PSPD in English Newsletter 2014-10-13   1481

PSPD Newsletter : July 2014

PSPD English Newsletter : July 2014

This month at PSPD, Dreams we are making together.

 

 

● The PSPD is a member of the <People’s council for the Sewol Ferry Disaster> in which more than 800 civil and social organizations participate and has taken a lead in activities.
– PSPD has continued candle rallies on every weekends urging for swift search of missing passengers of the sunken Sewol Ferry and finding the truth
– In solidarity with bereaved families, it has joined in the movement to collect 10million signatures asking for the enactment of Sewol Ferry Special Act to probe the truth. As of 20 June, more than 1.5 million signatures are collected.
– The People’s Council for the Sewol Ferry Disaster organizes <The Bus of tolerance> heading to Paengmok Port at 2 pm on every Fridays.

 

● As a secretariat organization for the <People’s Participatory Committee for finding the truth of the Sewol Ferry Disaster> 1), PSPD is practically working on an investigation to find the truth together with bereaved families.
– The Committee held a discussion “Special Act for finding the truth of the Sewol Ferry Disaster, how should it be made?” with opposition lawmakers on 28 May at the National Assembly hall. PSPD insisted that investigation body must be a national organization but independent from the National Assembly and the government so that authorities and powers are guaranteed to investigate without a barrier including former and current presidents, government officers, civilians and soldiers. It also pointed out that the Act must secure participation of bereaved families. – Along with the Council of bereaved families, PSPD works at the site investigation team interviewing survivors, fishermen at Paengmok port and civil divers.
– The Peace and International Team of PSPD is in charge of collecting information on oversea’ cases how they probe to find the truth after large scale tragic accidents
14524024326_f80281fed9_n.jpg

● In addition, PSPD is carrying out Sewol Ferry Disaster related projects on its own or in collaboration with other organizations.
– With respect to a reform bill of the Public Service Ethics Act suggested by the government as a measure to prevent disasters like the Sewol Ferry, the Administration Watch Center submitted a statement to the Ministry of Safety and Administration on 9 June pointing out defects and insufficient contents. Especially, it drew attention to lack of independence of the Civil Servant Ethics Committee.  
– The Campaign for Anyone with Stable Life also cooperates with preparatory committee of the<Family Council for Disaster Safety> to make prevention measures for disastrous accidents. The Family Council is composed of bereaved families of disasters such as Sealand, Daegu Subway, Incheon Inhyun-dong beer pub, Gyeonggu Resort, and Taean private Marine Corps camp. They actively cooperate and share empathies and wisdoms earned from own pains and experiences with bereaved families of the sunken Sewol Ferry. 
– The Support Center for Whistle Blowers for public interests released a joint statement on 16 June with 52 whistle blowers and five related organizations. They argued that whistle blowing for public interests must be protected and activated to prevent disasters such as the Sewol Ferry.
– On 2 June, the Public Interest Law Center criticized that what the government has done right after the moment Sewol Ferry sunk is to control and shut the voices of the press and the people which are supposed to watch the government. It also announced to supply appropriate legal rescue to people whom the government tries to punish with an excuse of post-disaster counter-measures.
– The Peace and International Team of PSPD published an issue report <Oversea Cases of post-disaster committee for finding the truth> on 22 June.  In order to bring out the issue of Sewol Ferry Special Act Enactment, the report introduces activities, roles, recommendations and assessments of the 911 National Commission, the Katrina Bipartisan Committee in the US, the Independent Investigation Commission on the Fukushima Nuclear Accident in Japan and the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission in the Australia. 
– PSPD and the Kyunghyang Daily are publishing a series of articles since 14 June <Two months since Sewol Ferry sunk, article relay ‘This must change’>.
– PSPD and the Civil Society Organizations Network in Korea held <Open discussion with citizens to reflect Sewol Ferry disaster> on 30 May at the Ansan Culture Square.
 

● PSPD won the case asking to disclose the information in regard to Korea-Japan military alliance negotiation which was made in closed-door.
– PSPD filed the case (2013 Guhap 59798) against a Foreign Affairs Minister demanding to cancel the decision not to disclose the information concerning Korea-Japan military information protection treaty. The Section 14 of the Seoul Administration Court (Judge Cha Haeng-jeon) decided on 5 June to disclose all information except two clauses.
 

● PSPD is fighting against a movement to facilitate profit-making medical service which is speeding up after the provincial government election, and retrograding social and economic rights of the people including dwindling labor rights and abusing police power in dispute sites. 
Together with the People’ Action to Stop Privatization of Medical Service, PSPD is carrying out a campaign protesting against the government’s decision to approve establishing affiliates of hospitals.
Spontaneous one person demonstrations at various locations are taken place to increase the minimum hourly wage to 6,700 KRW from 2015.
PSPD is in solidarity with the Korean Teachers and Education Workers’ Union which received unfair decision “Not a union” from the court.
PSPD has sent an urgent appeal to a UN Special Rapporteur concerning serious infringements of human rights in the course of administration execution by proxy in Milyang Transmission Tower construction site.

The end of reports from Lee Tea-ho, a secretary-general of PSPD.

1) The People’s Participatory Committee for finding the truth of the Sewol Ferry Disaster is a special investigation body established by the People’s council for the Sewol Ferry Disaster in which more than 800 civil and social organizations nationwide participate. Lee Seok-tae, co-representative of PSPD is a co-chairman of the committee. 

 

정부지원금 0%, 회원의 회비로 운영됩니다

참여연대 후원/회원가입


참여연대 NOW

실시간 활동 SNS

텔레그램 채널에 가장 빠르게 게시되고,

더 많은 채널로 소통합니다. 지금 팔로우하세요!