아시아 10/05/10 KOREA - River project protest takes a political turn

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KOREA - River project protest takes a political turn

Published Date: May 11, 2010

Priests protesting the river project

SEOUL (UCAN) — Catholic clergy and Religious have stepped up their campaign against a controversial river development pro-ject, urging the faithful to vote only for candidates who oppose the project.

A May 10 protest rally at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul at-tracted 3,000 people, including 300 priests from across the country, as well as Religious and laypeople.

“Our call to vote for select candidates is not political inter-vention,” the Catholic Solidarity for Deterrence of Four Major Rivers Project wrote in a statement signed by 5,003 priests and Religious.

“But it is the duty of the faithful to resist unfair social cir-cumstances. It is the Church’s teaching and a realization of justice.”

It is the second major statement on the project by clergy, with 1,104 priests and Religious signing an earlier document.

The government’s 22.2 trillion-won (US$19.13 billion) Four Major Rivers Restoration Project includes dredging and damming sec-tions of the country´s major waterways. Authorities say it is needed to prevent flooding and pollution.

Protesters have asked all priests to celebrate Mass on Wednes-days and laypeople to fast on Fridays and pray the rosary for what they say is a death knell for the rivers.

“Our outcry is the proclamation of the value of life created by God,” the statement said.

Franciscan Father Titus Yoon Jong-il gave the homily at the Mass.

“Now, the rivers are groaning, life in the rivers are dying and wetlands are being destroyed,” he said.

“President Lee Myung-bak is pushing hard but working on a false belief which will change the whole ecosystem of Korea.”

The day before the Catholic rally, Saegil Institute for Christianity and Culture, a Protestant research institute, organized a multi-religious symposium in Seoul on the four river project.

Buddhists and Catholics also took part with Father Paul Suh Sang-jeen, theology professor at Suwon Catholic University, introducing the local bishops’ statement against the project.

He stressed that “Catholics’ position is clear regarding the matter. Justice, peace and protecting environment should be viewed in their interconnectedness. The effort of protecting environment and life is a duty that all Christians should perform.”