The Resistance (to Save Jeju Island) Needs YOU!

Dear Friends,

For the first time in 200 years of Korean Catholic history, a nun - Sr. Stella Soh Hee-sook - has been indicted by a Korean court. Her crime??? Nonviolent direct resistance to the Naval base being built on Jeju Island in South Korea.

Sr. Stella is one of countless Catholics (and so many others) who have dedicated themselves to supporting the people of Jeju Island (the Island of Peace) in their struggle against the rampant militarism that threatens the peace and environment and the very lives of its inhabitants.

The story of Jeju Island and the current struggle against the base, which is being built for US warships (even though the US and Korea both already have more than enough bases from which to deploy around the region!!!), goes back much farther - back to the 1948 massacre (and even beyond that). A new documentary helps us better understand the current struggle in the historical context so that we can engage the issue!

Please learn about the documentary The Ghosts of Jeju at its Website. Order the film and show it in your communities. Sharing this powerful story is a most important way to engage others in this struggle that is about so much more than the construction of the naval base. It is about the larger struggle against militarism and the continuing, disastrous expansion of Empire that threatens all of us and the small planet that supports us.

Click here to watch a video interview with Sr. Stella (that is from the documentary).

More information on the struggle to Save Jeju is at the Save Jeju Now Website and Justice for Gangjeong Village Facebook page.

Please support Sr. Stella and all those who struggle to Save Jeju Island. Click here to learn how! This is OUR struggle... the PEOPLE'S STRUGGLE!!!

In the Spirit of Nonviolent Resistance,

Leonard

Jeju Island: A Pawn in the Imperial Struggle

A truly heroic citizens' struggle continues on the tiny island of Jeju Island where the South Korean government is building a naval base that will serve as yet another outpost in the vast array of U.S. military bases around the world

This particular base is of particular note because it represents the massive shift in focus by the Pentagon to the Asian continent, and of course CHINA!!!  Just 500 miles off the Chinese mainland, a base at Jeju will give the U.S. a new choke point in the East China Sea to control China's strategic access to resources and commerce.

The base being constructed by the South Korean government will directly support U.S. ships - including Aegis missile defense destroyers, aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines.  The Commander,U.S. Naval Forces, Korea has specified design specifications to accommodate U.S. submarines and aircraft carriers.

Art meets protest on Jeju Island

With over 1000 military bases around the world (even the experts differ in the exact number), the last the U.S. needs right now is another one, especially one that will only inevitably ratchet up tensions between the U.S. and China in what could become the newest  clash of superpowers.

But beyond the talk of superpowers and their petty land and resource grabs, this is a story about people struggling to hold onto what is rightfully theirs.  To maintain a way of life.  To be left alone, and not be made pawns in the disinterest of empire. 

To call the struggle of the Jeju Islanders "heroic" is not hyperbole.

Father John Dear sums up the situation on Jeju in a single paragraph:

The base is being built near Gangjeong village. These heroic villagers have maintained an impressive public stand against nuclear weapons, U.S. imperialism, environmental destruction and basic injustice. They’ve been arrested, imprisoned and had their land and civil rights taken from them. Nonetheless, they keep at it. They are demonstrating one of the most brilliant instances of active, engaged nonviolence on the planet, but they have to: South Korea, at the request of the Pentagon, is about to destroy one of the world’s natural wonders.

The struggle to extricate Jeju Island from the jaws of militarism and empire is one that affects not only this small, peaceful island, but the entire world.

  Even as I write this post, President Obama is in Southeast Asia to ensure military and economic dominance thoughout the region.  Secretary of Defense Panetta confirmed last Friday that the U.S. will be increasing the numbers of military exercises in the Pacific in conjunction with Southeast Asian allies, and of course "devoting new funding to this goal."  And guess what huge country lies just North of all those Southeast Asian countries???

There are many ways people can support the people of Jeju Island.  Go to Save Jeju Now to learn more and get involved.  And - Check out the Save Jeju Island Facebook page.

Say NO to Empire!  Say YES to Peace!  Save Jeju Island!!!

SAVE JEJU ISLAND: Protest at Seattle Korean Consulate April 30th

POST UPDATE: Click this link to find out how the protest went, see photos, AND read the Korean Consul General's response : http://psnukefree.blogspot.com/2012/05/protest-at-seattle-korean-consulate-to.html

Please join South Korean artist and peace activist Gillchun Koh, Bruce Gagnon, and others on Monday, April 30, 2012 at 4:00 PM at the Seattle Korean Consulate in a protest against the construction of a new naval base on Jeju Island.

This naval base is unnecessary, a drain on our economy ($$$$$$$), will destabilize relations (both South Korean and U.S.) with China, and will put the people of Jeju Island at risk as a strategic target for China.

Please read further to understand the important history of Jeju Island as well as the importance of stopping construction of this base.

History (The April 3 Massacre)

30,000 people murdered!!!  Jeju Island is known as the "Island of World Peace," a name that does not begin to tell the story of the Island's extensive history of conflict, occupation, repression and genocide. The most horrific episode in this history began in 1948 when the South Korean military and national police hunted down and slaughtered approximately 30,000 people. The U.S., which was the occupying power at the time, did nothing to stop what is now known as the April 3 massacre.

Why did the government do such a horrific thing? 1948 was a tumultuous time of establishing two governments in Korea. The people of Jeju Island rose up to protest the long-term division of the nation by boycotting the elections that were occurring in Seoul. For this they were branded as Communists, and the terror began.

For decades following the massacre, public discussion of the April 3 massacre was ruthlessly repressed. Following democratization, the slow and painful process of fact finding and truth telling began, and continues today. In 2003, South Korean President Noh Moo Hyun travelled to Jeju Island and officially apologized.

History Repeats Itself Today

Now, over 60 years after the April 3 massacre the people of Jeju Island are once again protesting. This time they are protesting the U.S. Missile Defense System and a provocative new naval base being built on their island. Why??? If you look at a map of Jeju Island, you can see that it lies about 500 kilometers West of China. This military base is intended to project force towards China and to provide a forward operating installation in the event of a military conflict between the U.S. and China.

For five years, South Korean activists have been protesting the plans for the new naval base on Jeju Island. During that time the response by the South Korean police and military has become more heavy-handed and brutal. Col. Anne Wright (former United States Army colonel and retired official of the U.S. State Department) reported that earlier this month "police broke arms of activists who had locked arms inside PCV pipes, beat up activists and threw them from kayaks."

A Global Context

(Excerpt from article by Noam Chomsky and Matthew Hoey: http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_opinion/498743.html)

The last thing the world needs is a military confrontation between the U.S. and China. On that dreaded eventuality, there is no need to elaborate. In terms of its implications, what is now taking place on Jeju island counts as one of the most critical struggles against a potentially devastating war in Asia, and the deeply-rooted institutional structures that are driving the world towards even more bitter conflict than is raging in all too many places today.

It is important to become aware of what is happening on Jeju Island and to find ways to help the residents to prevent this very dangerous and destructive project. The consequences of losing the struggle to prevent the base construction might impact not only Asia but the United States and the rest of the world as well. The project is naturally seen by China as a threat to its national security. At the very least, it is likely to trigger confrontation and an arms race between South Korea and China, with the U.S. almost inevitably drawn in.

The immediate threat is to Jeju Island civilians, whose home was recently described in a South Korean daily as “the spearhead of the country’s defense line,” a line recklessly located approximately 500km from China.

We need not speculate about how the U.S. would react were China doing something similar near its coast.

Join us on April 30^th

The situation on Jeju Island is important not only to its residents, but to us all!

This protest will send an important message to the South Korean government that is watching to see how the world reacts to the situation on Jeju Island.

Please join us in front of the South Korean Consulate at 4:00 PM on Monday, April 30th. We hope to have a massive turnout to send a strong message that we support efforts at diplomacy and peace and not continuing preparations for war.

I will post any updates on the protest (right up to the day of protest) at the Puget Sound Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Events page (www.psnukefree.org).

Please bring your nonviolent spirit, as well as protest signs (we ask that signs be nonviolent in nature and focus directly on the issues relating to Jeju Island). Learn more at the Save Jeju Island website (www.savejejuisland.org).

The Korean Consulate is located at 2033 6th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98121 (between Lenora and Virginia). It is well-served by public transportation, and there is ample paid parking available on-street and in nearby parking lots.

I recently met Gillchun, and I am humbled by his deep commitment to peace and healing of Jeju Island.  Bruce Gagnon (Coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space) and I will stand in solidarity with him on April 30^th, sending a united message to the government of South Korea (and the U.S.).  I hope you will too.

Peace,

Leonard

POST UPDATE: Click this link to find out how the protest went, see photos, AND read the Korean Consul General's response : http://psnukefree.blogspot.com/2012/05/protest-at-seattle-korean-consulate-to.html

Help Save Jeju Island and Stop U.S. Global Military Expansion!

The struggle continues against the construction of a naval base on Jeju Island, Republic of Korea that would service US Navy Aegis destroyers that hold Raytheon’s missile “defence” systems. South Korean peace activists argue that the base will build-up offensive military systems in North East Asia, undermining security and prompting military responses from China and North Korea. Villagers also oppose the base because of the loss of farm land, where they have grown rice, garlic, tangerines, and more on the fertile land. The base will destroy the local environment, including coral reefs named by UNESCO as key environmental treasures. The Navy intends to pour concrete over the rocks and marine life to make wharfs for the Aegis destroyers.

International attention to the plight of the villagers is increasing every day. The Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space held its annual meeting on Jeju Island in February. Foreign activists are teaming up with local ones to protest the base in the United States and in Korea. For some updates, please see Bruce Gagnon’s blog, for example, People keep coming to Gangjeong.Also see a recent article by Robert Redford, The Battle for Jeju Island: How the Arms Race is Threatening a Korean Paradise.

Action: The Global Network notes that South Korean corporation Samsung is the lead contractor building the Navy base on Jeju, and calls on activists to boycott Samsung.

In addition, please view this appeal from the international team in Gangjeong Village:

Dear friends and supporters of the struggle against the Jeju naval base project,

On March 7, the first blasting the coastal rock, known as “Gureombi” has begun in while the government and the navy exercised its power in Gangjeong village and villagers and peace activists were hauled by the police. There was expected to carry the explosives by land but the navy handled sea freight, not to take the road that were blockaded by the villagers and activists. People who were determined to defend the Gureombi were immensely shocked. The navy announced that 43 tons of explosives will be used for blasting the Gureombi and it will takes from 3 to 5 months according to the weather. There have been daily nonviolent direct actions and other forms of struggles for saving Gureombi every day since the first blasting progressed. More than 60 people were already arrested and the numbers of arrests continue to occur as well. There has been an increase in cases of police misconduct and human rights frequently violated. Professor Yoon-mo Yang who was arrested for obstructing police in carrying out their duties is now on his 35th day of hunger strike as of March 13 while inside the prison. The Jeju government demanded on temporal reservation on construction but the Ministry of the National Defense didn’t have an attitude accepting this demand at all.

We ask you to support to our efforts to save the Gureombi and resist the naval base on Jeju Island. Take some time to write letters of complaint to the government and the navy planners and please distribute this appeal among your friends or in your local group.

1. Call the Korean Embassy or organize demonstrations in front of the Korean Embassy in your country and let them know that Jeju does not want a naval base!

2. Write and mail to the President Lee Myung-Bak, Kim Kwan-Jin, South Korean Defense Minister and Woo Keun-Min, Island governor. Please refer to the mail address at:
https://app.e2ma.net/app/view:CampaignPublic/id:33867.7483820829/rid:c5c744865a7b372e77e36ea5fb216220

3.Sign the petitions on Avaaz ( http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_jeju/?vl), Care2 (http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/Save-Jeju-Island/) or other online sites urging South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak to stop construction of the military base! After signing please share the petition with your social network.

4. Contact the media in your country about this resistance to raise their awareness about the struggle.

5. Stay updated on the resistance by joining the "Save Jeju Island” and the “No Naval Base on Jeju!” Facebook pages. Follow the most recent developments on Twitter at #savejejuisland and #gangjung - then re-post.

6. Consider making a donation to support the international campaign to Save Jeju Island. 100% of your financial contribution will go directly to villagers on the ground waging peace against this dangerous militarization project.

Urgent request from Jeju Island

Please read and respond to this urgent plea from the people of Gangjeong Village on Jeju Island!

Dear friends,

Starting today, Gangjeong is in an emergency situation. Nearly 700 police have arrived from the mainland in Gangjeong village to monitor the blasting of Gureombi, the volcanic rock coastline, and the dredging of the seafloor. Not only will the marine life, including endangered crabs and coral reefs, be swept away, the blast has already impacted the fresh water springs that the majority of the island is dependent upon.

Though our numbers are small in the village, we will do our best to fight to stop the blast of Gureombi. It is still uncertain whether the Seogwipo Police will allow the Navy to blast Gureombi on Monday, when the Governor of Jeju Island is supposed to make his decision.

Please send an email to the Governor NOW asking him to please stop the blast of Gureombi.

Thank you for one minute of your time. We urgently need international solidarity NOW.

In peace and justice,

Gangjeong Village

Mr. Woo Keun-Min
Governor
The government of Jeju-do
312-1, Yeon-dong, Jeju-si, Jeju-do
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Fax: +82 64 710 3009
E-mail: jejumaster@jeju.go.kr

Jeju Island, or The Empire Strikes Back

Friends,

In a January post I explained the plight of the gentle people of Jeju Island (a UNESCO World Heritage Stie), and made a plea to support their resistance to a new U.S. Naval base to be built there.  Since then things have heated up dramatically; the bulldozers are rolling, and the peaceful Jeju Islanders are engaged in a desparate struggle to save their island from the crushing grip of militarism and empire.

The South Korean government, continues to move ahead with its plans for yet another military base that will be dominated by the U.S. Navy and Marines (Hey, who's gonna notice when the U.S.already has roughly 1000 military bases scattered all over the globe on other nations' soil).  This base will further U.S. plans to encircle Russian and China (and don't forget teeny weeny North Korea) militarily.

It is time to stop the madness of the military machinery that continues to grind everything it touches into dust.  If you are not yet engaged in the effort to support the people of Jeju Island - officially named an “Island of Peace” by the late President Roh Moo Hyun - and stop the destruction, please check out the new Website SAVE JEJU ISLAND.  Sign the petition, call and write letters, donate to support the protesters.

It is time to put a stop to the stranglehold of the U.S. Empire on the rest of the world.

Peace and Hope for Jeju Island,

Leonard