Amnesty G48 April Meeting

April 5th 2008, Amnesty Office, Dongdaemun, 4 – 6pm

Meeting Theme: Women’s Rights

1. Review of February’s minutes

2. Petition signing

3. Review of last two months’ actions

l Migrants’ Trade Union

l Prisoners of conscience

l Comfort women 800th/803rd protests

l International Women’s Day (Angela)

4. Amnesty Leaders’ Forum (Tom)

5. China campaign update (Tom)

6. The Comfort Women Betrayed — and Solutions (Victor Fic)

7. Working with the Hmong people (Anne Peters)

8. Theme discussion: Women’s rights

9. Future actions

10. Any other business

l Association for Teachers of English in Korea (Tom)

l ITF & Eco-tourism (Layne Hartsell)

Please have a look at get back to me with your comments. See the directions to the new location below:

1. Line 2,4,5 Dongdaemun Stadium Exit 4 ->  after you out of the Exit 4, you’ll see a crosswalk on your right

-> cross and follow the street about..50m then you will find the Hyundai motor agency on your right. The office is on the third floor in that building (take the elevator inside the garage).

2. Line 3 Dongguk Univ. Exit 3 -> follow the street (Dongguk Univ. at your back) and find Kyungdong Church

-> next to the Kyungdong Church, you can find the Hyundai motor agency on your right. The office is on the third floor in that building (take the elevator inside the garage).

It’s easy to find it and it’s closer from Dongdaemun Stadium.

I look forward to seeing you all at the meeting!

 Please add a personal testimony here. 

This year’s International Women’s Day went off without a hitch. Those G48 volunteers who were able to attend all donned purple scarves and accessories and joined a 4,000-strong (please confirm this number by comment) procession through the capital city. G48 carried its Stop Violence Against Women banner high and paraded through the streets of Seoul, circling City Hall along the Cheonggyecheon (see photos). Our purple scarves represented the flight of women; women’s ability to fly and rise above discrimination and oppression. Fortunately(?), our collective skills with the scissors proved the fact that men and women are equal, even in their incompetence!

First we gathered at EWHA Women’s High School to watch the annual award ceremony, following some cultural performances (some were entertaining, others a little confusing?). This year’s IWD award went to the Korea Council and the halmoni who have struggled against the silence, wind, rain and snow for over 800 weeks. It was an important recognition, and completely deserved. Unfortunately, it won’t reduce their struggle, but it should be seen as a source of hope.

When we reached City Hall, Angela and Joh were womanning the Sharing House stall and providing information to visitors and parade-goers alike, although they did join us for the walk up and down the stream. There were many other stalls providing resources and information on women’s rights and promoting groups working for women’s issues. The backdrop to all this was live music and performances from a range of people. It was a colorful day full of colorful people.

Please make a further contribution to women’s rights this month by coming to Sharing House to visit the halmoni and expose yourself to a proper education on the issue of sexual slavery this Sunday (March 23rd). It is time to show your support!

Michael and Tom were able to participate in the 803rd Comfort Women Protest outside the Japanese Embassy on Wednesday, March 5th. A large crowd gathered to reflect on the ongoing struggle taken by these amazing women and their supporters in an anticipation of International Women’s Day.

Amnesty International had an international delegation present and Secretary General Catherine (HeeJin) addressed the crowd to show what AI has been doing and will continue to do on this issue. This was followed by some fiery chanting and speeches from stalwart activists, and then we were all greeted with traditional Korean folk singing.The protest itself was a very joyous occasion, all things considered, and it was great to see the halmoni take to the streets dancing and singing. There was a symbolic release of balloons into the sky following a short march at the end of the protest, filling the sky with yellow. There was a real sense of hope in the air.

To our great sadness, later on that day it was discovered that one of the halmoni had passed away. There are seven remaining halmoni who will continue the struggle.

Please also see the following link: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/03/08/2003404579

Instead of a seated meeting this month, we decided we should all congregate together on the street and do it mobile!  Think of this as killing two birds with one stone!  A G48 meeting and a day of celebration to reflect on and promote women’s emancipation and advancement!

IWDSeoul—International Women’s Day Celebrations in Seoul
Day : Saturday, March 8, 2008
Time : 1:00~5:00PM (please see below for meeting place)
 
You’re all invited!
International Women’s Day (IWD) 2008 marks 100 years since the protest of female textile labourers in NYC that inspired the international naming of IWD on March 8, 1911.  The Korea Women’s Associations United (KWAU) is celebrating this centennial by taking over the streets of central Seoul with women and their supporters sporting flamboyant colour, singing and dancing in the streets.  Come out and represent the foreign community, to show the international ties between women and their supporters everywhere, and to dance and make noise for women on the streets of Seoul!  There will be at least 5000 Korean activists taking to the streets that day, so let’s help them rattle the ears of the Blue House!
 
If you plan to join the parade, please throw on something in purple and bring a noisemaker! (Castanets, tambourine, triangle, handbell, bell, kitchen utensils, plastic bottle, etc.)  More details below!
 
Overview:  (for detailed schedule, read below)
Time & Place – 1:00~2:00 in front of YouGwanSoon Memorial Hall(유관순기념관) at Ewha Women’s High School (directions below)
 
1:00-1:45:  Korean Women’s Organizations Information Fair
1:50:  Opening Ceremony & Honouring of Halmoni and Wednesday Protest Group (those who have been protesting Japanese Military Sexual Slavery in front of Japanese Embassy each week in Seoul for more than 800 weeks)
2:30-2:40:  Parade moves toward city hall, along the Jonggye stream, snakes back around to Seoul City Hall
4:00:  Seoul Plaza Festival, with popular singers and dancers
Everything will finish between 5-5:30
——————————————————————————————–
 
International Women’s Day Seoul 2008
Program Details and Call for Participants
 
This is a very special International Women’s Day, and we’d love to gather as many people as possible to support the local women’s movement.  Korean organizations focusing on many issues (Labour Issues, Ability Issues, Farmer’s Rights, and all women’s rights you can imagine) will be present at the parade.  You are welcome to attend as an individual or as a special interest group if you belong to one (if you volunteer with a group, if you represent a ‘minority’ in the population etc.).  If you are hoping to attend, please email me at IWDSeoul2008@gmail.com with your name, organization if any, and how many people would like to attend.
 
The Parade:
The parade will be divided into four segments around different themes, and the group of people walking with that particular float will dress or wear an accessory in a particular colour to add to the visual impact of the parade.  The groups are as follows:
 
1.  “Women Open the World”  (BLUE)
The opening float will be headed by the Korean equivalent to the goddess GAIA, named “MAGO-HALMI”. 
2.  “Women Fly!”  (PURPLE)
The float will have wings of silver fabric that make it appear to fly along the street…
**the KWAU will be in this group, and this is where the “foreign” groups will join.  There will be 3 MCs on the float, and commentary will be bilingual.   Please wear a purple accessory, mask, wig, scarf, whatever, and bring along something to make noise!
3.  “Women are Multifaceted”  (GREEN)
4.  “Women Want Rice and Roses” (RED)
 
Parade course : YouGwanSoon Memorial Hall(유관순기념관) -> JungDongGil(정동길, near Deoksugung Palace) -> Seoul Plaza -> Jonggyechon Stream -> Seoul Plaza at city hall for festival
 
* How to get to EHWA women’s high school
Subway #5 Seodaemun St. Exit #6 -> go straight for 140m -> turn left -> You can find the gate of Ehwa Foreign Language high school, enter it.
-> across the playground to the right direction. (maybe along the mark)
http://www.congnamul.com/urlLink.jsp?x=493277&y=1128347  
 
 
To RSVP or for more information, write to Angela at IWDSeoul2008@gmail.com

See you there!

Migrant Trade Union

Members from Migrant Trade Union (MTU) were very pleased when Tom, Richard, Andy and Henry joined their weekly candle lit vigil last Thursday (Feb. 21) at 6:30 pm near Gwanghwamun station in Seoul. The MTU’s main objective of staging the vigil is for the government to recognize and legalize the union, the first ever union of its kind in both South Korea and Asia in terms of the nature and status of its membership.

Whether the South Korean government will recognize it as a legal union still remains uncertain and a different story whose case is pending at a Seoul High Court, the emergence of the migrant union itself is a milestone in the history of migrant workers’ movement in Korea.

Migrant Mass Protest

More than one thousand migrant workers and Koreans joined hands in a mass demonstration Sunday afternoon (Feb. 24) to mark the first anniversary of Yeosu Foreigners Detention Center fire that claimed the lives of 10 migrants and injured 17 others on February 11, 2007.

The the demonstration, also joined by several non-Asian residents, was sponsored and organized by The Emergency Committee to stop repression against migrants and Alliance of Migrants’ Equality & Human Rights. The participants met at Marronnier Park near Hyehwa station at 2 pm in Seoul where speeches were given and slogans shouted. The demonstrators then marched down to Jongno-Tower near Jonggak station, shouting slogans as they walked, calling for the government to improve migrant workers’ lives and to stop cracking down on them. The peaceful rally ended around 5:30 pm.

Contributed by Henry.

Henry, Richard, Tom and (new recruit) Andy attended yesterday’s vigil for migrant workers’ rights, outside Kyobo Bookstore, Gwanghwamun.  The vigil is held every Thursday from 6.30pm and is organised by the Migrants’ Trade Union (MTU).

About 20 people attended, including students from EWHA Women’s University who performed a dance to keep the workers entertained and raise everyone’s spirits.  A few people spoke to the group of protestors, including the MTU’s Seoul representative.  Tom spoke on behalf of Amnesty and explained that Amnesty fights for migrant rights around the globe and that their struggle has not gone unnoticed, rather it has received international attention.  He also mentioned that he hoped to have more members of G48 attend in the near future.

There will be a protest to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Yeosu Dentention Center fire, which killed or injured many migrant workers last year, on Sunday from 2pm at the arts park in Hyehwa-dong (Daehangno).  All members who can are encouraged to attend.

A BRIEF SUMMARY REPORT – (Full report will be presented at the next meeting, including conclusions that g48 can draw from those things discussed)

Amnesty & the Outside World

The world is facing two major crises at the moment: terrorism and climate change. Amnesty needs to address the world’s worst human rights abuses and turn words into action.

Three main foci:

n         1)    Women and poverty (violence against women, women’s empowerment),

n         2)    Wealth and development,

n         3)    Business ethics.

Other issues discussed were the continuing concentration of media in the hands of a few, the globalizing world and unequal development (Global North/Global South), movement of people, aspects of democracy and transparency in global and national governance.

AI’s CURRENT SITUATION & CAPACITY

l        Global membership increased from 1.5 to 2.2 members from 2001 – 2005.

l        AI’s total income in Euros increased from 89 million in 1996, 143 million in 2003 to 181 million in 2005.

l        Women’s position in Amnesty is increasing and currently makes up over half in key areas like global leadership and membership.

REPORT FROM THE 2007 INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL MEETING

The 2007 AI ICM was held in Morelos, Mexico over 8 days and was attended by three Korean delegates and other delegates from a total of 63 countries. The main aim of the meeting was to discuss how to strengthen the global system (of AI) by focusing on the following points: transparency, One Amnesty strategy (the challenge of incorporating One Amnesty in Korea), evaluation of AI’s actions, and internal democracy. A number of reports were presented and discussed at the meeting.

From Adoption to Agency

Until now Amnesty has taken victims and worked for their causes, using the ‘victim’ as an agent. The new strategy is to encourage self-empowerment for people: victims are now called ‘survivors’; ‘shareholders’ are now ‘stakeholders’; from a Western to a global coalition mentality.

KOREAN CHAPTER REPORT

AI has grown exponentially since 2005, from 700 members (July 2005) to 7,000 members in (December) 2007. People hear about AI mostly through the media, then on campus, and then through our street presence (campaigns). AI must be for the poor, victims of torture and their families, the deported. HR begin must begin at home. Asia’s poverty must be voiced by AI. We need to become more youth-focused, highlight the importance of AI to Koreans, promote AI through mass-scale events, become more democratic and transparent, avoid being political (this is viewed as a roadblock). Industries in Korea lack the proper education facilities but HR education is important for businesses. The focus needs to shift from the rich to educating and engaging the poor in HR activity. There is much potential in Korea for HR activity. AI Korea needs to actively encourage the growth of ‘Asia’ in the global society. AI needs to focus on environmental rights. Many people had spoken about their inspiration in becoming involved in HR coming from AI.

What we need to do – be visible and valuable

Find out what members need and want. Send out thank you letters, memorabilia, provide other forms of recognition, offer free support and services and focus more on finance and marketing.

New Membership and Activity

Between October and December 2007 102 new members were recruited, with 67% coming from direct dialogue (DD) and 45% being aged in their 20s, 35% in their 30s. Despite this increase in membership, activity over this same period decreased. Data management is not membership management. Need to improve our human resources.

Michael and Tom attended today’s weekly Thursday rally outside the main gate of Tapgol (Pagoda) Park, Jongno today.  This is the weekly protest that has been running for many years in order to highlight the plight of prisoners of conscience, including those who have fallen victim to the outdated National Security Law (see http://www.kimsoft.com/Korea/nsl-en.htm) or to their objection to conscripted military service. 
 
There were roughly 20 protestors, consisting of mothers of prisoners of conscience who’s family has been imprisoned, North Koreans trapped in South Korea, and people who had formerly been imprisoned.  There was even one gentleman who had been imprisoned for over 20 years present.  Michael and I spoke very briefly to the protestors and offered Amnesty’s support and solidarity in their struggle, expressing our opposition to the National Security Law.  Our support was clearly appreciated and we were met with a warm response from the protestors afterwards (I think Michael even snuck off for a lunch with some of the mothers).
 
This is a weekly protest, held at 2pm every Thursday, and everyone is welcome to attend and show their support.

 

Hi Everyone,

Today Joh, Henry, Richard, Michael and I attended the 800th weekly demonstration urging Japan to take responsibility for their wartime aggression on the bodies and spirits of the so-called “Comfort Women”. It was FREEZING but you can see from the pictures (check out the link below) that there was a good turnout of people. Several students performed for the halmoni and spoke in Korean, Japanese and English. Many activists were there to support the halmoni and we shouted for the Japanese government to finally answer the 7 demands that have been chanted at their door 800 times!

One of the halmoni spoke–when the protests first started, she was 63 years old, and 17 years later, at 80, she is still standing here under the same circumstances. She told the crowd that she’d felt depressed at first, but feeling the love and support of all those gathered helped bolster her spirits. The halmoni told those assembled that the already notorious Lee Myung-bak has said he won’t pressure the Japanese government for an apology. She then posed a question to him: “Aren’t you the President of Korea? Well, I am a daughter of Korea.” (my friend Miran, from the Korea Women’s Associations United, kindly translated for me).

It was very cold, so we all gathered outdoors there for about an hour, after which time we had lunch in a nearby ’shikdang’ the halmoni habitually eat at after the protests. They were given gifts by the owner. There were several Japanese activists present as well, one of whom commented to the crowd that she felt “embarassed” or “ashamed” to be Japanese on this day. She also told the crowd, though, that there was a parallel protest in Shinjuku in Japan.

Thanks to Angela for this report – and thanks to all who were able to make it on the day and show your support!

 MIchael just added this link to video footage and an article at the MBC website – check it out: http://news.kbs.co.kr/article/society/200802/20080214/1509270.html