The following article was written by Bellingham, Washington's
VFP-111 member Michael Jacobsen following an incident during a protest on Jeju
Island near Gangjeong village. As Michael reports, Father Moon Cheong Hyun was
severely injured on Good Friday protesting the joint US/ROK construction
project of what will likely become one of the largest naval bases of the
American Empire, devastating an island that has been designated a Global
Biosphere Reserve and known to many as The Island of World Peace.
Michael had been moved for some time by the courage of the
villagers, against overwhelming odds, to halt the devastation to their pristine
habitat. When three Veterans Peace Team members Elliot Adams, Mike Hastie, and
Tarak Kauff were turned away by military and police authorities in March, he
was determined to join the non-violent demonstrators in South Korea, convinced
that Veterans For Peace deserved a foothold in this struggle. He arrived in
Jeju last week, after a carefully prepared itinerary, and this is his first
report.
Gene Marx, Secretary, VFP National Board of Directors Bellingham, WA
It would seem that in
the Republic of Korea, as in the ancient Roman Empire, those who challenge the
power of the military state may end up with the same fate as Jesus. The modern
version of the Roman Empire is now the global United States backed by powerful
multinational-corporations and its client states.
The internationally
known and well respected critic of the Republic of Korea (ROK/South Korea), 71
year old, Catholic Priest, Father Moon Cheong Hyun has become one of the most
important victims of the ongoing police brutality of the U.S. backed South
Korean government. It was a miracle that Father Moon did not die from a recent
fall after being pushed by ROK police.
Father Moon has been an
outspoken critic of the psuedo-democratic ROK. At the time of his fall, Father
Moon was in the process of protesting the building of what has been planned to
be one of the world's largest naval bases in Gangjeong village in southernmost
Jeju Island, South Korea which was designated as the "Island of
Peace" by a former administration.
Because of the
controversial Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the United States and
South Korea, it is presumed by informed military analysts that this naval base
is unnecessary for the welfare of any nation and is intended only to provoke
China and thus create a new arms race. Escalating conflict is what the U.S.
does best. Not coincidentally, another arms race is exceedingly lucrative to
the military-industrial-complex which is motivated only by greed, power and
control. For the people of Jeju Island this base is an utter disaster.
Father Moon's protest
against the naval base on Good Friday (4/6/12) was a non-violent religious
ceremony. Gathered together were other Catholic priests and their followers, as
well as local, regional and international peace activists. They performed the
Mass, "Stations of the Cross", a traditional Catholic ritual. This
ceremony involves 14 "Stations" marking the last moments of Jesus' life
before his death. This ceremony was adapted so that the 14 Stations were
performed during a procession around the razor-wired strewn wall surrounding
the Gangjeong village naval base construction (destruction) site. At each
Station Father Moon and the other Priests led followers in prayer and
meditation related to Jesus' death. The Mass was intended to mirror the
struggle on Jeju Island for peace and against the winds of war.
During the final
Station, #14, in a public area, one activist climbed down the huge concrete
tetrapods [1] to the water to swim in protest toward the construction
(demolition) site, the Gangjeong village's sacred Gureombi. UNESCO and many
other organizations have declared this preservation area to be of significant
environmental and cultural importance. Gureombi's status was overridden with a
stroke of a pen by the influence of the ROK Navy. As the above mentioned
activist attempted to enter the water, several police officers aggressively
chased him, despite their being on the dangerous and slippery tetrapods. This
frightened and angered many of the people attending the Mass, and a few people
walked out onto the tetrapods to see what was happening below, including Father
Moon. Many called for the police to be reasonable and to be careful that Father
Moon could possibly fall. Not heeding the pleas of the people, one young
policeman aggressively advanced on Father Moon despite the fact that they were
both in an extremely dangerous area. Eye-witnesses said that the police officer
swung around and pushed Father Moon. Both of them were put off balance, but
only the young police officer was able to regain his balance.
Those present said that what happened next was a terrible and shocking nightmare to watch. Father Moon fell into a huge hole between the tetrapods. As he dropped over 20 feet, his body bounced off the concrete tetrapods below three times before landing in an unmoving heap at the bottom. Horrified wailing screams and sobbing commenced from the traumatized crowd. To those assembled, this tragedy, at the 14th Station, mirrored the tragic death of Jesus. Many viscerally experienced the "Stations of the Cross" as a grim reality. They assumed that elderly Father Moon had hit his head and was dead from the impact.
This tragedy happened on
The Island of Peace to Father Moon, a man who only preaches love and peace - as
did Jesus.
To add to the shock and
sadness, the police claim that Father Moon pushed the police officer and that
Father Moon is responsible for his own fall. The very fact that the policeman
advanced anywhere near elderly Father Moon in this extremely precarious
location is cause enough to blame this misguided young policeman for the
tragedy.
What might be the
message we could take from this incident in which the Divine chose to save
Father Moon from death?
Perhaps, the message is
that what is needed is a Resurrection of the Spirit in which all the gentle
people of Jeju Island rise-up, and all the good people of mainland South Korea
rise-up, and all the peace-loving people from around the world rise-up to stop
global militarism and corporate domination. Now is the time to put an end to
such insanity that is devoid of any morals or ethics.
Now is the time to
gather together and to speak-out. Now is the time for a revolution of the
spirit, to hold and demand a strong new vision for humanity - one where the
next seven generations of children may enjoy the beauty of The Island of Peace
and where global conflicts may be resolved with peaceful and thoughtful minds.
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