CINA

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Before yesterday for the 3rd time since the  Yongsan Massacre  thousands of political, labour, human right and student activists, together with masses of "ordinary" citizens, protested against the S.K. government...

Today's Hankyoreh reported following about the event:

Police and protesters clash at Yongsan memorial events..

 
Police and civilians clashed on Saturday during a memorial event for the victims of last month’s police raid on anti-urban development protesters in Seoul’s Yongsan district. The gathering was the third of its kind held in central Seoul following the Yongsan tragedy, which left six people dead.

On Saturday, police arrested six people during the event organized by the People’s Committee to Protest against the Murderous Clampdown on the Yongsan Evictees, including a 25-year-old student only identified by his surname, Park.

Protesters were calling on the government to step up efforts to find and punish those responsible for the Yongsan tragedy.

Police sealed off Chonggye Plaza, where the memorial event was scheduled to be held, leaving protest participants to gather in front of the Korea Deposit Insurance Corp. at around 4 p.m. Approximately 5,000 people joined the event, and over 9,000 police officers were deployed, including members of the riot police. After the memorial event ended, participants attempted to move toward Cheong Wa Dae at around 5:50 p.m., when they clashed with police who were trying to stop them.

In Jongno and Myeong-dong, scuffles between protesters and police also broke out, with police firing water paint at protest participants. The crowd dispersed at around 10 p.m., and approximately 200 college students who had been protesting at Lotte Department store also departed the scene at around 11 p.m..

A memorial event was also held at 7 p.m. on Sunday. Earlier in the day, the People’s Committee had displayed pictures related to the Yongsan tragedy in central Seoul. The committee said it is planning to organize a large-scale demonstration on Monday, when the prosecution is scheduled to unveil the results of its investigation into the Yongsan incident. (*)

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/337673.html

* Surprise, Surprise! "No police executives will be indicted over the fatal crackdown on squatters in Yongsan last month, according to an investigation the prosecution wrapped up today. But 20 of the demonstrators - all of whom were rallying over what "insufficient compensation" for an urban renewal project - were indicted for obstructing official duties", Korea Herald reported today.
   As usual: The victims are always to blame! Just remember the horrible Fire Disaster in Yeosu, where two years ago (**) 10 migrant workers were killed in the local deportation center. Back then the "authorities" (immigration office/ministry of justice..) also ultimately blamed the victims to be responsible for the tragedy.

Related:
☞ DP Calls for Reinvestigating Yongsan Clash (Korea Times)

** Please check out:

☞ 여수참사 2주기 전국 공동행동 (MTU)

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Yesterday for the 3rd time since the  Yongsan Massacre  thousands (according to the police: 2,500, according to the organizers and the independent media: 5,000) of political, labour, human right and student activists, together with masses of "ordinary" citizens, protested in..

..downtown Seoul against the S.K. government.

Last Thursday the gov't already announced a "stern response to demonstrations on Yongsan tragedy", according to Hankyoreh (2.06).
And so the presence of the "security" forces was "slightly"(^^) oversized: From the afternoon until the late night at least 10,000 riot cops infested almost the entire area between Cheongye Plaza, Gwanghwamun/Jong-no and Myeong-dong, in order to inhibit/attack the protesters, to restrict their movements. "Six leading men were arrested and taken by the police for questioning", Korea Herald reported today.

But the "wittiest"(^^) tactic of the riot cops was to spatter citizens (e.g. parents with their children) and journalists with blue-collored water! But the sense escapes me! To mark "extra violent demonstrators" (e.g. parents with their children!!)? Or simply to soil the clothing of protesters (possibly "as a deterrent")??

Source of the pics: OMN

Related reports:
☞ 용산 살인진압 추모 2천여 명 명동 정리집회 (NewsCham)

☞ "검찰 수사발표일은 이명박 정권 명운 다하는 날" (VoP)  

☞ "이명박은 물러가라, 사이코패스는 물러가라" (OMN)  

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동지여러분의 연대를 부탁드립니다!
열사정신계승하여 민중권리 쟁취하자
살인정권 폭력정권 이명박정권 박살내자
자본주의 박살내자!

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From NepalNews (2.03):

Maoists for establishing communism through socialism

United CPN (Maoist), whose top leaders have time and again repeated their commitments for multi-party democracy, has said its ultimatum mission is to establish a communist system in Nepal.

A meeting of the Maoist parliamentary party held at Singh Durbar Monday passed its statute deciding to work for establishing communism through socialism.

The statute has been revised after unification with CPN Unity Center (Masal). The statute outlines the dos and don'ts for the party leaders.

It mentions that new constitution will be pro-people which the party believes will help attain communism in the long run.

The Maoist ministers attending the meeting briefed the lawmakers regarding the achievements of their ministries and the future plans.

As per the statute, parliamentary party leader and deputy leader can be removed through the vote of no-confidence. The party must call the parliamentary meeting within fifteen days if one fourth of the MPs make such a demand.

http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2009/feb/feb02/news13.php

Wow, what a scandal: The United CPN (M) wants to achieve "communism through socialism"!!^^

Hmmm.. But isn't it the ultimate goal of a ("truly") communists party??

So if the United CPN (M) wants to be/remain a communist party(*) it's just their duty to struggle until the achievement of communism(**)!

* Contrary to the revisionism, represented by the former "communist" parties of the one-time Eastern bloc (incl. Albania), the majority of the former "communist" parties in the capitalist states, the countries of the so-called "Third World" and - last but not least - the still ruling "communist" parties in Cuba, China, Vietnam, Laos and North Korea(!!!)..

** I.e. the classless, stateless and oppression-free society where decisions on what to produce and what policies to pursue are made democratically, allowing every member of society to participate in the decision-making process in both the political and economic spheres of life (Marx/Engels: Manifesto of the Communist Party).

Related:
☞ 공산당 선언

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Since the Yongsan Massacre almost everyone, especially - surprise, surprise - the bourgeois media, in S.K.(*) is blaming the people/activists who were/are resisting the "redevelopment projects". And frequently the resistance became/becomes militant (occupying and fortifying buildings, hurling stones, bricks and molotov coctails etc.)..

But nobody is asking about the cause why they're becoming militant!

And that's the reason why: For example in Yongsan 4-gu since (at least) last year's fall several so-called "security guards" (i.e. organized gangs of criminals, today's Yonhap called them as "temporary police workers", hired by the construction companies, commissioned with the "redevelopment..") terrorized the entire neighborhood:

Physically..

..by a swath of destruction (i.e. real TERROR!!) 

Psychologically..

..by bloody (voiced and written) Terror! Source of pics: Digital Grotto

Related:
☞ 용산 용역직원의 횡포 (ChamsesangTV)

☞ 폭행·영업방해 다반사... 공권력도 비켜갔던 '철거용역' (OMN)

☞ New video footage.. (Hankyoreh)

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Update: IMC S.K. has two new interesting and very detailed articles, related to the Yongsan Massacre!

☞ The Deadly Face of Development: Struggle Against Evictions in Korea

☞ Seoul: movement against police repression and forced eviction

이명박 정권 용산 철거민 살인 진압 범국민대책위원회
2월2일(월) 대변인실 기자 브리핑 자료
홈페이지 http://mbout.jinbo.net / 전화 02-795-1444 / 대표메일 mbout@jinbo.net

1. 31일 2차 범국민대회 약평
- 성명 참조

2. 수방사 헌병의 31일 민간인 사찰에 대한 입장

이명박 정부는 군을 동원한 민간사찰을 즉각 중단하라!
- 민간사찰 책임지고 국방부 장관 이상희는 공개 사과하라 -

지난 31일 용산 참사 희생자들을 위한 추모제가 진행되었다. 행진이 시작된 후 이를 감시하던 수도방위사령부 헌병대 병사 6명이 시민들에 의해 발각되는 사건이 발생하였다. 현장에서 신분이 발각된 수방사 헌병대 소속 병사들은 휴가 나온 군인들이 집회에 참가했는지 여부를 확인하기 위해 투입되었다고 진술 한 것으로 확인되었다. 그러나 어떠한 이유를 대더라도 납득하기 어려운 사건이며 민간집회를 감시하기 위해 동원한 것은 명백한 사찰이다.
과거 군사정권시절에나 있었던 민간에 대한 군의 사찰이 이명박 정권에서 현실화 되고 있다. 군사독재 시절 군이 민간인을 사찰, 고문하고 심지어 녹화사업이라는 미명하에 군인들을 살해한 것에 대한 상처가 채 아물지도 않은 우리 사회는 군의 민간영역에 대한 개입에 강한 거부감을 가지고 있다는 것을 이명박 정부는 똑똑히 기억해야 할 것이다.
31일 수방사 헌병을 동원하여 민간을 사찰한 최고 책임자인 국방부 장관 이상희와 수도방위사령관 등 사건 관련자들을 모두 엄벌에 처해야 할 것이다.

3. 검찰 발표에 대한 입장

김석기 청장 내정자가 직접개입하지 않았다는 발표에 대해 사전에 두 차례 대책회의를 주제하였고 진압계획을 승인하였으며, 당일 작전시작과 마무리 보고까지 받았으면 서울청장이 어떻게 더 개입해야 한다는 것인가? 서울청장이 현장 지휘라도 해야 직접개입이라고 볼 수 있가? 검찰의 이 같은 수사결과 발표는 김청장 내정자에 대한 면죄부 주기식 수사조작 행위이다. 수사조작 행위를 중단하라!
27명의 검사와 100여명의 넘는 수사인력이 동원되어 10일이 넘게 조사한 결과가 진압현장에 용역은 없었고, 서울청장이 직접개입하지 않았고, 연행당시 경찰폭력도 없었고, 시너인지 확인도 안되고, 누가 뿌렸는지도 잘 모르겠고 그렇지만, 화염병인 발화원인이라고 주장하는 검찰 결과를 누가 믿겠는가. 이것은 검찰의 명백한 직무유기일 뿐 아니라, 검찰 수사본부가 필요없다는 사실을 반증하는 것이다. 검찰 수사본부 해체하라!

4. 이번 주 범대위 기조

- 검찰 편파왜곡수사 규탄 및 김석기 경찰청장내정자 퇴진을 위해 집중한다.
: 검찰의 편파왜곡 수사결과 발표를 좌시하지 않는다.
: 종교계, 시민사회, 지역별 검찰 및 경찰 규탄 투쟁을 진행한다.
: 종교계 추모확산 및 검찰 규탄 꿈틀

- 촛불추모제를 청계광장으로 옮겨 범국민적 추모의 공간을 연다.
: 촛불추모제 - 매일 오후 7시, 청계광장 (분향소 설치)
* 용산참사 현장 및 순천향대병원 분향소도 함께 운영한다.

- 3차 범국민대회
: 2월 7일, 4시, 청계광장
: 범국민적 희생자 추모를 중심으로 진행한다. 단, 검찰 수사결과 발표에 따라 대회 기조가 수정(추가)될 수 있다.

5. 이번 주 일정

○ 2월2일(월)
- 검찰편파수사 규탄 기독교대책위 기자회견 (11시30분, 검찰청 앞)
- 천주교정의구현사제단 추모미사(7시, 청계광장)

○ 2월3일(화)
- 검찰편파 왜곡수사 규탄 기자회견 및 유가족 검찰 항의방문 (11시, 검찰청 앞)
- 김석기 퇴진 촉구 기독교 대책위 기자회견(11시30분, 경찰청 앞)
- 촛불추모제 (7시, 청계광장)

○ 2월4일(수)
- 청와대 규탄 기자회견 및 항의방문 (11시, 청와대 앞)
- 촛불추모제 (7시, 청계광장)

○ 2월5일(목)
- 기독교 추모기도회 (오후 5시, 종로5가 기독교회관 앞)
- 불교계 추모법회
- 전국 동시다발 검찰, 경찰 규탄 집회
- 촛불추모제 (7시, 청계광장)

○ 2월6일(금)
- 촛불추모제 (7시, 청계광장)

2월7일(토)
용산참사 3차 추모대회 

[성명] 원천봉쇄와 검찰의 편파․왜곡 수사를 넘어 3차 범국민추모대회로 나아갈 것이다

1. 1월 31일 경찰의 원천봉쇄에도 불구하고 1만여 명의 시민이 청계광장에 운집한 가운데 2차 범국민추모대회가 성사되었다. 경찰은 추모대회를 불법 집회로 매도하며 이날 아침 일찍부터 1만여 명의 경찰 병력을 동원하여 청계광장을 물샐 틈 없이 가로막았지만, 고인을 추모하고 정권을 규탄하는 시민들의 행렬을 끝내 막지는 못했다. 시민들이 이명박 정부와 경찰과 검찰에 대한 분노가 얼마나 높은 지 알 수 있었다. 서울역에서 빈민대회를 마치고 온 빈민단체 회원들과 민주노총 소속 조합원들, 진보정당과 각종 정치•사회 단체 회원들, 수많은 네티즌, 진보적 학생회뿐만 아니라 비운동권으로 불리우는 연세대 총학생회 등 청년들의 참여도 돋보였다. 경찰의 집회 참여 협박에도 불구하고 다양한 시민들이 참여했다.

2. 범국민대회 참가자들은 살인진압 책임자인 경찰이 추모대회마저 원천봉쇄했다는 점에 대해 ‘적반하장’이라며 크게 분노를 표했다. 또한 이들은 사태의 진상을 규명하지 않고 참사 책임을 농성자와 ‘전철연’에 일방적으로 전가하고 있는 검찰을 강력히 규탄하며 편파․왜곡 수사를 즉각 중단할 것을 촉구했다. 특히 대회 참가자들은 전날 이명박 대통령이 TV에 출연하여 김석기 경찰청장 내정자에 대한 지명을 철회할 의사가 없음을 분명히 밝힌 것에 대해 반발하며 정권 퇴진 투쟁도 불사할 것임을 천명했다.

3. 경찰의 원천봉쇄에도 불구하고 이번 추모대회에 수많은 군중이 운집한 것은 정권에 대한 범국민적 저항이 시작되었음을 의미한다. 2월 1일 야4당이 합동으로 집회를 개최하여 ‘폭력 살인 진압 규탄 및 이명박 악법 저지를 위한 국민대회’를 대대적으로 개최했다. 2월 2일과 5일에는 천주교와 불교계 등 종교인들이 각각 시국 미사와 법회를 개최하여 희생자를 추모할 계획이다. 또한 민주노총 역시 이번 참사가 전체 노동자 민중에 대한 탄압임을 밝히며 연대 투쟁에 돌입할 계획이다.

4. 범국민대책위원회는 이명박 정권에 대한 범국민적 규탄의 흐름을 모아 2월 7일로 예정된 3차 범국민추모대회를 대대적으로 성사시키기 위해 총력을 기울일 것이다. 범국민대책위원회는 2월 2일부터 매일 저녁 7시 청계광장에서 촛불추모제를 개최할 것이다. △이번 참사의 직접적인 책임자로서 김석기 경찰청장 내정자와 원세훈 행정안전부 장관에 대한 구속․수사와 처벌 △진실을 은폐․왜곡하고 전철연 죽이기로 일관하고 있는 검찰 수사본부의 해체 △건설자본과 땅투기꾼들만 배불리는 무분별한 뉴타운 (재)개발 정책의 중단과 재검토 △행정 및 공권력의 총책임자로서 이명박 대통령의 사과를 주장하며 이번 한 주 투쟁의 파고를 더욱 높여 나갈 것이다.

5. 경찰의 탄압과 검찰의 편파․왜곡 수사는 궁지에 몰린 이명박 정권의 마지막 몸부림에 불과하다. 지금이라도 당장 이명박 정권은 사태의 책임을 지고 고인과 유족, 그리고 국민 앞에 사죄하라. 그렇지 않는다면 이명박 정권은 범국민적 분노와 저항 앞에 무릎 꿇을 수밖에 없음을 다시 한 번 준엄히 경고한다.

2009. 2. 2
이명박 정권 용산 철거민 살인진압 범국민대책위원회

Related articles:
☞ Civic groups and opposition parties unite to protest gov't (Hankyoreh, 2.02)

☞ Opposition rallies over Yongsan fire (JoongAng Ilbo, 2.02)  

☞ Religious Leaders to Stage Rallies Over Yongsan Tragedy (K. Times, 2.02)

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Yesterday's int'l media offered "comforting" headlines like that: "North Korea says two Koreas on path toward war" by IsraelNews/Reuters or "Kim Jong-il is threatening South Korea with war" by Welt am Sonntag (Germany)!

The S.K. semi-official Yonhap News Agency reported following:

N. Korea warns Seoul of military conflict amid tension

North Korea on Sunday further stepped up its rhetoric against the South, suggesting that downplaying Pyongyang's recent warnings could lead to military conflict between the two sides, according to the North's state news agency.

The Rodong Sinmun, a newspaper published by the North's Workers' Party, said in a commentary that "an escalation of tension in the midst of a cease-fire can lead to military conflict and war that is unpreventable and inevitable," according to a report by the Korea Central News Agency, monitored in Seoul.

The remarks come amid a recent announcement by a North Korean committee on unification and inter-Korean affairs, which stated that the communist nation will no longer honor any political or military agreements reached between the two Koreas...

Well, that's why we love the regime in P.Y. (i.e. the "Dear Leader" and his gang) so much: They don't care simply about nothing! Not even about our f****** "sacrosanct" Sunday!! ^^

Related stuff:
☞ Statement by the "Committee for the Peaceful Reunification.." (KCNA, 1.30)

☞ Pyongyang oversteps the mark (Asia Times, 1.30) 

☞ 'Now is no time to downplay N. Korea' (Korea Herald, 2.01)

☞ Will N.K. go for armed clash with Seoul? (K.H., 2.01)

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Yesterday and today at least 15,000 people protested in Seoul against the SWAT/"anti-terror" attack on Jan. 20, which resulted in the  Yongsan Massacre ..
Here just a few impressions from y'day's rally and demo (source: KCTU):

Related reports (from y'day's protest) by:
☞ NewsCham (report)

☞ TIN (report)  

Related reports (from today's protest) by:
☞ VoP

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동지여러분의 연대를 부탁드립니다!
열사정신계승하여 민중권리 쟁취하자
살인정권 폭력정권 이명박정권 박살내자
자본주의 박살내자!

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At least since the Yongsan Massacre, committed nine days ago by SWAT/anti-terror units, the National Federation Against House Demolition (aka "National Alliance of Squatters and Evictees", 전철연/JCY)..

..became a major target for the state persecution/police and inflammatory articles in the S.K. bourgeois media (*).

Since many years (mainly) poor residents/tenants are suffering from so-called redevelopment projects in the urban areas in S. Korea (Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, Daegu, Busan etc). While they developed their residential quarters since the late 1960's, hundred thousands of them were/are displaced/evicted, very often by force, to make way for the new the "redevelopment projects", starting with the preparations for the 1988 Olympic Games in S. Korea.

But because the S.K. public, incl. the "progressive" movement (except some student solidarity groups and radical left activists) , paid almost no attention for the situation of the displaced/evicted people, some activists founded about 15 years ago the Federation Against House Demolition (JCY) with the aim to organize a mass struggle against the "capitalist redevelopment".

At least since the struggle in Ilsan/Pung-dong JCY got a lot of attention in the S.K. progressive movement, partly in the S.K. bourgeois media and even internationally..

And (in my opinion) very important: JCY is also supporting the struggle and resistance of other oppressed and exploited in S.K., such as un-documented migrant workers (**).

The Hankyoreh published last week following article about JCY:

Residents in redevelopment zones get

help from demolition federation

With few civic groups focusing on urban development, area residents left to face intimidation from redevelopment unions on their own

With comments emerging that violent incidents are taking place between redevelopment unions and demolition protesters following the intervention of the Federation Against House Demolition (Jun Chul Yun/Jeoncheolyeon), public attention has turned to the work the two groups have done to combat redevelopment in districts throughout Seoul.

Tenants in Seoul’s Yongsan 4th Zone, where the demolition protest tragedy took place, explained that they have no one else to depend on but Jun Chul Yun, as the demolition date approaches and the district office and police are not blocking contracted personnel hired to secure the area.

“Since residents don’t know even basic information about demolition or compensation, it’s been a lot of help to have Jun Chul Yun come in and provide information about demolition and methods of response,” said Kim Jeong-gi, 37, an area tenant. But there are differences of opinion even among residents about the federation’s method of struggle, Kim added.

Another tenant, who declined to be named, said, “Even if demolition thugs are roaming around the neighborhood, the district office, City Hall and police don’t even help.” The tenant added, “At times like that, a group like Jun Chul Yun becomes a place to depend on for residents.”

Jun Chul Yun Secretary-General Seong Nak-gyeong said, “With demolition looming ahead, the neighborhood’s residents at first responded in a dispirited way with the reality they alone were faced with, but now, through Jun Chul Yun, they are learning about the need for a combined response.”

Nam Gi-mun, vice chair of the Democratic Labor Party’s Yongsan committee, said, “The reality is that there are almost no political parties or civic groups responding actively to the issue of urban development, and even that is with the Democratic Labor Party starting its on-site activity in 2006.” Nam also commented, “From the standpoint of the residents awaiting demolition, they find a group to help them when they’re grasping at straws.”

After the Yongsan District Office obtained a permit to carry out the project in June 2007, Jun Chul Yun came into the region in December of that year and held a briefing for residents, selecting leaders from among them.

Jun Chul Yun was established in June 1994, and represents demolition protest groups in Seoul, Busan, Ulsan, Gyeonggi Province and other regions around the nation.

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/335005.html

* Check out following:

☞ Protest leader arrested in Yongsan case

☞ Stopping squatter violence

☞ Gov’t Seeks Bill to Stop Violence in Redevelopment Project Disputes

** Just one example from last year:

☞ [8.17] MTU demo..