http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_aSJgZOkLlU&noredirect=1
NEW 7 WONDERS OF NATURE ISLAND JEJU SAVED - FOR NOW
SUNDAY 20 November 2011. Thanks to ALL of you, who wrote to Jeju-do Governor Keun-Min Woo and UN SG Ban Ki-Moon in order to avert the planned dynamite blast of Gureombee (Gureombi), the world-famous volcanic cloud-rock and cultural site along Jeju's Southern coastline. On November 18th, the government in Seoul - abusing the South Korean Navy under their orders - and SAMSUNG construction company (part of SAMSUNG Corp.) wanted to dynamite-blast Gureombee (Gureombi) belonging to Gangjeong village where the local people have been resisting day and night for now almost 5 years and demand to stop the building of a naval base, which also would see USAmerican naval vessels with nuclear weapons be stationed.
Thanks to YOUR efforts and due to the stand of Governor Keun-Min Woo that was averted.
In a global collective effort to stop this destructive blast, which also would have been a blast against national and international law as well as against world peace, would have crushed local needs and traditions under military boots and would also would have destroyed the pristine environment as well as the cultural heritage of the Jeju people forever, this rape of Jeju could be stopped - for the time being.
Apparently the police have turned down the companies' request for the blast of the Gureombi rocks now for the third time. It is told that the reasons were: 1. insufficiency of the documents; 2. concerns about possible incidences during the blast; 3. requirement for the agreement with the Island governor.
Several legal interventions against the naval base are also still pending while the powers-that-be, their military and their business cohorts like SAMSUNG wanted to just go ahead.
But, it is not over yet. (... and those, who didn't write yet have here another opportunity)
Jeju, an autonomous province, was recently selected among the New Seven Wonders of Nature, which with its UNESCO triple-crowned status lists the island among the world’s most precious cultural and national treasures. In addition, the marine ecosystem that lines Gureombee is an absolute preservation area designated by the South Korean government because of the many endangered species that inhabit this pristine ecosystem, including soft coral and the red-clawed crab. The spring water that bubbles up from the volcanic rock provides up to 80% of the drinking water for all residents of Seogwipo City, the southern half of Jeju Island. The destruction of Gureombee threatens the surrounding marine life and the clean water that farmers and villagers depend upon for their survival. As one villager expressed it, “Gureombee is Gangjeong, Gangjeong is Gureombee. We are One.”
Please take action now and send an email to Jeju Governor Woo urging him to stand strong and avert any blasting as well as the whole construction of the naval base. The Jeju Island governor must stand with his people to protect Jeju’s pristine nature from being destroyed. Governor Woo has the authority to order the Navy to halt the destruction of this pristine coastline.
All Gangjeong villagers are pleading for your help to prevent any destruction of Gureombee and to put a halt forever to the naval base plans -at whatever cost. Your contacting the Governor and the UN Secretary General now will not only encourage them to o the right thing and really help save the village and lives, but also help to free the innocent officials, villagers and peace activists from state persecution.
STOP the BLASTS ! STOP the BASE ! FREE INDIGENOUS DETAINEES !
Sample letters
Write to: Gov. Keun-Min Woo : lmw2828@jeju.go.kr
Governor of Cheju-do, the Self-Governing Jeju Province and Cheju Island
Honourable Keun-Min Woo,
Dear Governor Woo,
Thanks you very much for your strong stand so far to stop the blast of Gureombee, a government-designated absolute ecological preservation area.You hold the powers in your hand to make that decision permanent.
You also have the power to order the South-Korean Navy to stop the construction of the naval base, to release innocent citizens from detention and to stop state persecution of officials, villagers and peace activists. Please do so.
We believe you don't want to leave behind a legacy of overseeing the destruction of a UNESCO preserved site and ancient Korean relics, and you want to be remembered as a protector of democracy and peace on Jeju Island.
South Korea’s Constitution guarantees all of its citizens’ human respect and the right to pursue happiness. Please be a pillar to restore and maintain peace in Gangjeong today.
Please uphold your promise to those who elected you and stop navy constructions and any planned destruction immediately. We don’t want the ‘New Seven Wonders of Nature’ to be brutally destroyed and be replaced with something which only can serve war.
Please speak out now in public to declare that you stopped that ill-conceived project once and for all and that all officials, villagers and peace activists will be set free and no further harassment of people, who just fulfil their democratic duties, will be allowed.
Sincerely,
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Write to: Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon
United Nations
New York, NY 10017 USA
+1-212-963-5012 fax: +1-212-963-7055
Email: ecu@un.org
CC to: Jamille Mc Cord, email: mccord@un.org and Anne Sophie Persson, email: persson3@un.org
as well as to: Mr. Kim Soo-Gwon < kimsoogwon@gmail.com>, because South Korea is violating Universally Guaranteed Rights. He is the chair of the human rights desk at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, located at 335 East 45th St New York, New York 10017. His telephone number is +1-212-439-4051and his cell phone is +1-646-831-7188.
Your Excellency,
Dear Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon,
You said yourself: "World military spending has now risen to over $1.2 trillion. This incredible sum represents 2.5 per cent of GDP(global gross domestic product). Even if 1 per cent of it were redirected towards development, the world would be much closer to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.... I believe in a world of justice and human rights for all."
You have the historic opportunity to show to the world that you mean what you say, because until April 17, 2012, you as Secretary General of the United Nations are technically the top of the chain of command and head of the still functioning UN Command in charge of all forces in South Korea. Thereby you are also in command of the South-Korean Navy.
Please order them today to stand down in any plan of establishing a naval base on Jeju Island and to leave the Jeju Islanders in peace.
Please stop any military action on Jeju and prevent the destruction of Gureombee - the world famous "Cloud-Rock" with its many ecological, cultural and economic functions important for the well-being of the Jeju people and their natural marine and island ecosystems.
As it appears the chief of the naval base business committee will be changed on Nov. 23. The newly appointed person could be the vice-commander of the 2nd Fleet, Pyeongtaek base, where the large U.S. military base locates. Please support all the people in South-Korea, who do not want to be dragged in a new regional conflict between the U.S.A. and China and rather would like to work hard to see North and South Korea be reunited.
Please also help to free innocent detainees and to stop the persecution of innocent officials, villagers and peace activists.
Please instruct UNESCO and UNEP to stand up against the wanton destruction of the natural and cultural heritage of these indigenous people on Jeju Island and protect their rights as well as endangered species of the pristine marine and island ecosystems.
As famous visual artist Choi Sung-hee stated: Jeju Island is the pearl of Korea and Gangjeong village is the diamond of Jeju Island.
Nature protected you, dear Secretary General, when you fled with your family to the remote mountainside for the duration of the Korean War, so now please help the Jeju people and especially the Gangjeong-do villagers to protect their nature and maintain peace.
Thanks
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The Jeju Islanders also ask you to write to the South Korean Ministry of Defense to revoke the naval base construction policy and not to blast the Gureombi (Gureonbee) on Jeju Island, South Korea so that the military or navy do not commit this crime on their own.
Please write to:
South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-Jin < defenattache@yahoo.com> and ask him to stop the plan.
... and because it has transpired that actually the government of the United States of America is behind the whole naval base plan, we urge you to try and reach out to President Barack Hussein Obama http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments
Also tell the people at his re-election campaign http://www.barackobama.com/contact-us?source=footer-nav that they can forget about any donations and support unless the U.S. government and their present president would rescind from dragging the whole world into warfare, close the U.S.American military bases especially in South-Korea and let the people re-unite peacefully.
---
Please send copies of all your letters in CC to
President Lee Myung-bak < president@president.go.kr>, who himself voted for Jeju Island as one of the NEW 7 WONDERS OF NATURE, but is, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, not only the chief executive of the government and the head of state of the Republic of Korea, but also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, who already created havoc on the island in the recent past, though it is a self-governed, autonomous province.
Please send your missives also in BCC to office[AT]ecoterra-international.org
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* FREE THE JEJU THREE
See: http://www.fpcn-global.org/en/system/files/%252Fhome/fpcn/files/drupal/save_jeju_island_oct_2011.ppt
Free the three peace activists who have been in prison for the past 82 days. They pose no threat to the community, will not flee from their home and therefore, there is no need for them to be locked up in detention . They are:
- Mr. Kang Dong-gyun, The Mayor of Gangjeong village www.freemayorkang.org (He only did his mayoral duties.)
- Mr. Kim Jong-Hwan (Uncle Jong) - Age 57 | Peace Activist and cook for the peace-camp
- Mr. Kim Dong-Won - Age 25 | Photographer/videographer (Both KIMs only assisted the mayor during the brutal arrest.)
STEP UP THE
BOYCOTT AGAINST SAMSUNG
See: http://www.savejejuisland.org/Save_Jeju_Island/Samsung.html
* SAMSUNG and HYUNDAI corporations are instrumental for the past, ongoing and planned destruction at Jeju Island and are behind most of the illegal detentions and harassments of peaceful protesters on ground of "disturbing business".
SAMSUNG has become an integral part of the military-industrial complex.
Please prepare for a global boycott of their products. We need to do all to stop them from destroying this particular place where an activist made this video-appeal to the world, to you:
See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JaZhcrUvt4&feature=player_embedded
That SAMSUNG is perceived as a thief has been legally established just recently in democratic countries of Europe, where their products with apparently stolen patents were banned from being sold.
PROTECT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYeUB-JLPFU&feature=player_embedded
WRITE TO:
Jung, YeonJoo: President & CEO,(Engineering & Construction Group) and urge him to
STOP SAMSUNG from stealing pristine nature from the Gangjeong villagers and the world.
Also write to:
Jeong, Ki Cheol - Senior Executive Vice President
Kim, Hee Won - Executive Vice President
Kim, Deok Lim - Vice President
Kim, Sung Lae - Vice President
via e-mail Samsung < kd78.park@samsung.com>
and tell them that the results of their Overseas Business Division will seriously decline, if their destruction on Jeju doesn't stop immediately and they wouldn't opt out from this disastrous project on Jeju island and from being at the core of serious human rights violations. Gangjeong KR Naval Base Protest Chaos Video EN GKNBCV 1
Consumers the world over will judge with their own purchase decisions, whom to trust and whom to give their money.