[Jeju Update: Sept. 6] A letter from imprisoned village representative Kang Dongkyun to Noam Chomsky

* Image source: Click here
Mayor Kang's handwriting letter to Noam Chomsky

_______________________________________
강동균 마을회장이 노엄 촘스키 교수에게 옥중에서 보낸 편지
2011년 9월6일자(국문은 여기 클릭)
________________________________________

Gangjeong Village People's Council

Translation by dopehead zo


A letter from imprisoned village representative Kang Dongkyun to Noam Chomsky
Sept. 6, 2011


Dear Mr. Noam Chomsky!


How are you?

I am Kang Dongkyun, the Gangjeong village representative, from Jeju Island where the people have been suffering and fighting for 4 years and 4 months against an unjust construction of a naval base.

The decision making process was unjust because the vast majority of the villagers opposed the construction of a naval base. And geographically Gangjeong village is not an appropriate location for a naval base. Despite these problems, the South Korean government and the Ministry of Defence have been pushing forward the project while ignoring its people's will, which created all sorts of conflicts not only within the community but in the whole island. Neighbors are turning their backs on one another, and human relations used to be close but now it's all broken.

At this point, Jeju Island is trying hard to be selected as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature, based on the 3 titles that Jeju Volcanic Island and Gangjeong village have won from the UNESCO; UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, UNESCO World Natural Heritage, and UNESCO Global Geoparks.

Our Gangjeong village is proud to meet the qualifications of the 3 UNESCO titles. I think that it is meaningless for the Jeju Island to try to be entitled as one of the new 7 wonders of nature if a naval base comes to Gangjeong village.

Jeju Island has two paths to take. One is a militarised Jeju Island that will increase tensions in the region. The other is a peaceful island where the breath-taking beauty of nature is well-preserved so all the peace-loving people from the world come to appreciate the environment.

Which one should be the right choice in terms of national interests and South Korea's status in the world community?


Dear Mr. Noam Chomsky!

I have read your writings and support messages. Thank you for helping us. I can't agree with you more when you say that a rule by force and violence will fall by the same force. The history proves that.


Dear Mr. Noam Chomsky!

We are trying everything we can to keep this small village on Jeju Island. We know and firmly believe that keeping the life and peace of the village ensures the peace on the island, in the country and the whole world.

We will never be shaken or surrender to any unjust state power. Peace maintained by force will be fallen by another big force.


Dear Mr. Noam Chomsky!

What we want is a small peace where people live their lives by helping and taking care of each other. We wish to make a true world where beautiful stories can be written by the people.

Please help us out and please let us keep the hope.


Thank you very much.


Sept. 6, 2011

On behalf of the Gangjeong villagers

Kang Dongkyun

[Jeju Update: Sept. 2 to 7] Some links for the latest news

Due to high volume of works and unknown technical problems, blog has not been regularly updated.

For the latest news see:

FACEBOOK: No Naval Base on Jeju

Save Jeju Island

Gangjeong vIllage café site (Check the English section in the left of column)

Gangjeong village website (Korean)

News in the other blogs:

Bruce Gagnon's Organizing Notes

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 06, 2011
THEY CALL THIS PROGRESS & SECURITY - THE PRAYER OF LIBERATION

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 04, 2011
YESTERDAY IN GANGJEONG- PEACE PLANE ARRIVES

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 01, 2011
VIDEO FROM RAID ON VILLAGERS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 01, 2011
GANGJEONG RAIDED - MANY ARRESTS

Ten Thousand Things

Monday, September 5, 2011
Koohan Paik on the True Defenders of Jeju Island, Hawai'i, Guam, Okinawa, South Korea, & the rest of the Asia-Pacific

Saturday, September 3, 2011
Jeju Peace Concert & more from today's Nolja Nolja Ganjeong Nolja Festival

Solidarity & Prayers for All in Jeju & Their Peace Plane Supporters
Saturday, September 3, 2011

Friday, September 2, 2011
Interfaith Pilgrimage for Peace for Jeju island & the Korean Peninsula earlier this year

Friday, September 2, 2011
Has S. Korea reverted to quasi-military dictatorship? Police arrest Jeju Islanders protesting state seizure of farms, writers, artists, & priests

DMZ Hawai'i

Connecting the Aegis dots between Jeju, Okinawa, Guam, Hawai’i
September 5, 2011
Koohan Paik

Message from the International Women’s Network Against Militarism to the peoples movement for No Naval Base on Jeju!
September 5, 2011

[Jeju Update on Sept. 3] Despite oppression, peace plane flies to the Gangjeong village, today.

Click images for larger view


Let's play in the Gangjeong village! (Source: Gangjeong village)

On Sept. 3, despite South Korean government's recent escalating oppression against people's peaceful and non-violent protests, people throughout nationwide are coming to the Gangjeong village to save it and Jeju Island, the Peace Island, from naval base construction. A peace plane carrying at least 170 people from Seoul is expected to come while people here expect about 2,000 people nationwide would gather to the village ro celebrate our strong will for peace with lots of cultural & religious events in which all the beings from voiceless creatures to human beings are welcome and invited.



A map of the Gangjeong village(Source: Gangjeong village)

A: A three-fork road: a key protest site where Hyun Ae-Ja, a former national assembly woman has been chaining herself in protest against naval base construction for 41 days as of Sept. 3, 2011. The site is the entrance of navy's planned naval base construction and has been one of the two main sites that police continuously aim to target.

B:Joongduk coast, one of the two absolute preservation areas in the village but the navy wants to reclaim here with cement by naval base construction.

C: Gangjeong Port

D: Gate of navy's construction site

E: Front gate of the naval base construction committee bldg. People have been holding candle light vigil here everyday in protest.

F: Village Courtesy Hall

G: Village Community Hall

H: Sports Park

[Jeju Update on Sept. 1 to 2] S.K. government's attack on its citizens:Who were the arrested on both days?

Police violence on Sept. 2, 2011


Mr. Kim Jong-Il

Mr. Kim Min-Soo
(*Photos via thanks to Youngsil, FACEBOOK)

On Sept. 1, police arrested three people including Mr. Kim Jong-Il, SPARK, Mr. Kim Min-Soo, an artist in the Gangjeong village, and Ms. Kim Ah-Hyun, one of key Jeju activists. Mr. Kim Jong-Il was going to the Jeju local court to submit an appeal against the court decision of prohibition of on 37 people's (originally 76) access to the Jeju naval base construction area(The government had filed a provisional disposition suit against 76 people on July 12, this year). The police excuse was that he had not responded to police call. The two others were arrested when they were driving car to the prison to meet the restrained on Aug. 24.

Youngsil says, "Mr. Kim Jong-Il is a management team leader here in Gangjeong Village. He went to the court to file a suit, when he came out 10 of police surrounded him to arrest. Then they took him to Jeju Dongbu police station."

"Kim Minsoo is a documentary film director & cartoonist who moved to Gangjeong village three years ago."(via Facebook)

On Sept. 2, police arrested 38 people as of 2pm. They arrested three people in the village community hall: Mr. Go Yu-Gi, co-chairman of the Pan-Island committee to stop military base in the Jeju Island, Mr. Jung Kyung-Bo and Ms. Kim Mi-Ryang, two Gangjeong villagers. During their raid in the people's key protest site on the same day, they arrested 35 people. Among confirmed are: Three villagers, seven students, two fathers and one reverend. Also 10 activists from the Island Committee against naval base(including Mr. Hong Ki-Ryong, the other co-chairmen of the committe) and group for solidarity with migrant people.

During police raid on Sept. 2, several people were carried to hospital. One injured in legs, another on his skin around eyes. The latter case has to get x-ray as his skin around eyes was torn by police shield. See photos on police violence, see HERE(*photos by Dauri)

As of Aug. 26, 7 people have been restrained and three including Gangjeong village mayor Kang Dong-Kyun, Mr. Kim Jong-Hwan, Gangjeong villager, and Mr. Kim Dong-Won, photographer, who are arrested on Aug. 24) have been in jail., while the other four have gotten probation or bail from their being arrested since April 9.

The Lee Myung-Bak government is enforcing the Jeju naval base construction by driving the situation of security public state, escalating its oppression upon the moment of people's resistance on Aug. 24. Indiscrimating human rights violation is concerned very much in the strugle against the Jeju naval base construction. More update and photos comes later. For a while, see FACEBOOK: RELEASE Mayor Kang and others!

Please send the protest letters to:

http://www.embassyworld.com/embassy/South_Korea/South_Korea.html
(* Thanks to Benj D'Amour)

See also

Save Jeju Island:
Get involved in the no base campaign
Here is what you can do to support The Global Campaign to Save Jeju Island:

FACEBOOK: SAVE JEJU ISLAND and NO NAVAL BASE ON JEJU

[Jeju emergency on Sept. 2] Collection of more media source

______________________________
Source from Save Jeju Island (click)
See Immediate Press Release on Sept. 2
09.02.2011 Clashes erupt at South Korean base site. Protests continue MSNBC
09.02.2011 ROK Police Detain Island Activists Opposed to Base New York Times
09.02.2011 South Korea police break up protest against navy base AFP
09.01.2011 Inside the Gangjeong 'Peace Camp' Jeju Weekly
09.01.2011 Police deployed to fortify Jeju base construction site Hankyoreh
_______________________________
Photo and video sources from various sites





See the Jeju Weekly on Sept. 2, 2011(*Thanks to Matt Hoey)


Hyun Ae-Ja, a former national assembly woman in sit-in vigil, chaining herself to a container box tears, She has sticked there nearly for a month.
_________________________
See Gagnon's organizing Notes
VIDEO FROM RAID ON VILLAGERS






(Video via Matt. Hoey)

육지토벌대3탄!! 무장경찰 앞세워 팬스작업 강행!!




People's protest against the government crack down on protestors in the Gangjeong village, held in Seoul around 1pm, Sept. 2




http://cafe.daum.net/peacekj/JWOn/78 (* video by Dungree)
Edition of what happened on Sept. 2 ( from 4:30am) when the navy installed fence

[Jeju emergency on Sept. 2] 2nd 4.3! Police invaded Gangjeong! Mass arrest and injuries are worried! Fighting, Gangjeong!

To check the update news, please click the below links. The situation of Gangjeong is very very urgent now! We need all international solidarity for Gangjeong! No Jeju naval base!

See also Bruce Gagnon's Organizing Notes:
GANGJEONG RAIDED - MANY ARRESTS

See also Ten Thousand Things
Has S. Korea reverted to Quasi-Military Dictatorship? Riot Police arrest Jeju Islanders protesting state seizure of farms, priests, & other supporters

See below on a protest letter from Bruce Gagnon on Sept. 2, 2011

Photo resource:
http://kangjung.com/community/shop_community_view.html?boardNo=131011455937473000&field=&search=&category=131011455937473000&start=0&uid=1067&cstart=0
See FACEBOOKs!
Save Jeju Island
No Naval Base on Jeju
Release mayor Kang and others immediately
The Jeju Big Swim


Arrest started around 7pm. About 10 people are told to be arrested by 7:30pm. Police begins to build fence around the naval base-planned area.













__________________________________

Stop attack on Gangjeong village on Jeju

Dear ROK Embassy Staff:

I am sad and angry to hear about the massive police and military attack on the non-violent people of Gangjeong village today on Jeju Island.

They are trying to protect their sacred lands, rocks, coral, fishing and farming culture. What could be wrong with them doing that?

It is criminal that the ROK government is attacking these villagers.

Our organization has been following this case and has been helping to build support for the villagers. This whole situation is making your government look very bad and giving the ROK a bad reputation as a military dictatorship.

We demand an end to this persecution of the Gangjeong villagers and end to the plans to build this Navy base. We know that US Navy Aegis destroyers, outfitted with so-called "missile defense" systems, will be ported there as part of the US strategy to surround and "manage" China.

ROK government is being drawn into a deadly and provocative US strategy that will only make the Asia-Pacific region more insecure.

Listen to your own citizens and stop this Navy base now.

In peace,

Bruce K. Gagnon
Coordinator
Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
PO Box 652
Brunswick, ME 04011
(207) 443-9502
globalnet@mindspring.com
www.space4peace.org
http://space4peace.blogspot.com/ (blog)