Text Fw: Solidarity Statement for Okinawa

* Text informed by Jean Downy on April 26, 2010

* Image source: same as the below link

US for Okinawa
Solidarity Statement for Okinawa
Northeast Asia Regional Peacebuilding Institute (NARPI) Steering Committee

April 25, 2010
Seoul, Republic of Korea

The Steering Committee for the Northeast Asia Regional Peacebuilding Institute (NARPI), currently meeting in Seoul, Republic of Korea, expresses its solidarity to the Okinawan people on this day of action and our support for their call for peace, demilitarization and respect for the will of the people. NARPI provides peacebuilding training, in both theory and practice, for Northeast Asian people, using education to transform a culture of militarism and violence to a culture of peace.

We, the representatives from China, India, Japan, Mongolia, Taiwan, the Republic of Korea and Russia, acknowledge that the existence of armaments and military bases promote rather than deter conflict; and that particularly considering the remnant Cold War structures in Northeast Asia, the global realignment and build-up of US military forces poses a serious threat to the region. The presence of these bases, as experienced throughout Northeast Asia, only serves to exacerbate violence, conflict, pollution, environmentaldegradation, and the escalation of existing conflicts and an arms race within the region. We are deeply concerned that the external military presence in the region hampers progress towards regional solidarity, cooperation and peaceful cooexistence.

Furthermore, if the vast resources expended on the military in Northeast Asia – including on the hosting of US bases - were diverted to human needs, many of the urgent issues of potential conflict, disparity and development within the region could be addressed.

We believe that sustainable peace can be created through respect for local democratic processes, disarmament and demilitarisation, developing humanrelationships and education for peace. Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution and the Mongolian Single State Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone are viable alternatives to shift from military security to human security.

We, of the civil society in Northeast Asia, therefore support the overwhelming call for the closure of the US Marine Corps Futenma Air Station, and call on the Japanese and United States Governments to honour the democratic decision of the Okinawan people. Furthermore, we express our opposition to any new military base construction in Okinawa or anywhere else, including Gangjeong Village in Jeju Island, Republic of Korea. We stand in solidarity with the people of Okinawa, and their hundreds of thousands of supporters throughout Japan, Northeast Asia and the world, to pledge to work together for a base-free Okinawa, and for the creation of a demilitarised, sustainable peace for Northeast Asia.

Text Fw: CHOMSKY IN PORTLAND

* Image source: same as the below link

Bruce Gagnon blog

SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2010
CHOMSKY IN PORTLAND

Yesterday I drove two hours north to the University of Maine-Orono where the annual Hope Festival was held. Fellow Bring Our War $$ Home organizer Lisa Savage (Code Pink Maine) and I worked our table handing out literature and asking people in Maine's 2nd congressional district to call Rep. Mike Michaud and urge him to vote against the upcoming $33 billion war supplemental for Afghanistan.

We had a good table location right by the stage so our big Bring Our War $$ Home banner was easily seen by most of those attending the event. We had to leave early in order to then drive 2 1/2 hours south to Portland in time for the Peace Action Maine annual dinner that featured Noam Chomsky as the speaker.

When we arrived at the church, where a bread and soup dinner was held, our Bring Our War $$ Home door-hangers had already been put by each of the 300 settings on the dinner tables. Following the dinner the people moved into the church sanctuary and were joined by an estimated 450 more who came to hear Chomsky speak.

There likely were many Obama supporters in the large crowd last night but they had to come away from Chomsky's talk reeling from the stories he told about Obama over and over again proving to be Bush-lite on foreign policy issues.

Chomsky began his talk by stating that "half of the budget deficit is the military budget....the cost of past wars, veterans benefits, and the interest on the military spending share of the debt."

"Any hope for a decent economic recovery is up in smoke because of these military spending policies," he said.

Chomsky next quickly reviewed some of the new high-technology weapons systems being "escalated under the current administration - such as drones, nano technology drones that will be able to fly into a room inside a house and kill someone, super weapons [prompt global strike] to hit anywhere in one hour, and bunker busters." He told the packed church that the bunker busters were accelerated "as soon as Obama came into office" after having "languished under Bush" and are "now being deployed on the U.S. base in Diego Garcia."

Chomsky spent alot of time talking about the Middle East and said that there are "only two countries threatening force in the Middle East - the U.S. and Israel."

"On one hand Obama is talking about we need to move to a nuclear free world but on the other hand the U.S. is helping Pakistan, India, and Israel expand their nuclear forces - none of whom have signed the U.N.'s Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)," Chomsky remarked.

"The U.S. is consciously creating anger and hatred around the world," Chomsky reflected, as he gave a strong endorsement for boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel due to their policies against the Palestinians. "Right now Obama is about the same as Reagan was with South Africa - alot of rhetoric but no actions," he said.

The ruling corporate oligarchy "are concerned with their own interests, not the impact of their policies," Chomsky replied to one question from the audience.

In conclusion Chomsky declared, "Power systems do not respond to economic [or moral] arguments, they want to do what they are doing.....We must create enough popular pressure on them - that is how change has come about in the past."

As the huge crowd began to leave the church Mary Beth and I made our way outside and held our Bring Our War $$ Home banner and urged people to call 1st congressional district Rep. Chellie Pingree and urge her to vote against any more war funding.

Text & Video Fw: April 25th is also the “Liberation day” in Italy

* Image source: No Dal Molin, Vicenza, Italy

* Image source: No Dal Molin, Vicenza, Italy

____________________________________________________________________
* Text fw from Enzo Ciscato on April 26, 2010.

Further update from No Dal Molin:

http://www.nodalmolin.it/spip.php?article917
____________________________________________________________________
* Text fw from Enzo Ciscato on April 25, 2010


'April 25th is the“Liberation day” in Italy, recallling the day when the “Allied Forces” guided by US Army kicked the nazi-fascists out of Italy with the contribution of the Italian Partisan Brigades.

Many Italian Conservatives Forces, Prime Minister included, would like to change the meaning of this day, trying to forget about the great “Partisans” tribute to freedom of Italy from the Fascists.

Every year on the 25th there are commemorations in the main cities with occasional tension feelings between different parties.

Saturday afternoon, No Dal Molin Movement decided to enter (cutting the fence) in a portion of the area of the former civilian small airport named “Dal Molin”, next to area occupied by the construction of the new US base.

Just a few nervous moments with Police forces ended with the agreement to stay “in” till Sunday evening to celebrate the “Liberation” at the Dal Molin.

This is the area where in Sept 2007 we planted about 200 small trees to settle the “Peace Park” and the area where the Italian Gov just authorized a company named ESPERIA, the commercial face of Agusta-Westland (remember Apache and Chinnok ..) to have a space for a new HELIPORT.

It’s clear that a heliport next to the US base can only be the future military heliport.

So, today people of all ages, families and children are having a pic-nic inside the “Peace Park” flying kites say no to the heliport.

The first video and a few pics are available at the link below (more to follow)

http://www.nodalmolin.it/spip.php?article912




So, we all feel very close to Okinawa and to all of you in any nation and continent.

[...]

Much solidarity to you all.

[...]
Enzo
from No Dal Molin – Vicenza - Italy

Photos Fw: Candle Message in Tokyo

* Photos and captions thankfully forwarded by Makiko Sato on April 26, 2010.

'Citizens in Tokyo made candle letters in the evening coldness.'

'US for Okinawa'

' Opening speech by the host.'

'Preparation of candle letters'
'After completion, the leader of the Social Democratic Party made a speech--no photo'



'Candle letters ( some modification is necessary )'

Text Fw: Some Reports on the Rally for Okinawa On April 25, 2010

___________________________________________________________________

* Image source: same as the below link

Ten Thousand Things

SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2010

'90,000 Okinawans attend massive April 25 rally demanding the closure of the Futenma U.S. Marine Base & opposing a "replacement" base in Henoko,
From Martin Frid at Kurashi, two shots of the massive rally in Okinawa on April 25. 90,000 people attended. Many more intended to join the rally, but were stuck in traffic en route.' ___________________________________________________________________

* Image source: same as the below link

Peace Philosophy Center
SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2010

International Solidarity Messages for Okinawa 沖縄へ　世界各地からの声
___________________________________________________________________

* From Makiko Sato on April 25, 2010

'There have been 37 or 38 messages sent to Okinawa for the prefectural rally.
So the chief of the secretariat said he could not read any of them, and, instead, he
mentioned the names of the organizations and the individuals who sent a message
and the last name was the Gangjeong mayor.

Though in Japanese, please recognize it.
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/6429358
(00:09:25~09:32 )

Aside from the mayor, you may recognize the group of Guam's indeginous people, and Denis Kuchinich.

The participants at the venue were more than 93,700,( I've just recieved an email and got to know this number) but there were more coming on the road. The municipalities ran shuttle buses from their villagers, but the road leading to the venue was so congested, 2-km long lines of cars as well as shuttle buses.

( We, in Oita, learned this from Mr.Chibana, the famous Okinawan activist who burned a Japan's national flag in '70s.
He telephoned to the organaizer of 'The 25th Oita activizm for Okinawa' today in the middle of our demonstration, saying that the organization of fishers of the City of Uruma, the seemingly eternal base planned by Hatoyama on and around White beaceh, has just made a organizational resolution of not accepting any US base.)

The cheif-of-the secreatriat spoke of the activism from tomorrow on:

・Tommorow, a special team is to be set up and it will go and meet with the central government,
incluging the Ministerof Defense, then Diet members. The next day, they will go to
the US embassy.... In the end, they will stage sit-ins before the buigling for the official accommodation of Diet members.

・The secretariat will deliver tomorrow morning's newspapers of two Okinawa newspaper companies to all the Diet members .

・the endorsing organizations from around Japan for this prefectural rally were 281 as of yesterday.

・ Money worth￥ 5,005,005 was donated at this venue individually by the participants .


'Let's confirm together that today's event has been a big success. Let's ask our governer,
and the Diet members elected from Okinawa to urge Hatoyama to settle this problem
by relocating Futenma base outside Okinawa.

People of Okinawa have been in pain for 65 years after the WW2. We wonder how
Prime Minister is going to dissolve our pain and sufferings. By any means, we cannot
accept further pain. Let's appeal to all the people in this country, for all the problems of
Japan-US Security Treaty, the relating problems of the US bases, and the fact that theUS forces is not deterrent...

Japanese people seem to have stopped thinking about all these.
So, let's appeal to them these problems NOW, especially the problem of US bases
including Japan-US Security Treaty. Let's unite as one in order to urge both Japan and
the US government to solve this problem. Let's hang on! ( Ganbarou! )

Makiko

PS. Here in my hometown of Oita, 1,000 people belonging to the Social Democratic Party staged on-hour rally in the morning, and then from 3:00-5:00 pm, 50 non-affiliate voters including me staged a demonstration downtown and distributed more than 1,500 handbills.'

[Jeju Update] Catholic Missal against the Naval Base on April 26: People’s Theater Members Express Solidarity

* Image source: Artist Kim, Gangjeong village, Jeju Island

* Image source: Boreum Doragi, Seogwipo, Jeju Island

_________________________________________________________________
Click the Images for larger views.
큰 화면을 보시려면 이미지들을 클릭하시길.

For more on the blogs on the issue of the Jeju naval base, please click here (Total 95 blogs)
제주 해군 기지에 관한 블로그들을 보시려면 여기를 클릭하시길 (총 95개 블로그)
__________________________________________________________________

1. Catholic Jeju District will have the missal at the vigil tent, near the planned naval base area, at 5:30pm, April 26, 2010

As the navy has announced that it would have the safety-prayer ceremony on April 28, the Catholic fathers will have the missal for the prevention of the Jeju naval base construction and for the Island of Peace, near the vigil tent that confronts the Navy’s makeshift structure and ugly propaganda boards, at 5:30pm, April 26. Hundreds of participants are expected.

“If the naval base is constructed, the Aegis Destroyers that would enter the base, will swallow the Beom Island along with the coral habitats under it. Not only that, the military vessels will eventually swallow the whole Jeju Island,” Gangjeong mayor Kang Dong-Kyun says.

The navy's ugly makeshift structures and propaganda boards have been standing since Jan. 18, 2010, in the planned naval base area. People's tent is right side, outside of the photo.

2. People’s Theater Members Visit Gangjeong to Express Solidarity

About 50 of people’s theater members in the cities of Daeku, Ansan, Gwangju, Busan, Chungsong in South Korea and five Japanese theater members in the city of Osaka, Japan (including one Korean resident in Japan) visited the Gangjeong village on the day of April 26, during the Pan-Korean traditional Madang(* meaning community square) performance festival organized by the traditional performance team, “Hallasan (Halla Mt.), Jeju Island. According to the organizer, the solidarity between the Japanese and Korean theater members began in 2005, upon the anniversary of Jeju 4. 3 Uprising.

Text Fw: Islands of Peace: Gangjeong Mayor, Jeju Island Sends the Solidarity Message to Okinawa

* Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun who did the two day hunger strike in the detention room after his arrest during the police raid on Gangjeong village on Jan, 18 is smiling after the restraint warrant against him was turned down by the judges on Jan. 20, 2010 (Image source: Sisa Jeju) __________________________________________________________________________________

* The message was sent upon the rally in Okinawa on April, 25, 2010 .

* Thanks very much, Makiko Sato, Jean Downy, Satoko Norimatu and Kyle Kajihiro to spread the news!___________________________________________________

오키나와에 보내는 연대 메시지

Solidarity Message to Okinawa

강동균, 강정 마을 회장, 제주도

By Kang Dong-Kyun, Mayor of Gangjeong, Jeju Island, Korea


오키나와의 평화는 세계의 평화요, 제주의 평화는 세계의 평화입니다.

The Peace of the Okinawa is the Peace of the World. The Peace of the Jeju is the Peace of the World.

고로 오키나와와 제주를 지키는 길은
세계의 평화를 지키는 길입니다.
작으나마 오키나와와 제주를 우리 손으로 지켜냅시다.

Therefore to keep Okinawa and Jeju is to keep the peace of the world.
Let’s keep Okinawa and Jeju with our hands, even though it is small.

힘의 논리가 아닌 평화의 대화의 논리로서
군사 기지의 섬이 아닌 세계 평화의 섬으로
우리 섬을 지켜냅시다.

Not with the logic of power but with the logic of dialogue of peace,
Not as the Islands of military base but as the Islands of Peace in the world,
Let’s keep our Islands.

그것이 곧 세계가 평화로 가는 지름길입니다.

That is the short cut that the world can proceed into peace.

여러분 힘내십시오.

Please keep at it, all of you.

제주 해군 기지 건설 계획을 반대하는 강동균 강정 마을 회장

Kang Dong Kyun
Mayor of the Gangjeong village,
Opposing the Jeju naval base construction plan

# 강동균 강정 마을 회장은 1990년부터 2001년까지 일본 오오사카시 이꾸노꾸 오오이께바시에 거주 한 바 있읍니다.
# Kang Dong-Kyun, Gangjeong mayor has lived in Ooikebasi, Ikunoku, City of Osaka from 1990 to 2001.

[Texts Fw] April 25, Okinawa Erupts in Yellow!

* Image source: Peace Philosophy Center_

_______________________________________________________________

* Forward from Jean Downey on Apr 24, 2010

'From: Sayo saruta on April 23, 2010'

'You can see the Okinawan Rally by relay with the following website.
It is from 3 pm Japan time (2am DC time) until the end of the rally.

다음 웹사이트에서 오키나와 집회를 연달아 볼 수 있읍니다. 일본 시간으로 3시부터 (DC 시간으로 2시부터) 집회 끝까지 입니다.

http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/page-148.html

Live Streaming by Ustream.TV

Sayo'
________________________________________________________________
* From Makiko Sato on April 24, 2010

'Something in yellow color is desirable, if you show solidarity with Okinawa,
Jeju, Guam, Tinian, Hawaii, Vicenza, on, around or even after April 25th.
How about holding a yellow-colored paper with slogans on it?
Below is an email from Etsumi Tahira, a woman aged 75, who has been conducting
sit-ins for long with local women on the beach of Henoko, Okinawa.
Cheers'

'4월 25일 또는 그 이후라도 오키나와, 제주, 괌, 티니안, 하와이, 빈센차에 대한 연대를 표현하기 위해 노란색이 좋습니다. 구호가 쓰여진 노란색 종이를 들면 어떨까요?
아래는 75세된 여성, 에추미 타히라가에게서 온 이 메일로 오키나와 헤노코 해안에서 오랫동안 지역 여성들과 연좌 시위를 진행했습니다.
힘내세요. '

Below is an email from Etsumi Tahira, a woman aged 75, who has been conducting
sit-ins for long with local women on the beach of Henoko, Okinawa.

아래는 75세된 여성, 에추미 타히라가로 오키나와 헤노코 해안에서 오랫동안 지역 여성들과 연좌 시위를 진행했습니다.

....................( Estumi Tahira's email ).................
I hear SDFs bases throughout Japan are under the joint use with the US forces.

저는 일본 전역에 걸쳐 일본 자위대 기지들이 미 군대와 공동 사용되고 있다는 얘기를 듣습니다.

Those who visit Henoko talk about their anxiety about this situation.

헤노코를 방문하는 사람들은 이 상황에 대한 그들의 우려를 말합니다.

Does Japanese central government think that Japan is safe as long as it is a subject state under the US power ?

일본 중앙 정부는 일본이 미국의 권력을 따르는 한 안전하다고 생각하는 걸까요?

I do an early morning sit-in in front of the gate of Camp Shuwab every Friday,
then later move on to the Henoko Beach to conduct a vigil there.

저는 매주 금요일 이른 아침 캠프 슈와브 정문 앞에서 연좌를 하고 침번을 하기 위해 헤노코 해안으로 갑니다.

On the occasion of such morning sit-ins, about 90 banners are tied to the fence.

그러한 아침 연좌 때마다 약 90여 깃발들이 울타리에 묶여집니다.

American soldiers soon try to cut or burn them,
then, we take them away and bring them back. I bring to the sit-in site a flag in which
I wrote the Chinese letters of ' non-war Ryukyu Kingdom.'

미국 병사들은 그것들을 곧 자르거나 불태웁니다. 저는 ‘류큐 왕국 전쟁 반대’라고 제가 한자로 쓴 깃발을 연좌 장소에 가져갑니다.

At the planned rally on 25th by inhabitants of Okinawa Prefecture, we are supposed
to show our consolidated will by using the color of yellow.

오키나와 현 거주인들의 25일 계획된 집회에서 우리는 노란 색을 사용함으로서 우리의 뭉쳐진 의지를 보이기로 되어 있습니다.

Those unfortunate who cannot come over will do the same, wearing something yellow.
I'll go, with a yellow parasol, wearing a white one-piece dress of my own making, with
a lot of messages on it written in yellow water-paint.

안타깝게도 오실 수 없는 분들도 노란 색을 입고 같은 행동을 할 것입니다. 저 역시 노란색 양산에 노란색으로 쓰여진 많은 메시지들을 담은 제가 만든 하얀 옷을 입고 갈 것입니다.

________________________________________________________________
* Message forwarded from Makiko on April2 4, 2010

‘It is from Yumi Kikuchi, who has been for several years making continued efforts to look for and convey the truth of 911 to the Japanese. She thinks if Japan doesn't financially support the US' wars, which it does in various ways, then the world will become more peaceful.

아래는 유미 기구치에게서 온 것으로 그는 911의 진실을 몇 년간 꾸준히 찾고
일본인들에게 911의 진실을 알렸습니다. 그는 일본이 미국의 전쟁을 다양한 방면으로 재정적으로 돕지 않으면 세계는 좀 더 평화적으로 될 거라 생각하고 있습니다.

Dear People of Okinawa, Jeju, Guam, Hawaii and Vecenza ,

오키나와, 제주, 괌, 하와이, 그리고 빈센차의 사람들에게

I am sending my photo with one of my children to show my solidarity to your action on April 25, 2010. Imagine all the bases on Earth turned into organic gardens and parks for people!
Imagine Peace, Imagine Ministries and Departments of Peace in all nations.

저는 2010년 4월 25일 당신들에게 저의 연대를 보이기 위해 제 자녀들중 하나와 찍은 사진을 보냅니다. 지구의 모든 기지들이 유기농 정원들과 사람들을 위한 공원으로 바뀌어 지는 것을 상상해 보세요. 모든 국가들에 있을 평화 장관들과 부서들을 상상해 보세요.

love and peace, Yumi Kikuchi
author, peace & environmental activist
from her organic farm in Chiba.

사랑과 평화로,
유미 기구치
작가, 평화 및 환경 활동가
지바에 있는 유기농 농가에서

________________________________________________________________

* Fw from Jean Downy on April 24, 2010
2010년 4월 24일 진 다우니로부터

Gavan McCormack: Okinawan rally on 25th-unprecedented event in Japanese & World History

"The 25th becomes an unprecedented event in modern Japanese history, if not the world history," Gavan McCormack, Professor of Australian National University, shared his thoughts on the upcoming mass rally in Okinawa.

25일은 세계 역사가 아니라면, 현대 일본 역사에서 전례없는 날이 될 것이다. 개번 맥코맥, 호주 국립 대학 교수는 다가오는 오끼나와 군중 집회에 대한 자신의 생각을 다음과 같이 나누었다.

"Never before in Japanese history has an entire region stood up and said 'No' to the central state authorities. And it is so much the more remarkable because they are actually saying 'No' not just to Tokyo but to Washington."

"일본 역사상 지역 전체가 일어나 중앙 정부 당국에 아니오라고 말한 적은 이 전에 결코 없었다. 그리고 그것은 한층 더 주목할 만한데 단지 도쿄뿐만 아니라 워싱턴에 '실제로 아니오' 라고말하기 때문이다."

"And, not only that, they now almost certainly are going to win: they are going to impose their will upon the two most powerful governments in the world. For citizens to assert, successfully, their moral authority and their right to dictate to government(s) is really something to celebrate!

"그리고 그것뿐만 아니라 그들은 거의 확실히 이길 것이다: 그들은 세계에서 가장 힘있는 두 정부들에 그들의 의지를 개입시키고 있다. 시민들이 자신들의 도덕적 권위와 정부를 다스릴 권리를 성공적으로 주장하는 것은 진실로 축하할 만한 일이다.

"This may be a new phase in democracy. "

" 이것은 민주주의 새로운 국면이 될 것이다."
http://closethebase.org/
________________________________________________________________

* Text Fw from Kyle Kajihiro on April 24, 2010

[ap-nobases] Solidarity Statement from the Members of the Network for Okinawa


http://closethebase.org/2010/04/22/solidarity-statement-from-the-members-of-the-network-for-okinawa/

Solidarity Statement from the Members of the Network for Okinawa


April 25, 2010

Network for Okinawa

We, the members of the Network for Okinawa, represent many hundreds of thousands of Americans and people around the world who support democracy and environmental protection in Okinawa. Our grassroots network draws together representatives from U.S. and international peace groups, environmental organizations, faith-based organizations, academia, and think tanks.

Today we proudly announce our stand with the governor, the mayors, the media, the Henoko village elders, and the one million citizens of Okinawa; the thirty thousand residents of Tokunoshima, and the hundreds of thousands of citizens across Japan who support Okinawa. From across the Pacific Ocean, we support their demand for the closure of the Futenma U.S. Marine Base and opposition to any new military base construction in Okinawa and Tokunoshima Island.

We appeal to Prime Minister Hatoyama to keep his promise to the Okinawan people and honor their rejection of any new construction in Camp Schwab. This includes a proposal to build a runway within the base already rejected in the 1990’s. The mayor of Nago, Inamine Susumu reiterated this rejection this year. We also ask Prime Minister Hatoyama to reject the U.S.-Japan 2006 proposal to construct partially offshore runways. This expansion would destroy the coral reef which is the home to the Okinawan dugong, blue coral, and other species, It would damage beautiful Yanbaru Forest, home of many beautiful animals and plants, including endangered species.

We call upon President Obama, as the commander-in-chief of the U.S. military, to honor the Okinawan democratic decision to remove the U.S. Futenma Marine base out of their prefecture and their call for no further U.S. military base construction.

The U.S. military built its first military bases during the Battle of Okinawa to serve as a platform for an invasion into Japan, then ruled by an imperial militarist wartime regime. Over two hundred thousand Okinawan civilians, American soldiers, and Japanese soldiers died in the crossfire between the U.S. and Japan in that battle. It was the bloodiest in the Pacific War.

But the war’s end did not bring peace to Okinawa. The U.S. never dismantled its military bases and began to use them under its own Cold War military regime with a never-ending succession of enemies: Korea, Vietnam, Laos, China and the Soviet Union. Some U.S. and Japanese officials again imagine China a threat—despite détente and ever-increasing economic integration between China and the U.S., Japan, South Korea, Australia, and other nations that deems war very unlikely.

Former Okinawan governor Masahide Ota stated—that for Okinawans—the war never ended. Many Okinawans still experience anxiety and depression from wartime trauma. The remains of 4,000-5,000 dead Okinawans have yet to be collected. Unexploded bombs remain throughout the island. Over 5,000 Okinawans have been the victims of crimes committed by American soldiers. Mr. Ota, therefore, asks: “Why shall we start preparing for a new war, while the old war is not over yet?”

Network member Peter Galvin, Conservation Director of the Center for Biological Diversity states, “Destroying the environmental and social well-being of an area, even in the name of ‘national or global security,’ is itself like actively waging warfare against nature and human communities.”

The US government has repeatedly promised reform in Okinawa. The 1972 “reversion” of Okinawa from the U.S. to Japan did not result in promised demilitarization. Their latest proposal—first made in 1996 and renegotiated in 2006—does not “lighten a burden.” It instead would move U.S. military pollution, noise, and assaults from Ginowan City to untouched Henoko.

How many elections, resolutions, and mass-scale rallies does the Japanese government and US government need before they hear the message of the Okinawan people?

We, the many people in the U.S. and worldwide, of the Network for Okinawa–hear and support these messages for removal, not relocation of military bases from Okinawa.

To illustrate, we would like to share some individual remarks from our supporters:

Gavan McCormack, Australian National University professor states, “An alliance that treats the opinion of Okinawans with such contempt is not an alliance of or for democracy. The ‘free world’ used to be fiercely critical of Moscow for trampling on the opinions of Poles, Czechs, and Hungarians; now, in the name of ‘freedom,’ it is about to act in precisely the same way. Does freedom mean so little to those who pretend they defend it?”

John Lindsay-Poland, Director of Fellowship of Reconciliation’s Latin America program, states: “Military bases in Japan and other countries are material projections of the will of the U.S. to use war and violent force. War is not only brutal, unjust, and ecologically devastating, but unnecessary to achieve legitimate aims.”

Kyle Kajihiro, Program Director, American Friends Service Committee – Hawai’i Area Office, states: “The powerful Okinawan demand is clear: peace is a human right. The Okinawan people are an inspiration to our own movement. We stand with them in solidarity for peace across the Pacific.”

In a speech she gave in Stockholm, Japanese Canadian author Joy Kogawa paid tribute to Okinawa’s peace-loving traditional culture that honors the sanctity of life:

“There is a certain small island in the east, where the world’s longest living and intensely peaceable people live.

“My brother, a retired Episcopalian priest, was in Okinawa for a few years in the 1990’s. He told me that in 1815, Captain Basil Hall of the British navy steamed into Naha, Okinawa and was amazed at what he found. The story goes, that on his way back to England, he dropped in to the island of St. Helena and had a chat with Napoleon.

“’I have been to an island of peace,’ the captain reported. ‘The island has no soldiers and no weapons.’

“’No weapons? Oh, but there must be a few swords around,’ Napoleon remarked.

“’No. Even the swords have been embargoed by the king.’

“Napoleon, we’re told, was astonished. ‘No soldiers, no weapons, no swords! It must be heaven.’

“A unique culture of peace had developed in one tiny part of our warring planet…

“When Japan, that once warring nation, took over the kingdom, there was an entirely bloodless coup. No soldiers were found to help later with the invasion of Korea. A disobedient people, Japan concluded. A kingdom without soldiers was clearly impossible. Okinawa, with its history of peace, must surely have had a culture as close to heaven as this planet has managed. And perhaps therefore a special target for the forces of hate.”

Today our world stands at a crossroads between survival and self-destruction. We must transform from a world dominated by a culture of war into a world led by cooperation and nonviolent conflict resolution. Instead of forcing more unwanted military violence upon this peaceful island, the U.S. and Japan would be wise to model Okinawa’s democratic culture of life.

http://closethebase.org/

CONTACT: John Feffer, Institute for Policy Studies

johnf@ips-dc.org, 202-234-9382, cell: 510-282-8983

Text Fw: MILITARY SPACE PLANES - FIRST-STRIKE SYSTEMS

Bruce Gagnon Blog
Friday, April 23, 2010
MILITARY SPACE PLANES - FIRST-STRIKE SYSTEMS

The new military space plane, called the X-37B, was launched yesterday from Cape Canaveral strapped to an Atlas V rocket. The X-37 will spend up to 270 days in space before landing at Vandenberg AFB in California. The space plane will mostly fly on "autopilot" since there is no human inside the craft.

Meanwhile yesterday at Vandenberg AFB, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) also test launched another space plane - the Hypersonic Technology Vehicle, known as the Falcon.

Analysts contend the Falcon is part of the Pentagon's effort to develop the capability to strike anywhere in the world with a conventional warhead in less than an hour - known as Prompt Global Strike.

Referring to the development of global strike weapons, the idea “really hadn’t gone anywhere in the Bush administration,” Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who has served both presidents, said recently on ABC News. But he added that it was “embraced by the new administration.”

The purpose of the X-37B program is less clear, largely because it remains classified.

The Washington Times reports, "The actual expense [of the X-37] is hidden in the Pentagon's 'black,' or classified, budget - is likely to cost more than $1 billion. The launch vehicle alone - a two-stage, liquid-propelled Atlas V rocket - costs as much as $200 million. Ten years of development on the plane - as the project was shuffled from NASA to DARPA and finally to its current institutional home in the Air Force - is likely to have cost hundreds of millions of dollars more."

The development of these new space planes is one reason that the Obama administration and the Pentagon are eager to reduce nuclear weapons stockpiles in Russia and China in the years to come. As key elements in the growing U.S. first-strike program, they become even more effective if the U.S. can get its potential rivals to reduce their nuclear retaliatory capability giving the Pentagon an ever greater chance of pulling off a successful decapitating attack.

Thus as the U.S. moves forward with these kinds of global strike systems it will be likely that Russia and China will be forced to respond by refusing to dramatically reduce their nuclear weapons and by developing new technologies to counter the U.S. program.

[Jeju Update] The Jeju Island Stood in a Voice in the Press Interview, “Immediately Stop the Naval Base Construction!”

Mayor Kang Dong Kyun who arrived a little later after he joined the trial of the lawsuit on the improperness of the Environmental Impact Evaluation, related to the Jeju naval base plan issue, is speaking in the press interview on April 23. The devoted mayor has slept only one hour the other night.

The banner behind him and people says:

"Joint Press Interview to Announce the Fight

against the Enforcement of Setting-Up of the NavalBase:

We Death-Defiantly Oppose the Setting Up of the Naval Base Construction

that Acknowledges Neither Villagers Nor the Island People."

Many reporters who filled the entire press interview room, in the Island People’s room,

in the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Council, Jeju Island on April 23, 2010.

* To see the video(Korean): Jeju Sori

비디오를 보려면 제주소리 사이트를 클릭하시길
____________________________________________________________________________

Below is the collection of translations (whole or excerpt) of the several Jeju media on the press interviews against the navy’s enforcement plan of the naval base construction in the Gangjeong village, on April 23, 2010.
The Gangjeong Villagers, Civil Social Organizations, and Religious Communities, and even the three National Assembly members strongly criticized the navy’s unilateral step to plan to enforce the naval base construction while it has totally ignored the opinions of the Gangjeong villagers and Island people and has recklessly pushed the construction plan. The navy has announced that it would have the safety-prayer ceremony, which is indeed the ceremony to set up the construction, on April 28. The Catholic Jeju District and civil organizations in the Jeju Island decided to have the vigil tent themselves from April 26. The Catholic community will hold the missal in the big size in the planned naval base area. The April 23 press interview filed all the top news of the main Jeju media.
____________________________________________________________________________

* Image source: Seogwipo Daily News paper

1. "해군 기지 강행 즉작 중단하라" 강정 마을. 시민 사회 단체들, 종교계, " 끝까지 결사 투쟁" 발표

1. " Immediately Stop the Enforcement of the Naval Base" Gangjeong Village, Civil Social Organizations, and Religious Communities, Announce "Death-Defiant Struggle to the End"

Seogwipo Daily Newspaper

“해군기지 강행, 즉각 중단하라”
:강정마을•시민단체•종교계, "끝까지 결사 투쟁"
:"침묵 후보자 특단 조치"•‘대대적 미사’ 밝혀

2010년 4월 23일

김경덕 기자 tree (at) seogwipo.co.kr

"Immediately Stop the Enforcement of the Naval Base"
: Gangjeong Village, Civil Social Organizations, and Religious Communities, " Death-Defiant Struggle to the End"
: "Special Measure against the Silent Candidates of [Nationwide Local Elections], [on the Issue of the Naval Base Enforcement] ," Extensive Missal" were Announced.

April 23, 2010

Kim Kyung-Duk tree (at) seogwipo.co.kr

해군이 28일 ‘안전기원제’ 형식을 빌어, 해군기지 건설를 강행하겠다고 밝히면서 강정마을 주민들을 비롯한 종교계, 시민단체들은 23일 “무리한 기지건설 착공 추진을 즉각 중단하라”며 강하게 촉구하고 나섰다.

As the navy has announced that it would enforce the naval base construction, borrowing the form of the 'safety-prayer ceremony' on April 28, the religious community and civil organizations including the Gangjeong Villagers strongly stood to urge, saying ," Immediately stop the drive for the reckless setting up of the base construction," on April 23.

천주교제주교구평화의특별위원회와 강정마을회, 법환어촌계, 평화를위한그리스도모임, 제주군사기저지와평화의섬실현을위한범도민대책위는 이날 제주도의회에서 기자회견을 열어 해군기지 착공 중단과 함께 제주도 당국에 단호한 대처를 요구했다.

Special Committee for Peace, Catholic Jeju District , Gangjeong Village People's Council, Beobhwan Fishing Community and Pan-Island Committee against the Jeju Military Base and for the Realization of the Island of Peace, having the press interview in the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Council,demanded the stopping of setting up for the naval base with the resolute measure from the Jeju Island authority.

이들은 “우리는 이번 해군이 추진하는 안전기원제는 변형된 착공식으로 규정하고 이를 결사 저지 할 것”이라며 “어떤 희생을 감수하고라도, 제주 백년대계에 큰 변수가 될 해군기지 건설을 저지하기 위해 최선의 노력을 다할 것은 밝힌다”고 피력했다.

The people announced that "We define the safety-prayer ceremony that is driven by the navy, as the deformed ceremony for setting up the construction, and will death-defiantly prevent it," and expressed
their will by saying, " At the risk of any sacrifice, we will do our best to prevent the naval base construction that would be the big variable in the 100 years' big outline in the Jeju,"

특히, 천주교 제주교구는 26일부터 강정마을 해군기지 예정부지에 천막을 치고 대대적인 미사를 거행한다. 고병수 신부는 “해군기지 반대의 뜻으로 직접 강정마을에 천막을 치고 그 곳에서 현성은 신부 주관 아래 미사를 진행해 이 문제에 맞설 것”이라고 밝혔다.

Specially, the Catholic Jeju District will hold the missal in large scale in the tent in the planned naval base area, Gangjeong village since April 26. Father Koh Byung-Soo announced that, "We will set up
the tent ourselves in the Gangjeong village to express our opposition against the naval base and to confront against this issue, having the missal hosed by Fr, Hyun Sung-Eun, there."

또한, 6•2 지방선거 도지사 후보들이 이 문제에 침묵한다면 “특단의 조치를 취한다”고 피력했다. 고 신부는 “해군기지 문제가 제주 사회에 가장 큰 현안인데도 넘어가려는 후보자에 대한 준비를 하고 있다”고 말했다. 이어 “어떤 방식을 취할 지는 검토할 것”이라고 말했다.

He also said that, "If the candidates of the Island Governors for the June 2, local elections, are silent with this matter, we will take the special measure against it." Fr. Koh said, “We are preparing the
measures against the candidates who want to ignore this issue, even though it is the biggest current issue in the Jeju society." Following it, he said, "We will review on the ways of which we will take,"

# 제주군사기지 범대위 고유기 공동집행위원장은 “범대위에서도 26일부터 기지 예정부지 현지에 베이스캠프를 설치하고 해군의 착공강행을 막을 준비를 하고 있다”고 밝혔다. (시사 제주)

# Go Yu Gi, Co-Executive Chairman of the Pan-Island Committee against the Jeju Military Base announced that, “We will install the base camp in the present site of the planned naval base area since April 26 and is preparing to block the navy’s enforcement to set up [the base]” (Sisa Jeju)

양홍찬 위원장은 “마을 주민들은 안전기원제를 한다는 것에 개의치 않다, 하면 막고 안하면 안 막는 것”이라고 운을 뗐다. 그는 “이제껏 주장했듯이, 주민 동의 절차가 제대로 되지 않았고, 그 어떤 의문도 풀리지 않았기 때문에 막을 수 밖에 없다”고 전했다.

Yang Hong Chan, Chairman of the Counter Move Committee against the Naval Base, Gangjeong Vilage People's Council, beginning his words by saying that, " The village people do not care a cent whether [the navy] do the safety-prayer ceremony or not. If it does, we will block it. If it doesn't, we will not," delivered his words that, "As we have claimed by now, because the procedure of the villagers’ agreement has nor properly done, and any questions have not been solved, we cannot but block it."

강동균 마을회장은 “해군기지 문제는 사전환경성검토 다음에 환경영향평가, 국방군사시설 승인이란 모든 절차를 거꾸로 처리했기 때문에 불거진 것”이라며 “이와 관련 실시계획승인 무효확인소송을 제기한 상태에서 막무가내식으로 추진한다면 주민들도 끝까지 투쟁할 것”이라고 강조했다.

Kang Dong-Kyun, village mayor saying, "The naval basee issue was brought out because all the procedures of prior environment review, environment impact evaluation, and approval of defense-military facility have been done in reversed way," emphasized that, " in the situation that we have raised the lawsuit for the confirmation on the cancellation of the approval of the practice plan, related to it, if [the navy] obstinately drives [the construction], we, villagers will fight to the end."

이정훈 목사는 “최근 천안함 사고로 유족들을 위로하고 불신 요소를 명명백백 밝히고 해야할 해군이, 도둑고양이처럼 안전기원제를 한다는 것은 상식 밖의 일”이라며 “부끄러워 해야 한다”고 말했다.

Reverend, Lee Jung-Hoon saying, " It is beyond the common sense that the navy who should console the bereaved families of the [sunken] Cheonan ship accident, and clearly expose the distrust elements, is doing the safety-prayer ceremony, like a thief cat", told that, "The navy should be ashamed of itself."

____________________________________________________________________________

2. 절차적 정당성에 대한 의문
2. Question on the Matter of the Procedural justice

Jeju Sori

"해군, 국민과 제주도민을 상대로 싸우려는가"
: 제주 종교계, 시민사회, 강정주민…해군기지 착공 결사 저지
2010년 04월 23일 (금) 11:09:29

이승록 기자 leerevol (at) naver.com

"Navy, Are you want to Fight against the People in Korea and Jeju Island?"
: Religious Community, Civil Society and Gangjeong Villagers...
[Announce] the Death-Defiant Fight-Back against the [Plan] of Setting the Naval Base
Friday, April 23, 2010, Lee Seung-Lok leerevol (at) naver.com

이들은 "해군은 지난 2002년 화순과 위미, 강정에 이르기까지 기지건설을 추진해 오면서 시종일관 '주민동의'를 운운해 왔다"며 "2007년 [조작된] 여론조사에 의한 강정해군기 결정을 빌미로 해군과 심지어 제주도당국 조차 이미 결정된 사안이니 따라오라는 식의 행보만 거듭해 왔다"고 지적했다.

The people in the press interview saying that, "The navy has talked about the 'villagers' agreement, all the time, from Hwasoon, Weemee and Gangjeong since 2002, while it has driven for the naval base,"
pointed out that "It has repeated its steps in the way of saying that the people should follow it because not only it but also even the Island authority have already decided it, with the evil spell of the decision on the Gangjeong naval base, according to the [manipulated] public poll in 2007."

이들은 "해군측은 법 절차와 상식마저 무너뜨린 채 일방적인 강행 드라이브를 펴오고 있다"며 "계류중인 행정소송을 이유로 한 제주도정의 공식 요청인 추진 연기 요청과 지방선거 후보자들의 요구마저 깡그리 무시한 채 착공 강행을 선언하면서 노골적이고 묻지마식의 기지건설 강행에 나서고 있다"고 비판했다.

Those saying that, "The navy has staged the unilateral enforcement drive while destroying the legal procedure and common sense." criticized that, " while totally even ignoring the official request of the postponement of the drive by the Jeju Island authority for the reason of the administrative lawsuit which is being moored and the requests by the local election candidates, it is coming out forth for the naval base construction in the naked way of 'Do Not Ask,' announcing the enforcement of setting-up the construction.”

이들은 "제주도민들은 여전히 해군기지 추진과 관련한 절차적 정당성 여부에 의문을 표시하고 있고, 도민 절반 이상이 해군기지가 무리하게 추진되고 있다고 지적하고 있음이 여론조사 결과로도 드러난 바 있다"며 "강정마을의 갈등은 풀릴 기미가 보이기는커녕 극단적으로 치달아 20명이 넘는 주민들이 해군 등에 의해 고소.고발된 상태"라고 주장했다.

Those saying that, " It has already been known even through the public poll that the Jeju Island people are still expressing their question on the matter of the procedural justice, related to the naval base drive and more than half of the Island people are pointing out that the naval base construction is recklessly being driven out," claimed that " The conflict of the Gangjeong village is shown far from to be solved, rather it is the situation that more than 20 villagers have been indicted and accused by the navy while the struggle has been going to the extreme."

이들은 "해군기지가 들어오면 제주경제의 막대한 부를 창출할 것이라던 온갖 경제논리들은 지금 이대로라면 어떤 결실도 볼 수 없게 됐다"며 "굴욕이라는 오명까지 써가며 일방적으로 체결해 버린 김태환 도정의 MOU도 속빈 강정임이 밝혀졌고, 지역발전계획이라는 허울좋은 주민달래기 수단도 정부의 의지없음만 확인한 채 조용히 모습을 감추고 말았다"고 강조했다.

Those saying that, " If as it is now, all the economic logics that say if the naval base comes in, it would bring out the tremendous wealth in the Jeju economy, could not have any resulting fruits," emphasized that, " The MOU that the Kim Tae Hwan Island Government unilaterally concluded [with the navy in 2009] despite the disgrace of the humiliation of the former has been exposed as the content less loss, while the superficially attractive method of appeasing the villagers, under the name of so called, "local development plan' has quietly disappeared, only confirming that the government has no will to it."

이들은 "주민들의 갈등과 고통을 방치하고 도민들의 상식마저 뒤엎으며 만들어지는 군사기지가 추구하는 안보는 도대체 어디에 있는 것이며, 어떤 것이란 말인가"라며 "걸핏하면 공권력으로 깔아뭉개고, 자국의 국민 앞에서 점령군 행세하듯 하는 해군의 모습을 보며 도대체 어떤 믿음을 가질 수 있단 말인가"라고 하소연했다.

Those saying that, "Where is the security that [the navy] military base [plan] peruses and what is it about, while, [the navy] ignoring the conflict and suffering of the villagers and turning over even the common sense of the Island people?" appealed that "How can we have any trust looking at the behaviors of the navy who readily oppress [the villagers] with the government power and wield power like the occupational force over its own people?"

이들은 "그 어떤 의문도 풀리지 않았고, 그 어떤 문제도 해결되지 않았는데 해군은 더 이상 기다릴 수 없다는 단 하나의 이유로 기지건설 착공을 강행하려 하고 있다"며 "절차적 정당성 여부아 어떻든 행정절차가 끝났으니 앞뒤 가릴 것 없다는 식의 오만함과 일방주의 앞에서 분노하지 않을 사람이 어디 있느냐"고 호소했다.

Those saying that, " Even though any questions were not solved and any matters were nor resolved, the navy is trying to enforce the setting up of the naval base construction only for the reason that it can not wait for any more" appealed that, " Can there be anyone who cannot but be infuriated in front of the arrogance and unilateralism that says it does not need to constrain itself because the administrative procedures were all finished whatever the matter of the procedural justice."

이들은 "안전기원제라는 형식으로 기지건설 착공을 기정사실화하려는 해군의 의도를 '꼼수'라고 말할 수밖에 없다"며 '기공식을 시도하다 저항에 부딪히자 슬그머니 생략하고 공사업체들을 앞세워 '착공' 딱지를 붙이려는 해군의 모습은 끝까지 졸렬하기만 하다"고 성토했다.

Those saying that, "We cannot but say the navy intention make matter of fact of the setting-up of the naval base construction in the form of the safety-prayer ceremony as the 'dirty count’ criticized that "
the appearance of the navy who furtively omits the ceremony to start the work on the construction once they met the resistance then makes the contract companies go ahead and labeling the 'Setting-up' looks only poor to the end."
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3. 제주 국회의원 3명도 "해군기지 착공 연기" 한 목소리

Three National Assembly Members from Jeju Island Demanded in a Voice, “Postpone to Set Up the Naval Base”

Excerpt from the Jeju Sori and Sisa Jeju, April 23

4월 23일자 제주 소리 및 시사 제주 발제

제주가 지역구인 강창일•김우남•김재윤 국회의원 3명도 해군기지 착공식 연기를 촉구하고 나섰다.

Even the three members, Kang Chang Il, Kim Woo-Nam, Kim Jae-Yoon, of the National Island Assembly, whose district is the Jeju, stood up to postpone the ceremony to set up the construction work on the naval base.

이들 국회의원 3명은 23일 공동성명을 내고 “해군기지건설은 서두를 문제가 아니다"며 "과거 권위주의 정부에서 하던 밀어붙이기식 방법으로는 해군기지 건설이 제대로 될 수 없다”고 우려를 표했다.

The three members of the National Assembly, having the joint statement on 23, saying that” The naval base construction issue is not the matter to hurry,” expressed their concern that “ The construction of the naval base cannot be properly done with the way of pushing away, of the former authoritarianism government.”

이들은 "당초 해군기지 기공식은 2월5일 개최할 예정이었으나, 제주도측이 ‘국방.군사시설 실시계획승인 취소소송’ 1심 판결이 날 때 까지 기다려 달라고 요청함에 따라 연기된 바 있다"며 "그런데 최근 1심 판결이 연기되었음에도 불구하고 해군측이 기공식을 강행하겠다는 입장을 밝힌 것에 대해 도측이나 정당과 시민단체 모두 우려를 표명하고 기공식을 연기해 줄 것을 요구하고 있다"고 주장했다.

Those saying that, “In the beginning, the ceremony to start the construction on the naval base was planned to be hold on Feb. 5 but has been postponed as the Jeju Island authority requested to the navy to wait for it until the judgment of the 1st review trial on the cancellation of the confirmation on the approval of the practice plan of the defense/ military facility, ” claimed that “ However, on the thing that the navy has announced that it would enforce the ceremony to start the construction work, despite the fact that the judgment of the 1st review was postponed, the Island and the civil organization have all announced the concern about it and requested to delay the ceremony to start the construction work.”

이들은 "해군기지사업은 동북아평화협력시대를 담보하기 위한 대한민국의 전초기지를 만드는 국책사업"이라며 "그동안 도민들의 찬반논란 속에서 우여곡절을 거쳐 지금까지 왔다"고 지적했다.

While exposing their limitation by saying that, “The naval base business is the national policy business to make the outpost of the Republic of Korea to guarantee the North East Asia Peace Cooperation era,” pointed out that, “For the mean time, it has come by now going through all the ups and downs amidst the con & pro controversy by the Pan-Island people.”

따라서 “행정소송 결과가 나올 때 까지 해군기지 착공을 중단하라"고 요구하며 "강정마을 주민과 제주도민이 납득할 만한 합리적 대안이 도출될 때 까지 해군기지 건설문제를 제주도민을 믿고 맡겨주기 바란다”고 강조했다.

Those members demanding that, “Until the result of the administrative lawsuit comes out, immediately stop the setting up of the naval base.” emphasized by saying that, “We hope the navy let the Island people take care on the issue of the naval base construction until the reasonable measure that the Gangjeong villagers and Jeju island people can be persuaded.”

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4 . 양조훈 환경부지사, 강정마을회장 등과 비공개 간담회

Yang Jo Hoon, Governor of the Environment department has the meeting Not Open to the Public with the Representatives including the Gangjeong Mayor.

Sisa Jeju

해군기지에 침묵하던 道, 해군에 어떤 입장 전달?
:양조훈 환경부지사, 강정마을회장 등과 비공개 간담회서 해군에 입장 전달 뜻 밝혀 '주목'
2010년 04월 23일 (금) 12:26:22 우승호 기자 woodsstar12 (at)sisajeju.com

Island Authority who has been silent on the naval base issue, what position Would it Deliver to the navy?

:Yang Jo Hoon, Governor of the Environment department, Noted as He Expressed His Will to Deliver His Position to the Navy, During the meeting not open to the public with the Representatives including the Gangjeong Mayor.

Friday, April 23, 2010 Woo Seung-Ho, woodsstar12 (at)sisajeju.com

강동균 강정마을 회장과 양홍찬 해군기지 반대대책 공동위원장, 고유기 범대위 공동집행위원장, 강정토지주대책위원회 윤용필 회장은 23일 오전 해군기지 투쟁 기자회견이 끝난 이후 도청 환경부지사실을 방문해 양조훈 환경부지사와 비공개 간담회를 가졌다.

Kang Dong Kyun, mayor of the Gangjeong village, Yang Hong Chan, Co-Chairman of the Landowners’ Counter Move Committee against the Naval Base, had the meeting with Yang Jo-Hoon, governor of the Environment Dept, not open to the public, visiting his office room, in the Island government building after the end of the press interview on the struggle against the naval base in the morning of April 23.

간담회에서 강 회장 등은 해군기지 강행에 대해 제주도정의 강력한 대응을 촉구하고 해군측이 신청한 토지수용재결 진행절차에 대해서도 중단을 요청한 것을 알려졌다.

During the meeting, it was known that Mayor Kang and others urged the Jeju Island Government to make a strong response upon the news of the navy’s enforcement of the naval base and to demand the stopping of the progress procedure of the decision on the land accommodation

이날 오전 11시50분 약 20여분간 진행된 간담회가 끝난 뒤 양홍찬 공동위원장은 “안전기원제 등 해군의 기지 착공 강행에 대해 도의 입장을 밝혀달라는 것과 함께 토지수용재결 진행절차도 행정소송이 끝날 때까지 중단해야 한다고 부지사에게 건의했다”고 밝혔다.

At 11:50am, after about 20minutes meeting on the day, Yang Hong Chan, Co-Chairman announced that “ We asked him to make public of the Island position on the navy’s enforcement of the naval base and proposed him that the proceeded procedures of the decision on the land accommodation should be stopped until the end of the administrative lawsuit.”

양 위원장은 “부지사쪽에서도 일단 지난 1월 기공식을 소송 이후로 미뤄야 한다는 입장에는 변함이 없으며 안전기원제 문제가 해결될 수 있도록 해군측에 입장을 전달하겠다는 답변을 들었다”고 전했다.

Chairman Yang delivered that, “ We heard Governor Yang’s reply that even he has not changed his position in January, that the ceremony to start the work on the construction should be postponed after [the result] of the lawsuit and that he would deliver his position to the navy that he would make an effort so that the issue of the safety-prayer ceremony could be resolved.

또 “토지수용재결 문제도 문서를 보내주면 검토해 해군측에 의견을 전달하겠다는 답변을 받았다”고 말했다.

He also said that, ”Regarding the issue of the decision of the land accommodation,” we also got his answer that, if we sent him the documents to him, he would deliver its opinion to the navy, after the review.’

양조훈 환경부지사도 간담회 직후 “안전기원제로 인해 문제가 발생하지 않도록 해군측에 입장을 전달해 이번 관계를 타진할 수 있도록 연락을 하겠다”고 짧게 답했다.

Yang Jo-Hoon, Governor of the Environment Dept. shortly replied after the meeting that, “I will deliver my position to the navy not to make the matters brought out by the issue of the safety-prayer ceremony and to resolve the relationship.”

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서귀포 일간 신문

왜 ‘안전기원제’인가...선거법 위반 탓?
김경덕 기자 tree@seogwipo.co.kr

해군이 하려는 안전기원제는 선거법 위반 시비 가능성에 대비한 ‘변형된’ 착공식이라는 지적이 꾸준히 제기되고 있다.

우선 ‘안전기원제’는 통상 공사의 일환이다. 이는 일반 공사를 앞둬 공사 시작을 알리면서 무사고를 기원하는 상징적인 성격을 갖는다.

도내 한 건설업자에 따르면, “모든 공사에 안전기원제를 하는 건 아니”라면서도 “어쨌든 공사 진행의 한 과정으로 간주한다”고 전했다.

이 관계자는 ‘안전기원제’ 시기를 묻자, “보통은 지하 골조공사를 마무리한 시점에서 위에 건물을 올릴 때 하거나, 착공식과 동시에 하는 경우도 많다”고 말했다.

때문에 ‘선택사항’인 안전기원제를 왜 하느냐에 의문이 증폭된다. 해군은 “공사와는 별개로 일종의 행사일 뿐”이라고 밝혔다.

지방선거 기간에 착공식 등 관련 행사를 할 수 없는 상황에서 안전기원제가 어떻게든 사업을 진행시키려는 의도로 보인다는 비판이 제기된다.

공직선거법 제86조 제1항 제5호는 “선거기간 중 국가 또는 지방자치단체 예산으로 시행하는 사업 중 즉시 공사를 진행하니 아니할 사업의 기공식을 거행하는 행위”를 금지하고 있다.

선관위 관계자는 “해당 안전기원제가 열린다면 기공식으로 변형된 형태인지, 선거법 위반여부를 꼼꼼하게 검토해볼 필요가 있다”고 말했다.

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서귀포 일간 신문

해군 공사 강행, 道 무관심 대응 ‘빈축’
도 관계자, “안전기원제, 착공식과는 달라”
김경덕 기자 tree (at)seogwipo.co.kr


해군이 오는 28일 주민들의 반발 속에 ‘안전기원제’를 열어 공사를 강행하겠다는 뜻을 밝혔는데도, 제주도정은 ‘무관심’ 대응으로 일관, 눈살을 찌푸리게 하고 있다.

해군은 지난 19일 “오는 4월28일 잠정적으로 예정부지에 기공식 대신, 안전기원제를 마련할 계획”이라면서 “시공 업체가 주관이 되어 열 예정으로, 공사의 시작을 알리면서 무사고를 기원하게 될 것”이라고 밝혔다.

현재 해군은 지난 3월3일 해군기지 예정 부지 공유수면 매립 면허를 받은 뒤, 부산항만청에 요청한 실시계획 승인도 모두 매듭지은 상태다. 결국, 해군이 감리단에 착공계만 내놓으면 모든 해군기지 공사 절차가 마무리된 셈이다.

해군기지 건설 갈등이 무려 3년을 끌고 왔던 만큼, 섣불리 추진된다면 주민들과 해군간 충돌이 우려된다. 주민들은 해군기지 건설 문제 관련 국방군사실시계획 승인처분 취소 청구소송 판결 결과가 나올 때까지 공사 중단을 요구하고 있다.

강정마을회는 해군기지 관련 소송 절차를 모두 매듭지은 뒤 추진해야 물질적, 정신적 손실을 줄일 수 있다는 주장을 내세웠다. 강동균 마을회장은 “주민 의견을 무시하고 계속 진행하면 큰 반발을 몰고 올 것”이라며 피력했다.

그런데도 제주도정은 이번 해군의 공사 강행 방침에 어떠한 입장도 내놓지 않고 있어 빈축을 사고 있다.

도 관계자는 “현재로선 도가 어떤 입장을 내놓을지 이렇다할 결정을 내린 건 없다”면서 “안전기원제는 공사를 선포하는 착공식과 견줘 공사를 조용하게 알리는 의미로만 보고 있다”고 안일한 대응을 넌지시 내비쳤다.

다만, 이 관계자는 “해군기지 관련 소송 절차가 이뤄진 뒤 착공하도록 하는 방침에 변함은 없다”면서 “상황을 지켜보고 조만간 입장을 정리하게 될 것”이라고 말했다 .

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시사 제주

제주 국회의원 3명도 "해군기지 착공 연기" 한 목소리
2010년 04월 23일 (금) 15:11:05 고동명 기자 lonegm@sisajeju.com

미디아 제주

일방적이고 무리한 해군기지 착공 즉각 중단하라"
해군기지 건설 반대 5개 단체 합동 기자회견...지방선거 출마자 입장표명 촉구
2010년 04월 23일 (금) 11:46:34 김두영 기자 kdy84@mediajeju.com