Action alert : Write a letter to the President of South Korea
ACTION ALERT : Write a Letter to the President of South Korea
DATE : July 1, 2008
TO : International Community Concerned about Democratic Principles and Public Health
FROM : The People’s Conference against Mad Cow Disease
WHAT YOU CAN DO : Please write a letter to the President of South Korea to immediately stop the police crackdown and imprisonment of people engaged in protest against the Korea-US beef. Please see the attached sample letter.
WHERE TO SEND YOUR LETTER : Please email your letter directly to the following address : foreign@president.go.kr
SITUATION : Police violence is escalating in Seoul, Korea to quash the public outcry against the Lee Myungbak administration’s decision to ratify the Korea-US beef deal that undermines food safety and public health. Last weekend, about 100,000 people gathered for a candlelight protest in downtown Seoul to demand a renegotiation of the Korea-US beef deal. In response, the Lee Administration ordered a severe police crackdown of protesters that resulted in bodily injuries of over 400 participants. There are reports of excessive use of police force in violation of basic democratic principles. An unarmed woman participating in a peaceful rally was brutally beaten by a group of police officers that surrounded and struck her with their clubs. Police in riot gear also used severe physical force against a young couple marching with their baby in a stroller. Even neutral people such as medial aid wearing a proper medical uniform and news reporter wearing an armband displaying media access were indiscriminately beaten by police. In addition, a number of civil organizations have been raided by police that took possession of work-related computers from these offices. The Lee Administration declared all protests against the US beef deal as illegal and vowed to severely punish any persons engaged in such activities. As a result, 140 arrests and a greater number of search warrants have been made this week..
At dawn of the 30th, police raided the offices of "the People’s Conference against Mad Cow Disease" and the "Korea Alliance of Progressive Movements". "The People’s Conference against Mad Cow Disease” is an umbrella organization of some 1,700 civic groups nationwide that is operated by consensus of its membership groups. However, the Lee Administration singled out "Korea Alliance of Progressive Movements (KAPM)" as the mastermind behind protests related to the Korea-US beef. Police took away 22 computers from the KAPM office and arrested Mr. Hwang Soonwon on night duty. Police issued search warrants for eight activists and arrested, in addition to Mr. Hwang, Mr, Ahn Jingeol and Ms. Yoon Hee-suk.
The Lee Administration is trying to scapegoat select activists as dangerous instigators behind the series of protests that followed the Korea-US beef deal. However, it is the Lee Administration’s lack of transparency, democratic process and ill-regard for the public’s right to food safety and health that prompted tens of thousands of people to flood the streets since the conclusion of the Korea-US beef deal on April 18th. The initial candlelight vigils were led largely by youth and volunteers who sparked a series of nationwide actions by people of all ages and backgrounds. It is important to note that protests have been self-organized by vigilant citizens who are genuinely concerned about the health and safety of their families and community members. In fact, a poll showing over 78% of Koreans demanding the cancellation and renegotiation of the Korea-US beef deal proves that protests have not been politically motivated by any particular group. After over 40 days of persistent vigil and actions, the Lee administration tried to calm the public by negotiating with USTR an addition the original negotiation instead of renegotiating the deal in entirety. The government falsely claimed major gains from this negotiation while analysts denied the basis of such gains.
The Lee Administration continues to ignore the rightful demands of people to cancel and re-negotiate the Korea-US beef deal. Instead, it attempts to divide people by making a false accusation that violent, politically motivated leftist groups are using and orchestrating the candlelight protests. In conjunction, Korea’s conservative media such as Chosun, DongA and Joongang are also busy constructing images of candlelight protestors as violent rioters. Such actions are reminiscent of the tactics used during the military dictatorship of the 1970-80s to repress the Korean people’s movement for democracy.
It is highly likely that violent crackdown of peaceful demonstrations and raids of social and civil organizations will continue. Additionally, Lee Myungbak administration and conservative news media are sure to gear up its witch hunting and scapegoating of innocent victims to turn around the party’s rock bottom ratings and rebuild the political power.
The current struggle demonstrates the will and determination of the Korean people to restore genuine democracy.
Please visit the following links to eyewitness the police repression.
– http://dolb.tistory.com/325
– http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/society/society_general/295971.html
– http://bbs1.agora.media.daum.net/gaia/do/debate/read?bbsId=D003&articleId=1464719
– http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/society/society_general/296110.html
