[Jeju Update][12.17]postponed Gangjeong villagers’ decision /Jeju activists enter the tent sit-in in an indefinite period 강정주민들 결정 연기/ 제주 활동가들 천막농성 개시

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1. The Gangjeong villagers' decision was postponed for another day.

The Gangjeong villagers had their critical meeting on Dec. 17 on the matter of whether they would continue to fight or accept the naval base. The intense meeting lasted for more than 4 and half hours that was from 7:30 pm to mid night but the villagers could not reach to their unilateral conclusion. Therefore their another meeting will be held again for final conclusion in days.

There were about 100 villagers in the meeting room and the meeting was processed closed from the outsiders and media by the request of the villagers. Some of the Gangjeong villagers, having been very worn out for more than three and half year’s struggle, while their last legal hope was trampled over by the Dec. 15 court as well as their other efforts, by the central and Island authorities, have proposed to quit the struggle despite bitterness while the others have been fiercely opposing it. Whatever the villagers’ decision would be, one should not forget that they are all crying deep inside their heart. One should not also ignore the villagers’ much hardship during the struggle. They have had too much burden in their two shoulders. Some of them had to see their farms being abandoned and destroyed while they had been concentrating into the struggle. Still one hopes that the villagers would make a good decision.
Some of the Gangjeong villagers’ words be translated later and will be known again.

* Image source: Kim Jung-Ho, Media Jeju, Dec. 17, 2010

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2. The Jeju activists enter a tent sit-in for an indefinite period

28 Jeju organizations including the Catholic Jeju District’s Special Committee for the Island of Peace, the Christians’ Meeting for Peace and the Pan-Island Committee for the Prevention of the Jeju Military Base and for the Realization of Island of Peace, had the press interview to express their will to fight against the Island authorities’ enforcement of naval base construction, in front of the Gangjeong stream, the planned naval base area, at 2pm, Dec. 17, 2010. In the press interview, they announced that their tent sit-ins would be relayed by each organization every 24 hours in an indefinite period.

It has been told that the navy may enforce the bringing of the construction materials from coming Dec. 20th.

They said that their tent sit-ins and struggles against the planned naval base area would last no matter what the Gangjeong villagers’ final decision would be, while respecting the villagers’ decision.

The Catholic Fathers will hold a daily missal for peace along the coast of the Gangjeong and will hold a general meeting & missal in the Gangjeong village People’s Council, on next Jan. 12, 2011. Separate from the Catholic, the Christians’ Meeting for Peace is to have an eve festival and a service for peace in Gangjeong on coming Dec. 24.

The translation of Dec. 17 press interview statement will come in time.

* Image source: The Jeju Human Rights, Dec. 17, 2010
The banner reads,
" We cannot give up the Jeju, the Island of Peace and
an Island of natural heritage, to a military base!

* Image source: Kim Jung-Ho, Media Jeju, Dec. 17, 2010

* Image source: Kim Jung-Ho, Media Jeju, Dec. 17, 2010

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3. Art works in the Joongduk coast.

In the Joongduk coast, some art works by some Jeju activists are appealing, The work in the above photo is to be told to mean the naval base as cancer, expressed by entangled wires.
The letters inscribed in the wood panels say, “This land is sacred.



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