Press Statement related to the “Five-year Delay of the US Base Relocation Plan”
We condemn the Ministry of National Defense for driving forward the base expansion!
It has been reported that the deadline for the expansion of the US military base in Pyongtaek, which was scheduled to be completed by 2008, has been delayed until 2013 due to difficulties in negotiations between the United States and Korea and the anti-base struggle. This signals and important chance in the Pyongtaek base expansion process. Looking at records produced by the Ministry of National Defense, it is clear that the MND has accepted the delay as inevitable because of the tug-of-war between the two countries over the proportion of the base relocation expenses each will pay. Although the government has not even completed the full plan for base construction, it has become clear that South Korea is expected to pay a majority of the relocations expenses. The MND is insisting that the main reason for the delay is the anti-base expansion protests led by the KCPT. This assertion is, however, a crude trick.
In fact, it has been foreseen since the agreement on the base relocation was ratified in Parliament that the base expansion could not be completed by 2008. And, on April 30 2006, just before the forced take-over over Daechuri and Doduri began, Kyung-suh Park, head of the US base transfer project, stated “the base transfer requires too much work to be completled by 2008” during dialogue between the government and KCPT. It had been known from the beginning, that the relocation of the base would be this difficult. This means that it was never urgently necessary to forcibly seize the residents’ farmland. However, on last May 4th, the MND erected barbed wire on newly seeded fields and destroyed the Daechuri elementary school, which was beloved by the community, in order to occupy the residents’ land.
Despite knowing it was impossible to complete the base construction by 2008, the government authorities, lead by the MND, deceived the Korean people and used merciless tactics to suppress the anti-base expansion movement. We strongly condemn these anti-democratic, anti-human rights actions and demand that the immediate removal of the barbed wired, restoration of the land to the residents’ and protection of its cultivation.
The government has completely ignored our demand that the agreement to expand the US base in Pyongtaek be fully renegotiated. However now it has become evident that renegotiations concerning the timeline for the base transfer must take place. We insist that the subject of the renegotiations not be limited simply to the relocation time-period. Although the government has continued to publicly ignore the character and meaning of the base transfer it has been confirmed by the authorities of both countries that it is in accordance with the United States’ plan for the overseas stationing of its troops and the “strategic flexibility of the American forces”. In addition, the reduction and dismantling of the 8th Army Command, the dissolution of the US-Korean Joint Command and the additional reduction of US troops are all in process. If these developments take place the construction of the base or at least the scale of the base and related expense issues will have to be fully reconsidered.
Over 80% of the Korean people are calling for renegotiation. This tells you that the demand for renegotiations is truly a popular demand. Therefore, we strongly insist to the authorities of both countries that the negotiations cover the entire question of the base relocation and expansion, not only the timeline, and that the agreement concerning the project be completely revised.
In the midst of everything the government is talking about an additional 40,000 pyoeng expansion, reduction of the expenses, etc., etc. In fact the base expansion is not even worthy of consideration at this moment. In addition the majority of the expenses for clearing pollution from returned base land will fall to South Korea, and there is a plot to include the price of the housing for the families of soldiers in the defense budget. It is clear that all the talk about reduction in expenses is just a charade to fool the nation.
We demand that the government stop its threatening the residents and deceiving the people of Korea. We demand that it sincerely open its ears to the voice of the residents and completely renegotiate the matter of the base expansion.
The changes we have outlined greatly affect the agreement that Parliament passed. The only proper response is to hold hearing to fully discuss and reconsider these issues. This is the only way for Parliament, which has up to now been abandoning its recommendations and responsibilities, to truly make up for its errors.
15 December 2005
Korean Committee against US Base Expansion in Pyongtaek
by Jung-hwan Suh, Voice of the People
As her visit to South Korea drew to a close, America’s “anti-war mother” Cindy Sheehan’s last footsteps fell in Daechuri.
On November 24, at about 12:00pm, Sheehan made a return trip to Daechuri to hold a closing press conference and present $3,000 in funds raised from the delegation she was traveling with to the villagers, demonstrating once again the impact their struggle had made on her..
While there, Sheehan and her colleagues Deedee Miller, Tiffany Burns and Medea Benjamin hung a banner which read, “Farms no Arms” on the barbed wire that encircles the Hwangsaewol fields.
In order to do this they had to cross the deep drench dug to keep people off the fields and wade through waist-deep hay, but Sheehan did not seem to mind.
Soldiers were lined up on the other side of the barbed wire. When Sheehan said to them, “I’m sorry, but we don’t speak Korean. Is there someone who speaks English?” they gave not response. They only turned to the reporters and warned them not to take pictures.
After hanging the banner Sheehan and her colleagues sang a peace song and chanted, “Stop the base expansion!”, “Bush and Camp Humphreys, leave this earth!” They turned to the Korean soldiers on the other side of the barbed wired and said, “Aren’t the people of Daechuri your citizens?” and “Shame! (in Korean)”, registering their protest.
At the press conference held in front of the farmers’ meeting house Cindy and her colleagues gave $3,000 collected during their visit (from other delegates) and bags of rice (which symbolize abundance and fertility in the United States) to the villagers as encouragement and support for their struggle.
“Seeing the place where Daechuri’s residents have held candle light vigils for over 800 days, I can feel their love for their land and their deep sense of resistance. On the second day of our visit, when we toured the village the beauty of the farmers’ houses and farms struck me,” said Media Benjamin of Code Pink, an American women’s anti-war organization. “In the United States I will work to raise public awareness and build solidarity so that the farmers of Pyongtaek can continue to live on their land.”
Tae-hwa Jung, President of Daechuri’s Elders Meeting, said to the visitors, “At this time, the morale of the villagers has suffered a lot. Your visit has given us great energy. Please do not forget Daechuri when you return to the United States.
In response Cindy Sheehan replied, “Not only will we not forget Daechuri, when we return we will tour the United States telling many people about the struggle here. The courageous villages will be the victors in this fight to stop the base expansion, and they will be recorded in history.”
Following, Sheehan and her group were gifted a name plate bearing the names of their organizations, which they hung on the door of an empty house. This was to signify that their hearts will remain with the residents after they returned to the U.S.
Looking around the house, Sheehan remarked, “This room will be my bed room. Hey, why is it that you are all wearing shoes in my house?” will a look of satisfaction on her face.
Having finished the last of their schedule here in Korea, Cindy and her friends were sent off by the residents of Daechuri to return to the Thanksgiving break in the United States.
Returning from a last look at the barbed wire, Cindy Sheehan looked at her colleagues and whispered, “You know, I really wanted to cut that barbed wire.”
