[fse-esf] Solidarity with South Korean antiwar movement

[Globalise Resistance]

I forward this on behalf of the Korean activists. Korea has the third 
largest deployment of troops in Iraq (after the US and UK) and the 
antiwar movement there is an inspiration.

Thank you for your attention on this matter

Guy Taylor


Urgent Appeal for Solidarity in the Fight for Freedom of Expression and 
Demonstration
 
The Korean Action against Dispatch of Troops to Iraq, an anti-war 
coalition composed of 351 civic and social movement organizations in 
South Korea, is urgently appealing to the international anti-war and 
democracy movements for solidarity in the protest against the South 
Korean government's ban on the March 17 Global Day of Action against 
War.
In January 2007, the anti-war assembly, gathered during the 5th World 
Social Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, called for a global action against war 
around the fourth anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq. Joining the 
international anti-war movement's effort, the South Korean anti-war 
coalition decided to hold a national protest on March 17 and has been 
working hard to organize the protest.
However, less than a month before the day of action, the South Korean 
government and police notified us of their decision to ban the March 17 
protest. This is a blatant attack on our freedom of expression and 
demonstration, one of the fundamental rights protected by democracy.
The South Korean government has been a close ally in Bush's war 
dispatching South Korean troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. It is now 
attempting to oppress the South Korean anti-war movement's voice of 
protest by banning the March 17 protest.
The Korean Action against Dispatch of Troop to Iraq is fighting against 
the South Korean government's attack on democratic and civic rights. By 
any means necessarily we will exercise our rights and gather to protest 
against war on March 17. We urgently appeal to you for solidarity 
action and to protest against the South Korean government and police 
demanding that they guarantee freedom of expression and demonstration.
 
Please send a letter of protest to the Korean embassy or consulate in 
your country. If possible organize a protest in front of the Korean 
diplomatic office.
Please send a letter of protest to the President of South Korea (Fax: 
+82-2-770-4937) and the Policy Agency (Fax: +82-754-7000).
 
We would like to request that you send us a copy of the letter or 
information on the protest action for record (Fax: +82-2-749-3537).
 
Please send your solidarity messages to antipabyeong at empal.com.
 
Please sign the statement of protest below and get many signatures as 
possible and return it to us as soon as possible. Organizations and 
individuals are welcome to sign. All the names will be listed and 
submitted to the South Korean government and police and released to the 
media.
 
 
++++++++
 
The Statement of Protest
 
We, the international anti-war movement, condemn the South Korean 
government’s oppression of freedom of expression and demonstration.
The international anti-war movement has called for a global day of 
action against war on March 17-20, 2007, remembering the fourth 
anniversary of Bush’s invasion of Iraq. This call was globally 
confirmed during the World Social Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, in January. 
The Korean Action against Dispatch of Troops to Iraq, the South Korean 
anti-war coalition, also decided to organize a day of protest on March 
17, 2007.
However, we have been informed recently that the South Korean 
government has banned the March 17 anti-war protest organized by the 
South Korean anti-war coalition. Freedom of expression and 
demonstration is one of the most basic rights of democracy. We are well 
aware of the fact that even the South Korean constitution guarantees 
freedom of expression and demonstration.
Therefore, the South Korean government’s ban of the March 17 anti-war 
protest is a blatant attack on the fundamental right of democracy.
The world knows that the South Korean government is supporting Bush’s 
war by sending South Korean troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. Refusing to 
give permission to hold the March 17 anti-war protest is in reality the 
South Korean government’s attempt to oppress the voice of protest 
against Bush’s war and the war support of the South Korean government. 
We, the international anti-war movement, strongly condemn the South 
Korean government’s oppression of the South Korean anti-war movement’s 
freedom of expression and demonstration. We strongly demand the South 
Korean government to guarantee the right to hold the March 17 anti-war 
protest.
 
Signature:
Organization: