FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 11, 2013
Berkeley joins Steinem & Stone in seeking Justice 4 Jeju.
Contacts:
Paul Liem: 510-414-5575 pliem@mindspring.com
KJ Noh: k.j.noh48@gmail.com
Christine Ahn: christineahn@mac.com
Stephanie Miyashira 524-2624
Councilmember Max Anderson 981-7130
Councilmember Kriss Worthington (510) 981-7170 kworthington@cityofberkeley.
Berkeley
made history by becoming the first City in a growing international
movement of environmentalists and peace activists to stand up for
villagers on Jeju Island in their long struggle to oppose a massive
naval base being built on the beautiful island.
Gloria Steinem emailed the Berkeley City Council: "…There
are some actions for which those of us alive today will be judged in
centuries to come. The only question will be: What did we know and when
did we know it? I think one judgment-worthy action may be what you and I
do about the militarization of Jeju Island, South Korea, in service of
the arms race.”
Jeju
Island is UNESCO’s only triple honoree: a Global Geological Park, a
Biosphere Reserve, and a World Heritage Site. This environmental jewel
was designated an “Absolute Conservation Area” by the Korean Government,
was proclaimed an “Island of Peace”, and voted one of the “New Seven
Wonders of the World.”
Affected
local villagers have engaged in seven years of principled non-violent
struggle, facing endless beatings, arrests, fines, and imprisonment.
Most recently, Sister Stella Soh, the first Catholic Nun in Korean
history to be arrested for an act of conscience, was arraigned in a
Korean court.
Stephanie
Miyashira, an activist in a wheel chair, broke down in tears as she
implored the council to support the cause of peace. She agreed with
Oliver Stone, who stated : “I deplore the militarization of Jeju Island. I deplore the building of the base. This is leading up to a war, and we cannot have another war here. We have to stop this thing.”
Christine Ahn, a scholar at the Korea Policy Institute, wrote in a heartfelt and moving letter to Berkeley City Council that she had named her daughter Jeju because of her passion for the cause of the peace activists on the island.
Berkeley’s
Resolution calls on the US Military "to cease supporting the base which
will gravely harm the fragile ecology, damage the livelihood of the
people of Jeju, and make this Island of Peace a pawn of the great powers
and a magnet for military conflict.”
This historic vote will be celebrated in a press conference at 6:30 PM on December 17 at Berkeley Old City Hall steps, 2134 MLK Jr. Way, Berkeley 94704
Contacts:
Paul Liem: 510-414-5575 pliem@mindspring.com
KJ Noh: k.j.noh48@gmail.com
Christine Ahn: christineahn@mac.com
Stephanie Miyashira 524-2624
Councilmember Max Anderson 981-7130
Councilmember Kriss Worthington (510) 981-7170 kworthington@cityofberkeley.
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