PSPD in English Newsletter 2014-11-18   1260

PSPD English Newsletter : September 2014

Tongin Newsletter, September 2014

This month at PSPD, Dreams we are making together

Tongin News last month was reported by Park Jeong-eun, deputy secretary-general of PSPD because I had joined in hunger strike at the Gwanghwamun Square for nine days with bereaved families including Yoomin’s father. I can’t say that I was able to empathize pains of the families during that period but it was a very precious time to get closer to them.
 
Desperate appeal of Yoomin’s father, he collapsed after 40 days of hunger strike
Kim Young-oh known as Yoomin’s father was sent to a hospital on 22 August after having 40 days hunger strike and many things happened during those 40 days.
‘17 July’ was a deadline of Sewol Special bill set by the president and representatives of leading and opposition party. However, it has passed hopelessly and the promise was not kept till 24 July the 100th days since the disaster. On 7 August, having a week ahead before the visit of the Pope, two parties hastily gave a proposal. Unfortunately, they failed to include measures to find the truth which secure probes without sanctuaries and barriers. The more serious matter was that bereaved families were deeply hurt because an agreement was unilaterally made without asking their opinions.     
On the other hand, the visit of Pope Francis gave a comfort and support to the families in despair and brought up the public interests on Sewol Ferry Special bill. The Pope had worn a yellow ribbon on his chest during his visit, mentioned Sewol matters all the time and visited Kim Young-oh and other bereaved families every day.
The message of the Pope was clear and his appeal was strong. At the mass of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary held on 15 August at the Daejeon World Cup Stadium, the Pope said in his homily that “I hope you reject the culture of the death which profane human dignity” and conveyed a message to fight against selfishness and unlimited competition destroying the society. He also stressed at the press conference on the 17th “The people act as what their hearts say when facing pains. My words of comfort can’t revive the deceased but we can solidify by sympathizing families of victims”. 
To a question his condolence on Sewol victims could be used politically, the Pope answered firmly and clearly at the press conference held in a plane on his way back to Vatican on the 18th that neutral position could not be kept in front of pains of human beings. He also mentioned a tragic accident in Buenos Aires, Argentina happened during his cardinal term and said “I thought the same at that time. 

참여사회 2014년 9월호 (통권 214호)

Contrary to a touch of the Pope, stance of the government and the leading party are cold and stiff
Nevertheless, behaviors of political parties were opposite to pope’s appeal and public response that their political calculation made negotiation process crippled. The second proposal suggested by both parties on 22nd was far from adopting a method to find the truth without sanctuaries and barriers which have been continuously demanded by the families. While the families argued that it was necessary to establish an investigation body entitled with a right to indict and investigate for a period of one and a half year, political parties did not even discuss this proposal and agreed to proceed with a current special prosecutor system. A current law limits probe period to 90 days and recommendation and appointment of special prosecutors can be controlled by a government and a leading party. It is obvious that the families and the people do not believe that the truth of Sewol disaster is possible to be found with a current system.

One thing improved in the second proposal compared to the first one suggested on the 7th was a way to recommend special prosecutors. A recommendation committee would nominate special prosecutors. The committee would be composed of seven members and four would be recommended by National Assembly. In a process of recommending two, a share of a leading party, it said to provide prior consent to an investigation body. It would not be indicated in a bill but secured with so called gentleman’s agreement. According to the argument of a leading party, it is possible to appoint special prosecutors independent from the government if the families can approve two committee members proposed by a leading party.
 
What the families want is not a trick but finding the truth without sanctuaries
Despite of what a leading party insists, it does not guarantee the families to directly recommend special prosecutors. It is not acceptable for the families not to have a right to recommend but consent, and even in that case, only for four committee members out of seven. Moreover, an agreement made by a leading and opposition party is not good enough to trust because a leading party broke the promise to reflect families’ opinion less a month.

● People’s council for the Sewol Ferry Disaster
▶ Together with bereaved families of Sewol Ferry and citizens, the People’s council is carrying out demonstrations in Gwangwangmun square and at the National Assembly calling for enactment of Sewol Ferry Special bill. The Council is also supporting families who are asking to meet the President at Cheongwoon-dong office near the Blue House since 22 August.  
▶ PSPD has sent four activists including me to an executive group of the Council. I co-chair steering committee and Lee Jae-geun, a head of policy planning team looks after situation room. Baek Ga-yoon of the Peace and International Team and Hwang Soo-young from the International Cooperation Team take in charge of both domestic and international press, SNS and deal with vicious comments.
▶ The Family Council for Disaster Safety composed of bereaved families of past disastrous accidents was officially established on 12 August. PSPD is in a close cooperation with families who are participating in this council.

● The Center for Peace & Disarmament
▶ Israel started indiscriminate bombing to Gaza Strip of the Palestine since mid-July. More than 1,800 Palestine residents have been killed and armed conflicts have gone to the worst situation. Regarding this matter, peace and human rights organizations including PSPD had hold rallies and press conferences near Israeli Embassy in Gwanghwamun at every Saturday from 26 July to 16 August. Furthermore, written inquiry protesting against Korean government which did not vote for ‘Sending independent investigation team to Gaza Strip‘ at the UN Human Rights council on 23 July.  
▶ The Army promised self-reform concerning violence within the army after Private Yoon was bullied and beaten to death. However, PSPD suggested to establish an external watch organization and to legislate Human Rights within the Army Act because it could not trust what the army said. To give a shape, it held a discussion <Legal measures to secure human rights of soldiers> with the office of a lawmaker Jin Seong-jun. (Please see details on page 67 of Tongin News)

 

<Peace and Disarmament Center>

Time goes backwards in the Korean army

Questionable ‘Self-reform’ of the Korean army, an external watch organization must be established 
Kim Seung-hwan, activist, the Center for Peace and Disarmament
 
“We have kept talking about these matters since 10 years ago” a professor Lee Jae-seung who took the first agenda said at the discussion. Then he added “What we do now is only praying for the army to change”. Song Ki-choon, a professor of Jeongbook University commented that present army was no different from 30 years ago when he carried out military duties and infringements of human rights became even worse and crueler.

PSPD and the office of a lawmaker Jin Seung-jun held a National Assembly discussion “Legislations to secure human rights within the Army” on 19 August. There was a gunfire incident in Division 22 in June. Before aftershock diminished, investigation record of a private Yoon’s death was exposed that he was bullied and beaten to death in Division 28 four months before its exposure. The public cried out with angers and distrust over the Army. Thereupon, PSPD has prepared a National Assembly discussion to reflect structural problems of ceaseless infringements of human rights within the Army and to suggest basic solutions.
According to a professor Lee Jae-seung, no system would work without changing a fundamental idea about the position of soldiers and he suggested a concept ‘A citizen wearing a uniform’ of the Germany meaning a soldier with a citizen identity so that a system should be built for the Army to stand up as an owner of the right. Han Sang-hee, a chair of management committee of the PSPD argued that human rights infringements in the Army have not been controlled by the law because institutional system was not independent from the closed military hierarchy. As an alternative, he suggested an abolition of a military court in the long term.  

Furthermore, ‘Military Ombudsman’ system was introduced by a professor Hong Seong-su which can watch human rights from outside of the Army. He explained that it is the system which would bear the most tangible results to resolve the matter. Lee Tae-ho, a secretary general of PSPD pointed out that a cause of infringement is incurred by the characteristic of current military system which excludes conscripted soldiers from the Army. To resolve this, it is essential to make conscripted soldiers a precious existence. He also said to reduce the number of soldiers from a current over 600 thousands and duty period. A professor Song ki-choon emphasized education that soldiers should acknowledge a ground to follow superior’s order is the law and make themselves “Soldiers to think’ who can judge legality of orders within a boundary of the law.

Concerning human rights issues in the Army burst executively, PSPD expressed the need of establishing legislation of Military Human Rights Act and an external watch system through a National Assembly discussion, comments and statements. There are alternatives. We need a strong voice of the people to make military authorities to adopt it. PSPD will continue online and offline campaigns in cooperation with various organizations for systemic improvements of military human rights legislation and extensive reform of the Army     

 

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