UPDATE ON URGENT APPEAL UPDATE ON URGENT APPEAL UPDATE ON URGENT APPEAL
ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – URGENT APPEALS PROGRAM
Update on Urgent Appeal 8 January 2001
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UP-01-2001 (RE: UA 43/00: ‘It’s time to abolish the National Security Law.’)
UPDATE(SOUTH KOREA) – Hunger Strike in South Korea is still going on
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Dear Friends,
We would like to send you the following protest letter which was signed by many of civic and human rights organizations in South Korea. As you know, more than 20 human rights and civic activists in South Korea have been on a hunger strike to abolish the National Secrurity Law (NSL) and to establish an effective National Human Rights Commission outside of Myungdong Catholic Church since December 18, 2000.
Despite freezing temperatures and such snowy weather, this hunger strike is still going on. Some of the hunger strikers have been sent back to hospital.
To support the hunger strikers and create international pressure, we urge you to send support letters to SARANGBANG, representative Korean human rights group and protest letters to President Kim Dae-jung and political parties in Korea.
We’re also sending you the list of names of hunger striker as of January 7, 2001.
In Solidarity,
Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission
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PROTEST LETTER TO PRESIDENT KIM DAE-JUNG AND HIS RULING PARTY FROM
REPRESENTATIVE OF HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS IN SOUTH KOREA
January 5, 2001
Look at human rights activists who are on hunger strike despite such
freezing temperatures and such snowy weather!
Today, Jan. 5, 2001, has been nine days since human rights activists in South Korea began staging a hunger strike at Myungdong Cathedral in Seoul. We, representatives of human rights organizations who have struggled for democratization and human rights for so long, cannot help but feel sad about the need for a hunger strike. Now is not the age of a brutal dictatorial regime in Korea but is the 21st century, the so-called century of human rights. Moreover, it is the country that has as its president a former long-time dissident and a champion of human rights and the winner of the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize which has drawn the attention of the whole world. Yet it is in this country that this hunger strike is taking place.
All range of politicians, as well as President Kim, must look at the issues that these human rights activists are continuing to raise through their hunger strike despite freezing temperatures of minus 10 degrees below zero. They have been turned out onto the street by the New Millenium Democratic Party (MDP) which does not want to take responsibility for the fact that there has been no significant progress towards abolishing the National Security Law (NSL) and establishing a National Human Rights Commission in the past three years and President Kim has sadly never taken a political decision toward addressing them.
Recently, although a bill to abolish the NSL as well as a bill to establish the National Human Rights Commission were submitted to the National Assembly, the ruling party, the New Millenium Democratic Party, does not have any opinion about these two progressive laws. Thus, we, representatives of human rights organizations, urge the ruling party to make their position clear, a position which would accept the proposal of civic organizations on these two progressive laws and to make their decision during the current temporary assembly meeting. We strongly cannot accept their argument to neglect international society’s advice, including the views of the United Nations, and damage universal international standards on human rights. Do not overlook that your negligence and self-righteousness have made human rights activists fall down on the freezing street. We also deny your intention to pass only one of three progressive laws that include the bill to abolish the National Security Law, the bill to establish the National Human Rights Commission and the bill to enact a law against corruption. The passage of these three
progressive laws are President Kim’s promise to the nation as well as an old progressive subject so these laws can never be enacted separately; they must all be passed simultaneously. President Kim and the NMD must make their opinion clear at this assembly meeting.
President Kim and the NMD must clearly know that this protest letter is an ultimatum that is being sent by all civic and social organizations as well as human rights organizations in South Korea. If the people’s sentiment turns against you, you have to know that the end of President Kim’s regime will be the same as other former disgraced governments in South Korea.
Today the hunger strike of human rights activists in South Korea is still continuing.
THE LIST OF NAMES AND ORGNIZATIONS OF HUNGER STRIKERS AS OF JANUARY 7, 2001 (Total 21 Persons)
KIM Chong-hyun(Citizen), KIM Seok-han(Ulsan Hman Rghts Slidarity), KIM Ji-seon(Chonbuk Solidarity for Peace and Human Rights), NAM
Sang-duk(Catholic Human Rights Commission), PARK You-soon(Federation for Korean Independence and reunification), SUH Joon-shik(SARANGBANG), SONG Joo-hyun(Dasan Human Rights Center), YOU hae-jeong(SARANGBANG), LEE Seong-hee(PSPD), LEE Chang-jo(SARANGBANG), LIM Tae-hoon(Human Rights Solidarity for Homosexualist), JANG Nam-soo(YOUGAHYUB), JEONG Young-seok(University Student), CHO Young-min(CitizenS’ Solidarity for Human Rights), CHO Hyeo-eun(Buddist Human Rights Commission), CHOI Seok-jin(Social Progresive Solidarity), CHOI Young-hee(Salidarity for New Society), CHOI IN-hwa(Chonbuk Solidarity for Peace and Human Rights), CHOI Jae-hoon(KHIS), HAN Jae-gak(PSPD), HAN Hee-sook(MINGAHYUP)
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SEND PROTEST LETTER TO:
1. Mr. Kim Dae-jung
President of Republic of Korea
The Chungwoadae
1 Sejong-ro, Chonro-gu
Seoul, 110-050
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
FAX: +82 2 770-0202
TEL: +82 2 770-0027
E-MAIL: president@cwd.go.kr
SALUTATION: Your Excellency
Send copies to:
Mr. Kim Jeong-kil
Ministry of Justice
1 Jungang-dong, Kwachon-si
Kyonggi Province, 427-760
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
FAX: +822 504-3337
E-MAIL: jk.kim@moj.go.kr
SALUTATION: Dear
2. Mr. Kim Jung-kwon
Representative of the New Millenium Democratic Party
Kisan Building, 15 Yoido-dong, Youngdeungpo-gu
Seoul, 150-010
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
FAX: +82 2 761-0550
TEL: +82 2 784-2855
E-MAIL: webmaster@minjoo.or.kr
SALUTATION: Dear
Mr. Lee Hoi-chang
President of the Grand National Party
17-7 Yoido-dong, Youngdeungpo-gu
Seoul, 150-010
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
FAX: +82 2 3786-3110
TEL: +82 2 3786-3101-5
E-MAIL: webmaster@hannara.or.kr
SALUTATION: Dear
SEND SUPPORT LETTER TO:
SARANGBANG Group for Human Rights
4th Fl, 8-29, Myunglyun dong 2ga, Jongno-gu,
Seoul, 110-522
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
FAX: +82 2 741-5364
TEL: +82 2 741-5363
E-MAIL: humanrights@sarangbang.or.kr
