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Appeal: Freedom of Expression, Demonstration

Urgent Appeal for Solidarity in the Fight for Freedom of Expression & Demonstration


The Korean Action against Dispatch of Troops to Iraq, an anti-war coalition composed of 351 civic and social movement organizations in South Korea, is urgently appealing to the international anti-war and democracy movements for solidarity in the protest against the South Korean government's ban on the March 17 Global Day of Action against War.

In January 2007, the anti-war assembly, gathered during the 5th World Social Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, called for a global action against war around the fourth anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq. Joining the international anti-war movement's effort, the South Korean anti-war coalition decided to hold a national protest on March 17 and has been working hard to organize the protest.

However, less than a month before the day of action, the South Korean government and police notified us of their decision to ban the March 17 protest. This is a blatant attack on our freedom of expression and demonstration, one of the fundamental rights protected by democracy.

The South Korean government has been a close ally in Bush's war dispatching South Korean troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. It is now attempting to oppress the South Korean anti-war movement's voice of protest by banning the March 17 protest.

The Korean Action against Dispatch of Troop to Iraq is fighting against the South Korean government's attack on democratic and civic rights. By any means necessarily we will exercise our rights and gather to protest against war on March 17. We urgently appeal to you for solidarity action and to protest against the South Korean government and police demanding that they guarantee freedom of expression and demonstration.

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Please send a letter of protest to the Korean embassy or consulate in your country. If possible organize a protest in front of the Korean diplomatic office.

Please send a letter of protest to the President of South Korea (Fax: +82-2-770-4937) and the Policy Agency (Fax: +82-754-7000).

We would like to request that you send us a copy of the letter or information on the protest action for record (Fax: +82-2-749-3537).

Please send your solidarity messages to antipabyeong@empal.com.

Please sign the statement of protest below and get many signatures as possible and return it to us as soon as possible. Organizations and individuals are welcome to sign. All the names will be listed and submitted to the South Korean government and police and released to the media.

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The Statement of Protest

We, the international anti-war movement, condemn the South Korean government’s oppression of freedom of expression and demonstration.

The international anti-war movement has called for a global day of action against war on March 17-20, 2007, remembering the fourth anniversary of Bush's invasion of Iraq. This call was globally confirmed during the World Social Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, in January. The Korean Action against Dispatch of Troops to Iraq, the South Korean anti-war coalition, also decided to organize a day of protest on March 17, 2007.

However, we have been informed recently that the South Korean government has banned the March 17 anti-war protest organized by the South Korean anti-war coalition. Freedom of expression and demonstration is one of the most basic rights of democracy. We are well aware of the fact that even the South Korean constitution guarantees freedom of expression and demonstration.

Therefore, the South Korean government’s ban of the March 17 anti-war protest is a blatant attack on the fundamental right of democracy.

The world knows that the South Korean government is supporting Bush’s war by sending South Korean troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. Refusing to give permission to hold the March 17 anti-war protest is in reality the South Korean government’s attempt to oppress the voice of protest against Bush’s war and the war support of the South Korean government.

We, the international anti-war movement, strongly condemn the South Korean government's oppression of the South Korean anti-war movement’s freedom of expression and demonstration. We strongly demand the South Korean government to guarantee the right to hold the March 17 anti-war protest.


Signature:

Organization:


ENDS

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