Our Solidarity to the Activists Arrested
in Prague and an Immediate Call for their Release!!
Denouncement of the Czech
Government and Police for their Brutality and Abuse of Human
Rights!!
All of us here in Korea, organizing support and action for the
struggle that will take place against neo-liberal globalization
on the 20th of October at the Asia Europe Meeting, were greatly
angered by news coming from Prague on
police brutality and the blatant disregard for human rights
that have occured, and which are still going on, regarding the
activists arrested at the anti-globalization demonstrations.
During the days leading up to the demonstrations, the Korean
People's Action Against Investment Treaties and the WTO (KoPA),
and the People's Rally Committee had already expressed our solidarity
to the activists gathering in Prague and declared our full support
for their/our struggle against globalization. We were concerned
over the massive gathering of police and even military forces,
and in recent days we have seen our concerns become reality,
with the Czech authorities brutallly suppressing the demonstrations
and arresting hundreds of activists in the process. That is
not all, we have reports coming in of beatings, sexual harassment,
and denial of basic rights going on in prisons. The degree of
brutality is reminiscent of the oppression that was present
during the dictatorships, both here in Korea and abroad. It
is especially alarming because such practices have become routine
in the government and police/military responses toward international
actions such as the ones in Seattle, Melbourne, and Prague.
We are seeing increased government suppression, increased police
violence, increased efforts by those in power to control their
opposition and to limit their actions.
The police/government in Korea are responding with similar measures,
they have already announced that the area all around the site
of the Asia Europe Meeting will be closed off for the duration
of the meetings, and have outlawed all demonstrations. Police
special force units are training around the site already in
southern Seoul. A clash with the police appears to be inevitable
in Korea as well.
Many of the demands of the activists in Seoul on October 20th
will be the same as the ones voiced in Seattle, Washington,
Meobourne, and Prague. We will oppose globalization for the
few, corporate rule, and the system of inequality which financial
institutions such as the IMF and World Bank enforce upon third
world nations and the people of the world. We will demand the
cancellation of third world debt, a stop to neo-liberal restructuring
and plans for more liberalization. We will be in the streets
to protect the livelihood and rights of the workers, the farmers,
the poor, and all those who suffer from the barbarism of neo-liberal
globalization.
As the appeal message for solidarity from INPEG said, '[the]
huge majority of the arrested are arrested only because of their
political conviction. The repression is based on the collective
guilt - the police must stop their brutality and release the
activists immediately.' It seems governments and police authorities
have forgotten that the right to criticize the government and
to voice opposition to its policies, to congregate and demonstrate
in the process of doing so, are values and rights that are at
the very heart of democracy. Rights which need to be protected
in order for democratic society to prosper, not suppressed and
denied. We again denounce the Czech government and police for
their outright disregard for democratic rights and the human
rights violations going on inside the prisons. We demand the
immediate release of all activists. We also demand an apology
from the government for it's oppression of the justified activities
of the people participating in the demonstrations and demand
that the police chief step down for his responsibility in the
human rights violations that have taken place inside the Czech
prisons.
The actions by the people against globalization will continue
in Seoul, and although we are hoping for the best, objective
expectations lead us to believe that much of what has happened
in Prague will repeat itself here. This is why your continued
interest, support, and solidarity for our actions is critical,
both for the success of the movement and for the safety of the
protestors. We promise to keep you continously updated on all
that happens here in Korea leading up to the actions, and the
actions themselves. Solidarity!!
-The Korean People's Action Against Investment Treaties and
the WTO (KoPA) is a people's network opposed to the MAI and
the WTO,composed of more than 40 social, labor and citizen's
movement organizations. Its aim is to make people recognize
clearly the negative effects of the WTO, and also to stop the
on-going negotiations of Bilateral Investment Treaties(BIT)
between Korea and U.S / Korea and Japan. KoPA focuses on four
issues mainly; first, opposition to the investment treaties
and the WTO. secondly, control of transnational financial capital,
thirdly, cancellation of foreign debt and redistribution to
people, and the lastly stopping the IMF's SAPs. It also stress
the importance of international solidarity in the development
of its struggles.
-The People's Rally Committee is a composed of the major people's
organizations in Korea, including the Korean Confederation of
Trade Unions(KCTU), the Korean Farmer's League(KFL), and the
National Union of the Poor. It organizes The People's Rally
to defend the people's livelihood and basic rights against capital
and the government's neo-liberal policies.
More information on the ASEM actions can be seen at:
http://antiwto.jinbo.net
Regular updates on the preparations for the ASEM action can
be heard through the PICIS internet broadcasts at: http://cast.jinbo.net/news/yundai.html
Contact us at: kopa@jinbo.net
3rd Oct. 2000
Korean People's Action Against Investment Treaties and the WTO
People's Rally Committee