[May 10] Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun's oral statement on his protest fast after unjust and violent arrest

[아름드리 나무]

The below translation is from the dictation of oral statements by teh Gangjeong village mayor Kang Dong-Kyun and Mr. Lee Jong-Hwa. Mr. Koh  has visited the two in the Dongbu Police Station in the Jeju City and made notes of their statements on the day of their arrests on May 10. Ms. Hong  in Jeju made rearrangement of his notes. Please spread the news on Mayor Kang’s fast: Why he makes a protest fast after unjust and violent arrest? See the original Korean script, here. 

Immediately Release Kang Dong-Kyun, Lee Jong-Hwa, Koh Gwang-Sung!

Island governor, Woo Keun-Min, immediately apologize to the Gangjeong Villagers!

Stop illegal, environment-contaminating war base construction (destruction)!

Report on the situation in the morning of May 10

Stated by Kang Dong-Kyun and Lee Jong-Hwa

 The situation of the great administrative crack-down this morning was totally dumbfounding and non-sense.

How can the [Island governor] hold up us to ridicule as such?

Is it good for the Island governor to deride the local villagers as such?

Does he still have things to oppress local villagers?

1)    There was no Miranda notice during arrest(testimony by Lee Jong-Hwa)

2)    Unidentified people who were neither police nor government officers took away and arrested people (testimony by Lee Jong-Hwa)

3)    While not being able to control even illegal construction(destruction) and environment contamination, the Island governor made an empty promise.

4)    The great administrative execution on May 10 was a deal thoroughly ignoring of villagers’ opinions.

5)    It was the Gangjeong Village Association who presented the proofs and basis of illegal construction(destruction) by the navy and construction companies, which the Administrative government has not been able to carry out.

6)    While it says our act violates the law on road, it is a lie. We have been protesting in the area belonging to the stream.

7)    The local residents have the right to monitor illegal construction(destruction) happening in their town. On the contrary, the administration have oppressed the villagers.  

8)    We cannot understand the charge of special obstruction of business on government affairs against us.

 … Mayor Kang, “I will carry out undefined term fast until Island Governor Woo makes concrete and responsible reply and prompt action for settlement. I will continue to carry on fast while I am detained.”

 .....................................................................................................

"The villagers have the rights to monitor 

illegal construction (destruction) of their village.

I enter undefined fast from now on from the fury on the oppression on villagers by an unable governor who is not able to even control on illegal construction (destruction), and environment contamination."

 - Oral statement by Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun from the custody room of the Dongbu Police Station-

The situation of the great administrative crack-down this morning was demonic, dumbfounded and of nonsense. 

How can the [Island governor] hold up us to ridicule as such?

Does he still have things to oppress local villagers?

The great administrative execution on May 10 was a deal thoroughly ignorant of villagers’ opinions.

It was the Gangjeong Village Association who has presented the proofs and basis of illegal construction (destruction) by the navy and construction companies, which the administrative government has not been able to carry out.

While it says our act violates the law on road, it is a lie. We have been protesting in the area belonging to the stream.

Villagers have the right to monitor illegal construction(destruction) happening in their village. On the contrary, the administration have oppressed the villagers.

Eventually, it was turned out that the Island governor who is not able to even control on illegal construction (destruction), and environment contamination has made an empty promise. He has thoroughly betrayed villagers.

I enter undefined fast from now on from the fury on the oppression on villagers by an unable governor who is not able to even control on illegal construction (destruction), and environment contamination.

It is like that the Jeju Special Self-Governing Island governor has killed the local villagers twice, three times by enforcing great administrative crack-down as the person responsible for the governing of the Island.

During the great administrative crack-down, the government officers pushed the desk I was standing on. My [chained] neck was pressed and my life was at the risk. However, the police say that we are arrested under the charge of special obstruction on government affairs. I can hardly understand. It is the police and government officers having carried out great crack-down who wielded violence. It is more than that the thief turns on the master with a club.

I will carry out undefined term fast until Island Governor Woo makes concrete and responsible reply and prompt action on the control on illegal construction(destruction) and environmental contamination. I will continue to carry on fast while I am detained.

Afternoon, May 10, 2013

Kang Dong-Kyun, Mayor of the Gangjeong Village Association

From the custody room of the Dongbu police station

Source: Han Hyung-Joon, Seogwipo Daily News, May 10, 2013

 Mr. Lee Jong-Hwa being arrested, around 8:50 am, May 10, 2013

Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun and Lee Jong-Hwa chained themselves to protest people's sit-in  tent to be forcefully demolished. 

Mayor Kang Dong-Kyun  reads the Seogwipo City Hall notice on crack-down, explaning media reporters why it is unreasonable and unjust notice.