'저는 그들의 땅을 지키기 위하여 싸웠던 인디안들의 이야기를 기억합니다. 백인들이 그들의 신성한 숲에 도로를 만들기 위하여 나무들을 잘랐습니다. 매일밤 인디안들이 나가서 백인들이 만든 그 길을 해체하면 그 다음 날 백인들이 와서 도로를 다시 짓곤 했습니다. 한동안 그 것이 반복되었습니다. 그러던 어느날, 숲에서 가장 큰 나무가 백인들이 일할 동안 그들 머리 위로 떨어져 말과 마차들을 파괴하고 그들 중 몇몇을 죽였습니다. 그러자 백인들은 떠났고 결코 다시 오지 않았습니다….' (브루스 개그논)





For any updates on the struggle against the Jeju naval base, please go to savejejunow.org and facebook no naval base on Jeju. The facebook provides latest updates.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Text Fwd: Excessive use of force by police during KCTU and KCTWU labor rally

* Image source/ description" same as below*
' Approximately 15 thousands members of the Korea Cargo Transport Workers’ Union participated in the rally to launch a general strike held in front of the Daejeon Government Complex, May 16.'

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/355443.html
Excessive use of force by police during KCTU and KCTWU labor rally:
Labor rally in Daejeon leads to mass arrest of delivery drivers and unionists
Posted on : May.18,2009 11:11 KST


Some 457 workers were arrested, and an estimated 150 workers and police injured during a clash between protesters and police at a labor rally convened in Daejeon on Saturday by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU, Minju Nochong) and the Korea Cargo Transport Workers’ Union (KCTWU). The government reacted to KCTWU’s decision Saturday to launch a general strike by threatening a harsh response and banning future KCTWU and KCTU demonstrations. Observers are concerned about a precipitating clash between labor and the government.

The KCTU and KCTWU convened a rally attended by some 15,000 unionists at Nammun Square in front of the Daejeon Government Complex on Saturday afternoon, and demanded the return to work of delivery drivers fired from Korea Express and the labor rights of ‘specially-employed’ laborers. After the rally, participants conducted a march, during which police moved to suppress the demonstration with clubs and water cannons, leading to a heated clash with resisting, flag-waving demonstrators.

Daejeon police said the protesters, armed with bamboo spears, severely injured two policemen and damaged 99 vehicles, including police buses, and 155 pieces of police equipment. They said they would detain those who assaulted police and destroyed public property, and that they soon planned to arrest the protest leaders, including the leadership of the KCTU and the KCTWU.

The police added they would seek compensation and ban future demonstrations by the two unions. When asked about the matter, Park Sang-hyeon, director of the Korea Cargo Transport Workers’ Union’s legal bureau, said that after breaking up the demonstration, police indiscriminately arrested workers, even those who were merely having dinner or were on their way home. Park said in the end, the police should be held responsible for their use of excessive force.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]

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* Related Korean articles/ photos:

Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU, Minju Nochong)
http://nodong.org/124740

Tongil News(Unification News)
http://www.tongilnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=84350

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