MacGregor Eddy posted on the Facebook group Save Prof Yang and Sung Hee-Choi of Jeju Island that “Yang Yoon-Mo after 60 day hunger strike is released. Sung-Hee Choi goes on trial June 10. Keep writing those letters to Korean embassies, they are having an effect.” Both Professor Yang and Sung Hee Choi have begun to take food again.
I am reposting two articles from Bruce Gagnon’s blog Organizing Notes about the situation in Jeju island, South Korea, where Gangjeong villagers are waging a struggle to stop the construction of a naval base in their pristine coastal waters. One protest leader Professor Yang has been imprisoned and on a hunger strike for more than 58 days. Another activist Sung Hee Choi is also in jail and on a hunger strike for 14 days. Bruce is the coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space. He is on the 9th day of his hunger strike.
Sung Hee Choi has maintained the blog No Bases Stories of Korea, one of the best news sources for resistance to military bases in Korea. We hope she is in good health and is released from jail soon so that she can continue to chronicle the movement.
Meanwhile continue to send messages to the Korean Embassy or to a local consulate urging the Korean government to cancel the naval base in Jeju. The online comment form for the Korean Embassy is here: http://www.dynamic-korea.com/embassy/meet.php
(It’s ironic that the banner at the top of the page says “Help us make Jeju Island one of the “New 7 Wonders of Nature”” even as the government moves to destroy some of its bountiful ocean resources in Gangjeong, one of the home towns of the famous women pearl divers of Jeju.)
Here is the email for the Korean Consulate in Hawai’i: consulatehi@mofat.go.kr
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http://space4peace.blogspot.com/2011/05/blindness-of-militarism.html
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
THE BLINDNESS OF MILITARISM
Over the past weekend hundreds rallied in Gangjeong village in South Korea to protect the rocks and the plant and animal life that will be destroyed once the thousands of huge “tetra pods” are all placed in the water and cement gets poured over everything to build the piers in order to dock the visiting U.S. warships.
The military (who says they are out to bring security) does not care about the life forms that are killed. Their brazen quest for power and control separates them from the living world around them. Power is like a drug and they always need more as the addiction numbs them to life. The plants, the rocks, the coral, the fish, the clean water do not exist in their minds. It is a spiritual disconnection.
[…]
Here in the U.S. we witnessed last week the U.S. House of Representatives voting to give the president formal power to declare war anyplace and anytime he wishes. The Constitution says that only Congress can declare war but now that the corporations own Congress the loyalty of both parties has switched from protecting the people to protecting the profits and global imperial agenda of the corporations. This is the time that we live in. Democracy has been smothered just like the life forms living among the rocks in Gangjeong will be smothered by the concrete.
Today begins my 9th day of fasting in solidarity with all life forms in and around Gangjeong village on Jeju Island. My heart is with Yang Yoon-Mo who is now on his 58th day of hunger striking and Sung-Hee Choi on her 14th day.
I am grateful to those who have been writing me and sending messages to the South Korean embassy in their country. In recent days I’ve heard from people in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Scotland, Wales, England, China, Philippines, Japan, Hawaii, and all over the U.S. who are taking steps to show support. Many of these same people are fasting for a day or more. Thanks to all of you. Please keep spreading the word. I will return to Bath Iron Works again today.
http://space4peace.blogspot.com/2011/05/words-from-sung-hee-choi.html
Sunday, May 29, 2011
WORDS FROM SUNG-HEE CHOI
JungJoo Park from South Korea has provided us with the latest communication from Sung-Hee Choi who is now on her 11th day of hunger striking on Jeju Island, South Korea. It is Sung-Hee laying under the construction vehicle and in the middle of the photo above.
JungJoo writes, “What Sung-hee in a prison said to people who support her a few days ago.”
The revolution comes in time we do not know.
It comes suddenly when we are in desperate, so close to give up.
I believe in that long water flow which are made by tiny water drops gathering rather than someone’s big power at certain time.
I especially believe the power of culture, power of arts, no, I believe the power of cultured people and artists.
And I believe the truth will be spread out to this whole world as our young generation begin to stand up.
But our fight has to be fun.
And again, our youth should be a source of strength for our fight.
You do not know how much I miss you, Gangjeong village, Gureombi…
I miss them so much, appreciate them so much, and I’d love to see them all.
Brother, Taewhan, will you sing again?
And everyone, will you sing together?
We get together again and do a dance on Gureombi?
But on the other hand, I am glad to come trapped.
More and more people coming to Gureombi, more things are doing!!
Here, I read books that I missed so far, and think a lot of ideas I missed.
There is a passage, especially coming so often these days.
“The absolute, must open one side of the door if the other side is closed.”
Let’s walk together toward the open door!
(And the tears flow quietly)
I’ve never ever cried while visiting.
But so many young people have come, my tears of happy flowing.
Please call more young people of 20’s. Let my tears flowing more.
For a while I was totally numb.
I got here so unjustly.
If your transparent and clear forces get together, It will change everything at the moment nobody can expected.
At the moment we think of defeat, we are really missing out on everything.
But we do not fail as long as we do have beliefs.
I believe history.
Take courage and anger at the same time.
Lying down under a dump truck and crane must be finished by our generation.
You do your things in your way.
More enjoyable, more fun!
Not short time later, a lightning flash occurs and the naval base will be destroyed.
At that moment we must able to say openly.
‘I am that thunder and lightning.’
I believe history and you.
Your infinite power available is up to you!
– Sung-Hee Choi
Jeju Island, South Korea
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