CINA

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Well, now it is four days ago that in Seoul the last anti-war event was celebrated. First of all it was very nice to see this pictures, one comrade sent me much more pics, because many people on this pictures I know from our daily, common struggle. And of course it was a kind of emotional for me to this pictures... But... just thats it!

On the other hand it was very sad for me to see this pics, but it was not surprising...

I joined nearly all the rallies, demonstrations and other events of the very young anti-war movement in S. Korea. And from one of the first anti-war rally, demonstration in autumn 2002 until I was arrested, nearly 2 month ago, I reported and commented it. I still remember very well one of the first anti-war demos in autumn 2002, started in Insa Dong, with about 400 protestors.

Than on the next demo from Yeongdeungpo to Yeouido, just a short time later, the numbers of the participants was increasing to 800 or so activists. Later in the end of 2002 the anti-war movement was uniting with the anti-USFK citizen and netizen movement. At that time I already worried that the anti-war movement, mainly based on few political groups, will try to get a kind of leadership of the entire movement, or at least will try to use it for their own so called political, power games.

In the New Years eve to 2003 we were 150.000 protestors on Gwanghwamun... and when I came back to S.K. on Feb. 2003, there was the first international action day against the at that time planned war against Iraq, only 5.000 activists were left on this rally, demonstration. Perhaps you know by your self, what was happen in the time between the end of 2002 and the beginning of 2003.

Between 2003 and now we had many bloody fights against the bill of sending S.K. troops to Iraq... Just remember the battles in beginning of April 2003 on Yeouido... And now... On 9.24 just 600 people, according to Minjung-ui Sori, were on the street against the war.

What we did wrong...

First of all, as I said before, some political organizations were trying to use the movement just for to strengthen their own position. Because many others understood this well, so a real unified front was not possible.

Next... Especially from spring 2003 the anti-war movement was totally fixed on dates organized originally in the Western world or the USA. But the most strongest fights of resistance we had when we were reacting against the policy of the S. K. government, when we were acting autonomous.

Next... KCTUs resistance was just symbolic, actually they, the new KCTU leadership, were cheating all the activists. And the activists had not the power, or they were afraid, to force the KCTU leadership to act really. And so on... It will be continued soon

PS I saw one picture on Minjung-ui sori, but actually I dont saw there 600 people, perhaps maximum 400. One comrade of mine wrote me from about 1.000 people. Perhaps she should not drink to much of soju during demonstrations... haha...

sources of the pics... cga.korea+da hamkke, the last two pics