were indicted along with [the mayor Kang], a year and half imprisonment but two years’ execution suspension; three personnel in the Gangjeong Village People’s council, eight month imprisonment but two years’ execution suspension; and each of Kang, a head of the Beonhwan fishing community and Yoon, Secretary of the committee against naval base, penalty 3million won [* about $ 2,656].

The court stated on the assessment of case in its judgment document saying that, “ The deeds of the accused, happened during the process to oppose naval base construction should be all acknowledged as guilty and strictly punished but considering the points such as the navy and various social fields appeal to use discretion, [the court] sentences upon punishment to them.”

Otherwise, regarding the sentence this time, the seven including the mayor of the Gangjeong Village People’s Council expressed their will to immediately appeal suit, saying they could not acknowledge the court decision result.’

The court decision was three days later that the Gangjeong villagers stated their position to withdraw from their own proposal on Aug. 9 to the Island government to reselect the naval base location and the two days later the Pan Island Committee for the prevention against the Jeju Military Base [plan] and for the Realization of the Island of Peace stated its position to the Island government that the Island government should not consider to drive the naval base plan while the Island governor, himself , ‘has issued a warning that the Jeju military base could work with a very dangerous result in the future of the Jeju in his opening speech in the 1st Jeju peace forum last 2001.’

November is critical in the struggle against the Jeju naval base at least for the two reasons:

1. There is the final 1st court review on the villagers appeal to remove ‘the cancellation on the absolute preservation area,’ which enables for the navy to construct the base and of which the bill has been passed in the former Island Assembly in a snatched way last December, 2009. The 1st court sentence is expected in December. The villagers think the trial to remove that bill is most important among their other trials.

2. There is the National Assembly’s governmental affairs audit and the budgetary review regarding the Jeju naval base will be considered in the National Assembly this November. It is important to prevent the budget for construction.

The Gangjeong villagers’ hardships under the prosecutors’ law abuse have been reported here and here.

* Image source: same as the link

People cannot but suspect the Nov. 4 court decision is intended to weaken the struggle but will be determined again to fight hard against the planned naval base construction.