3.6.2008

From Sung-Hee_Report on 13th day solidarity hunger strike protest June 05 , 2008

Dear friends,

Today was my 13th day solidarity hunger strike with the people in the Czech. I am still very fine. As Jan Tamas and Jan Bednar ended their 3 weeks hunger strike but gratefully presented us the chance to develop the struggle in the Czech to worldwide, my thoughts have also been floating between the situation of my country, Korea and the arms lace in the world. I have been journeying to think what this struggle really meant to me while I could not really pay attention to the other important struggles including the trial for   Washington DC protesters for the Guantanamo Bay prisoners, on Jan. 11, 2008.

This will be my last solidarity hunger strike report during my last two weeks. I am ending this Saturday, same date with Bruce Gagnon, coordinator of Global Network against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space (GN, space4peace.org).

I will regularly do the Thursday protest at the same time, same place, during the June.

So next time, I will be healthier.

Early this morning, I made the flyer for today, that was the double sides. I attach both sides here (One side is Jpeg, the other is Microsoft file.) I copied 500 prints since I had found even 400  copies were not enough for the protest in the Hammarskjold Plaza, crossing the UN, New York, for the two hours lunch time.

Alice Slater (www.wagingpeace.org),  a Director of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, a co-founder of Abolition 2000 and one of the board member of the GN gratefully dropped by me. She had also kindly forwarded my last post for today to her NY friends and even today, brought the bunch of the prints to her office near UN plaza to distribute. I again so thank her.

Marco Battistella, from the US Humanist movements also kindly dropped by me. I had missed his five-year daughter Maya. So when I saw he did not bring her, I was a little disappointed.  But he was very kind enough to ask me whether I could get a doctor personally for my 2 week hunger strike. When I said no, he really worried about my health. I very appreciate his kindness and hope he brings Maya next time.

I made one more sign saying, “Join June 22, Worldwide Hunger Strike, No Space War” (You can see it in the photo). This time, I was not appealing by saying, “Hunger Strike in the Czech.” but “Hunger Strike worldwide”. The word, “Hunger” seemed to appeal to the people. It was lunch time. And I was really hungry. But I ran, ran to the people to distribute the paper. I was gradually forgetting my hunger.

Dr. Hassan Nayeb Hashem is an Iranian origin Austrian who joined the solidarity hunger Strike on May 29. He was very kind to give the medical advice to his fellow hunger strikers (Personally, he and Mary Beth Sullivan in the Bath, Maine, an Outreach Coordinator of the GN were the ones who gratefully gave me the concrete advice how to control one’s health during the hunger strike. She will replace Bruce Gagnon with hunger strike after him). In one of his emails, he was greatly mentioning about the issue between the food and arms race. Yes. people are being robbed of their right to decent food and health while their tax dollars are going to arms trade and new military bases.

In front of the UN plaza, I found while about half of people were not paying attention, the construction workers, public street cleaners, taxi drivers, and immigrant workers were eager to get the prints by the word, “hunger”. They were the most earnest readers of the print, as I observed.

I reminded the article ‘Radar, Star Wars, & the Czech Republic’ by Andre Vltchek, Z Magazine (http://www.zcommunications.org/zmag/viewArticle/17496). It was the article Bruce Gagnon thankfully forwarded us on May 29.

‘Mayor Fiala remarks: "It is all done to satisfy the interest of American multinational companies, isn't it? These games that cost trillions of dollars and countless human lives. I have nothing against the American people, but I can't stomach American expansionism. My grandmother lived in America decades ago and even then she was complaining about the same things. Czechs have to be finally on their own. We were for too long under the military boots of others."

He is the Mayor of  Visky, ‘one of the smallest villages in the country with only 42 permanent residents and just one grocery store—run by the mayor.’  The article by Andre Vltchek  continues, ‘Gentle rolling hills and fields surround Visky, but Kota 718 is just a couple of miles away. This is where "the American radar" is supposed to be built’.  They ran their own referendum last year and the result was,  ‘100 % against’.  It was the similar words of the Pyeong-Taek farmers in the South Korea, who were evicted in the spring, last year for the biggest US Army military base-set up in the Asia, under the name of “Strategic Flexibility”. They were evicted from their self-made land. And it was the best rice field in the South Korea. The article continues, “Brdy Highlands are the source of drinking water for the entire Western part of the Czech Republic.”. How similar for the Colorado Springs ranchers in the U.S.A.. whose land is also being threatened by the vast army base expansion, regardless of the historical, cultural heritage of the land. And there should be so many similar examples like these in the world.

My eyes were floating beyond the words of arms race and star wars in my print and sign. In “Vision 2020” (thankfully provided by the Citizens for Peace in Colorado Springs and Global Network against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space),  the US Space Command generals were boasting themselves that the world will be divided by the “Haves and Have Nots”. Yes. The Cold War was more about “Market” than Ideology. And The New Cold War will be more about “Market” than Ideology. As Bruce Gagnon and many others have consistently mentioned the reason of the vast oil and gas resource of Russia behind the US desire in the Czech and Poland.

My country, Korea is in the period of one of the biggest people’s uprising right now. The mass preceded the activists in their action. “ No US Beef, No Mad Cow Disease! ”. The right wing government secretly had the negotiation with the Bush administration last April. It is the preface of the realization of Free Trade Agreement between the USA and South Korea. As concerned SPARK(Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea, spark946.org) activists indicated, the economic assimilation is also for the  strengthened “ Security Alliance” between the US and SK. So what will happen? Once the land of “Quiet Morning”, the SK is being sure the post for the US invasion all over the world, being pressured to be partnership of NATO with Japan and Australia.

Korea was the first biggest victim of the Cold War, The war, forgotten, with the 4million dead Koreans in 3 years.(I am not exaggerating). The South Korea, once brutally, colonized in heart and mind, it has become one of the most atrocious colonizers in the world as we saw in the Vietnam.  The South Korea is now one of the top ten military budget spending countries in the world.  And by the strengthened alliance, the Koreans get US visa exemption, like the people in the Czech and Poland and other five countries; obsolete US weapons and bullets for “disposal” in their land.  Unless the true equality between the USA and SK; US bases out of Korea; official end of the Korean war, in 1953; Peace Treaty between the NK, SK, China and US; and peaceful reunification of Korea happens, the SK will not exit from this nightmare of the colonizer/colonized.

My point is while the new cold war surfaces the battle among the biggest countries, the real victims will be the people in the third, fourth world. You may wonder why all the cold wars since WW II happened not in the US, Russia, China, Europe but in the weak and small countries in the Asia, Africa, Latin America and Pacific Islands.

I may be wrong. But that is one of the big reasons why I am against the radar in the Czech republic, doing solidarity hunger strike. It is not only matter of the Czech and Europe but the whole world. I had to say this from my point of view; woman, Asian from the semi-colonized country. The world history has been endless appropriation of the “The Other’. It is my wish that we, people in the world, acknowledge this. As one of the people in the dominant class in the world, I can not say I know better about the consequence of this missile defense system than a construction worker who wanted to eagerly read the print I prepared.

My another wish is as Tim Rinne, Director of the Nebraskans for Peace(nebraskansforpeace.org) reminded us in the GN Omaha conference, how we more connect the Strategic Command(stratcom.mil) in the USA with the happenings and the struggle in the Czech, Korea and another regions.

I am doing the protest on the next Thursday, June 12, again, same time, same place.

Above all, please show your beautiful but hungry face on June 22, the day of worldwide hunger strike against star wars if you can. I will join, myself, again on the day.

Thanks very much, everyone.

Sung-Hee Choi
from Brooklyn, NY

Reporter for the Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea(www.spark946.org)
Friend of Global Network against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space(www.space4peace.org)

# For more petition sign(below) and info. (go to homepage) on Hunger Strike in the Czech republic:
www.nonviolence.cz

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3.6.2008
Day 11 of my solidarity hunger strike

 

I got an email from my sister in Iowa today. It said, "Am sending faxes to all senator offices that i can re your article. Love Joan." I about cried. This is my dear sister who is not by nature a political animal like me. She cares about what I do but is not one to usually get involved.
Also heard from four others saying today they are joining the hunger strike either very soon or on June 22 - in response to the Czech call for an international day of hunger strikes against Star Wars. One person told me he will take over for Mary Beth after she does her turn hunger striking.
David Occhiuto, who has an environmental radio show on WBAI in New York, got their news department to call me today for an interview. David will also have me on his show soon. This morning I was interviewed on Radio Prague.

Lots of people are forwarding our emails around and many have signed the on-line petition at www.nonviolence.cz So there is momentum.
We have 10 people in Brunswick at noon today on the street during a light rain. It was not supposed to rain that early so we didn't come prepared. Just as the rain increased in intensity a young man came running up from nowhere and handed two black umbrellas to us and then ran off. We watched where he went and discovered he had come from the Bull Moose Record store down the street from where we stand each day. People are paying attention.
I woke up this morning with the least amount of energy I've yet felt and a bit grumpy. Housemates though say that in spite of that I am keeping a good humor - which I am glad to hear them say.

 

The photo above is from South Korea. I put it here today as a reminder that "missile defense" deployments are not just happening now in Central Europe. The U.S. is pushing them planet wide and it is important that we understand the breadth of this issue.
There is much work yet to be done for all of us. Help us stay at it please.
Bon appetit

Bruce K. Gagnon





28.5.2008

Dear friends,

On May 29, I left home early at about 8am, returned home at 10: 30 pm. It was my 6th day hunger strike. Reading the blog by Bruce Gagnon(space4peace.blogspot.com), the news about Jan Bednar made me enough to tear.  I was also angry at the inhuman Czech government who does not care about the human life.

The majority of politicians in the world, how same everywhere, spineless, merciless, arrogant, coward and inhuman, as in Korea! 17 days hunger strike, I can not imagine. How many more suffering you have to go through!  By now I am still fine. I am forgetting about my hunger.

These critical days strangely make me forget about food.  And lots of love and help from the friends also help me to keep myself warm and strong.  Dear Jan Bednar and Jan Tamas, I send you lots of love like many people in the world.

I made one more sign last morning. I drew the European map on the cardboard. You can see it in the photo. I also printed 300 sheets. One side was from the US Humanist movement, the other side from the Bruce Gagnon's May 25 blog about Jan Bednar's liver failure and international solidarity.

I arrived the Hammarskjold Plaza crossing the UN, New York, 25 minutes earlier. It was windy and I struggled to set up my signs for more than 30 minutes. There were lots of UN workers and visitors passing by during the lunch time. It was interesting to notice when I say,  "Hunger strike in the Czech! ", many people who first ignored the print began to pay attention. One man said he was glad to see the signs against missile defense that was seldom the issue in the plaza.

I got three friends yesterday.  The friend first arrived was one of Korean Americans who gratefully came for the protest after reading my last report.

Mrs. Kim, Chun-Hee, 58, working at the library, NY, published a book in Korean last year. It is the collection of the diary and essays of her dead lover 30 years ago, who was one of the most devoted activists under the military dictatorship in the South Korea. 70s. He died at age 27. Because of her help, all the prints were out by 1: 30. She gratefully printed 50 copies more with her own money. So for two hours, we distributed 350 prints.

Emiko whose name I miss-spelled last time also dropped by.  Originálky from Japan, she belongs to the US Humanist movements. She again helped us with such kindness and care as last time.

The last one was one of my best friends in the art world.  I got lots of help from her during my art institute years in the NY more than eight years ago. She is from the Greece and already accomplished artist there.  (It was magic that I also happen to meet the other best friend in the art world, after the protest. She is an American sculptor and was the art institute technician)

About 5pm, I alone went to the Union Square, carrying the bag of signs, I began to get the sign from the people who were sitting there. It took more than 4 hours that I got the 108 signs. I found even if people at first ignored the request, if you say in urgency, they think again, agree with you and sign. Carrying the prints also helped. I printed 120 copies more. Many people wanted to know what it really meant about once they got to pay attention.

Returning back home, my happiness changed to heavy-heart because of reading the news from Prague. I am, of course, tired and feel weaker. But as the two Jan  inspired us, I don't feel hardship in my  hunger strike. This experience of solidarity levels my soul up.

Korea has already experience of war, division, military dictatorship and heroic struggle of people.  What I know is that only by people's small step for peace and struggle (and compassion and love for one another), we can defer and differentiate the evil of the imperialism. The relative peace that we enjoy in the Union Square was only possible by people's rising-up lead by the great figures, such as Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. Jan Tamas and an Bednar  remind us again.

I will continue my hunger strike beyond this Saturday. And will continue the protest every Thursday until two jan finishes their hunger strike. I am returning to Korea on July 1.  This is the time to stand up. Let's show the world that we are not divided by national borders.

Thanks very much, everyone.

Sung-Hee Choi
from Brooklyn, NY

Reporter for the Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of
Korea(spark946.org)
Friend of Global Network against Weapons and Nuclear Power in
space(space4peace.org)

For more petition sign (below) and info. (go to homepage) on Hunger Strike by Jan Tamas and Jan Bednar in the Czech republic:
www.nonviolence.cz

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STEPPING AWAY FROM THE PLATE IN SOLIDARITY
WITH CZECH HUNGER STRIKERS

My friend Sung-Hee Choi from South Korea has written that she will join the hunger strike in support of our friends in the Czech Republic this Saturday. Sung-Hee is an art teacher in New York City and a long time loyal Global Network member. Sung-Hee has asked her art students to help her not eat during their all-day class on Saturday and for the next week.

Also joining the hunger strike on Saturday, in response to my appeal for others to join me in helping to widen knowledge of the Czech Republic effort, is Gareth Smith who lives in Byron Bay, Australia. Gareth writes "I will join you on Saturday for a 7-day hunger strike as President of Byron People for Peace and Justice. From my Christian days I remember an inspiring verse: 'For God has used the base things of this world to confound the mighty'; may this be true of the present campaign. You know, Bruce, when I think of all us baby boomers who have reached the 50-70 age range and consider that in most cases we don't have the worry of losing a job/promotion, don't have a mortgage, have children off our hands, there is no sound reason why our group should not be the most vigorously active for peace and disarmament in the world. I want to reach retirement homes and displace the people from the golf courses onto the streets - bannerize them! Good luck as you step away from the plate!"

So on Saturday I will indeed step away from the plate and join the hunger strike of Jan Tamas and Jan Bednar in Prague who have been at this hunger strike since May 13. I will stay on the hunger strike for as long as they do and during each weekday I will go out onto the street in nearby downtown Brunswick, Maine from 12:30-1:30 pm to hold a sign and pass out leaflets about the U.S. plan to put Star Wars systems into Poland and the Czech Republic and the growing movement across Europe to join this hunger strike in protest of these U.S. military bases.

I urge others to join this hunger strike in solidarity with our friends in the Czech Republic and throughout Europe. Particularly, I believe it is important for activists in the U.S. to stand against these deployments since it is our country that is creating a dangerous new arms race in Europe.

You can also join this hunger strike by stepping away from the plate. Let's remind our friends in the Czech Republic that they are not alone.

Bruce K. Gagnon
Coordinator
Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
PO Box 652
Brunswick, ME 04011
(207) 443-9502

http://www.space4peace.org
globalnet@mindspring.com
http://space4peace.blogspot.com

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