[Jeju Update] [Translation] Gangjeong villagers' statement on March 17

*Image source: Jeju Sori, March 17, 2011
*Image source: Sisa Jeju, March 17, 2011

* The below is hurried partial translation of the March 17, 2011 statement by the Gangjeong villagers and Beobhwan fishing community. The whole translation comes later. 성명서 전문 (클릭)

The navy should immediately stop its illegal construction and the Island governor should cancel the [alteration disposal] with his direct authority
_ Stating that the alteration disposal is naturally annulled by the [Island council’s March 15] resolution on the cancellation of the agreement on the annulment of the absolute preservation areas

Especially the coastal area of the Gangjeong village is the place where its scenery is very picturesque and where has been designated as a biosphere protection area by the UNESCO because of its various creatures as to be called as the treasure of the ecology system. And it is the place of having been designated as the absolute preservation areas for that very reason. It cannot but the unpardonable atrocities against human beings to build military base in such beautiful place with total reclamation and destruction.


We believe that it is the only way to guarantee the future value of the Jeju to properly save and protect the nature of the Jeju, including the absolute preservation areas. We wholeheartedly send our thankful heart and cheers of encouragement to many Island council members including chairman, Moon Dae-rim, who were courageous with their commitment.


The lawyers say that the alteration disposal on the absolute preservation areas is effective but because there occurred an important and clear flaw because of no legal agreement with the reversing resolution this time, the disposal became the matter of the naturally annulled. They also tell that if the alteration disposal on the absolute preservation areas is the naturally annulled, the navy’s enforcement of construction is in violation of law as well. They say the navy’s enforcement of construction is unconstitutional measure that infringes the basic rights of the Gangjeong villagers with its execution of illegal state power. Therefore the navy should immediately stop its illegal construction.

The Island governor should not waste his ability demanding the Island council a ‘reversing discussion,’ bringing unnecessary conflicts with it, but strongly demand the navy to immediately stop the illegal construction, together with the navy. If the navy enforces construction ignoring the [Island council’s] decision this time, it is nothing but to ignore the opinions of the Jeju Island people. We request [the Island governor] that [he] exerts [himself] even only for the self-respect of the Island people. He should to show courage to cancel the alteration disposal on the absolute preservation areas with his direct authority, accepting the Island council’s decision this time, with humble heart, as well.

We also desperately hope the court does not escape with its avoidant court decision but strictly count the rights and wrongs in the matter of the alteration disposal on the absolute preservation areas so it properly does its role as the final fortress of people’s basic rights.

The naval joint chief of staff should not attempt to equivocally escape from the rage of the Island people with his formal sorry expression but immediately stop an illegal construction and reconsider the naval base business construction from its initial points. We strongly warn that if he ignores the law and Island people as now and enforces the construction drive as it is, it is nothing but the systematic violence that cannot stand together with the Peace Island and a behavior that makes dishonorable of the 4.3 spirits.

March 17, 2011
Kang Dong-Kyun, mayor of the Gangjeong village people’s council & all the villagers present
And
The Beobhwan fishing community

A banner for the promotion of the Jeju Island to be one of seven wonders, hung in the press interview room. Mayor Kang questioned whether the Jeju could be one of the seven wonders with the naval base construction, when there is a photo of the Beom Island in the Gangjeong Sea in the banner.
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A power shovel broke the moved small rocks in the rocky Joongduk coast. A part of flattening a road before concrete-paving. A villager wrote letters on the rocks in protest as a warning not to continue construction. The letters were partly erased by a continued construction later.