[Press Release] Civil Society call for the safe return of Korean hostages in Afghanistan

78 Civil Society Organizations Launch ‘Yellow Ribbon’ hanging campaign

Today (August 7) 78 civil society organizations focusing on peace, gender, environment, religion and culture gathered to pray for the safe return of the Korean hostages in Afghanistan by releasing a statement urging civil participation in the ‘yellow ribbon’ hanging event

Through their statement, they have come to agreement that it is time to set aside their differences in ideological, religious, and political beliefs and work together to save the lives of the 21 Korean hostages. These organizations have urged the Taliban to immediately release the 21 hostages as well as call on the US government to take a more proactive approach in resolving the issue.

They also emphasized that the US, NATO forces and the Afghan government should not take any military action that could jeopardize the lives of the Korean civilians. They requested that the UN and the international community to make all efforts to prevent the victimization of the Korean hostages in the vicious cycle of violence occurring in Afghanistan.

They also announced that the ‘yellow ribbon hanging event’ is to pray for the safe return of the Korean hostages as well to reflect on Korean civil society’s ignorance towards the sacrificial deaths of Afghan civilians and the involvement of the Korean government as it has sent Korean troops to assist the US in its ‘war against terror’. This ‘yellow ribbon ‘ campaign will continue throughout this week online as well as in the front of the KT building in the Gwanghuamun area.

[Public Appeal]

Civil Society call for the safe return of Korean hostages in Afghanistan

(Seoul, 7 August 2007)

Korean civil society organizations and actors gather together in solidarity to call attention to the series of tragic events occurring in Afghanistan. While almost 20 days have passed since a group of Koreans have been held hostage in Afghanistan, we do not have enough time to fully grieve the death of two Korean civilians, Bae Hyung-kyu and Shim Sung-min as the remaining 21 lives of hostages still remain on the line.

This recent event in Afghanistan is a tragic as while Taliban forces are using civilian lives as a levering tool for negotiations, the Korean government which has dispatched troops for the reconstruction of peace in Afghanistan seems helpless in saving the lives of its own citizens and the US government which requested the continuous support of Korean troops for its ‘war against terror’ in Afghanistan is turning a blind eye towards the situation. We call in solidarity in hopes that this vicious cycle of violence will come to an end and there will be no more victims.

We urgently call on the Taliban to immediately release the remaining 21 Korean hostages. Taking the lives of innocent civilians can not be justified no matter what the cause. While you rage over the civilian killings by opposition forces, be reminded that your action of threatening the lives of other civilians is no different from of those that you fight against. Your actions will not only create more violence and conflict but cause much grief and pain among Koreans.

We, as Korean civil society, reflect on our responsibility and ignorance towards the war in Afghanistan and the thousands of deaths that has occurred from the conflict.

We reflect on the ignorance of the Korean government and civil society towards the situation in Afghanistan as we call for the immediate release of the Korean hostages.

We reflect as to whether we have been negligent to the history as well as the pain and grief of the Afghan people while calling for peace in Afghanistan.

Korean society has been ignorant and insensitive to the pain and suffering of the Afghan people as four thousand Afghan civilians were killed during two months of the US invasion, thousands of civilians died during the past six years of US occupation and while not only the Taliban but civilians have loss their lives while being tortured and illegally held at the Bagram Air Force Base and Guantanamo Bay camps. Perhaps the death of the Korean Sgt. Yoon Jang-ho, who was killed by a suicide bomb attack at the Bagram base earlier this year, was a warning for the recent Korean hostage situation in Afghanistan.

While the Korean government has sent troops to Afghanistan to support and assist the US occupation and its fight against terror and have stationing the troops at the infamous Bagram base, it has also attempted to distort the facts by pretending to be in Afghanistan for social reconstruction. Armed forces such as the Taliban are more than fully aware of what Korean civil society is not – the fact that the Korean government has been supporting this fight against terror by stationing troops in Afghanistan. The Korean government is in part responsible for the numerous civilian deaths occurring due to the US occupation of Afghanistan as it is participating in the war and assisting the US in its occupation of the territory. We, as Korean civil society reflect on our responsibility for not being able to prevent the dispatchment of Korean troops participating in this so-called ‘war against terror.’

We, not only hope for the safe return of the Korean hostages but remember the deaths of many Afghan civilians and the pain and grief of their families in the mist of war and conflict. We regret the fact that we have been participating in an unjust war rather than contributing to world peace by being sensitive to the suffering of many in Afghanistan. We have to consider whether we have categorized the actions of the resistant groups as simply ‘terror’ using a US perspective rather than fully understanding the reality of the Afghan conflict.

Please put on the yellow colored ribbons to pray for the safe return of the Korean hostages. Please let the international community become aware of how much Korean civil society desire the safe return of the Korean hostages.

Also, please put on the white colored ribbons to let the international community be aware of how regretful and sorry we are for the pain and suffering that the assistance and dispatchment of the Korean troops as well as our ignorance has caused the Afghan people.

Please pray that these actions will provoke the international community to take action to resolve the conflict situation in Afghanistan as well as urge the Taliban to release the Korean hostages.

Please urge .the UN and the US government to participate in direct talks to resolve this situation.

If you agree with our cause, please hang the ribbons anywhere anytime. It does not matter whether you hang them on the trees in Gwanghwamun area, on the windows in front of your house, in your car, or on your bag. Let the ribbons remind you of the 21 lives of the Korean hostages in Afghanistan and of peace, life and mercy.

It is not too late to debate the actions of the 21 civilians after they have safely returned home. Political debates that state that calling on the participation of the US government which is directly responsible for the conflict in Afghanistan simply fuels the ‘anti-American’ segment is also useless when it comes to saving the lives of the Korean hostages.

As we have willingly sacrificed our summer vacations to help those in need in flooded areas, it is time for us as Korean civil society to take action to help the Korean hostages experiencing unbelievable pain and suffering at this very moment.

We call on you to make the streets filled with yellow and white colored ribbons remembering the deaths of innocent Afghan civilians and calling for the safe return of the Korean hostages.

Endorsed by 78 civil society organizations including Green Korea, Green Transport, Korean Federation for Environmental Movement, Citizen’s Movement for Environmental Justice, Lawyers for a Democratic Society, KWWAU, Green Korea, Civil Network for a Peaceful Korea and People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD).