URGENT: LET KOREAN VOICES BE HEARD!
U.S. Government on trial for war crimes against Korea!
Come to the Korea Truth Commission
WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL ON U.S. TROOP MASSACRES
DURING THE KOREAN WAR
SATURDAY, JUNE 23RD, 2001
10 AM TO 6PM
475 RIVERSIDE DRIVE, MANHATTAN
VOLUNTEER!
MAKE FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS!
GET LITERATURE! call 212 633-6646 website www.koreatruthcommission.org
Program will include: Testimony from survivors of U.S. Troop Attacks The Importance of Nogun-ri in today's fight for justice Star Wars and Bush's disdain for peace and reunification Sanctions in the context of international war crimes law - by Ramsey Clark
To volunteer, make financial contributions, get literature or get more information;
CALL 212 633-6646 or logon to WWW.KOREATRUTHCOMMISSION.ORG
THE US IN KOREA; A BRUTAL HISTORY OF OCCUPATION
Since a 1999 Associated Press series about U.S. troops attacking and killing innocent civilians during the Korean war, news of 160 attacks on unarmed civilians, in the north and in the south, has surfaced. At Nogun-ri, the most notorious account, villagers were pinned beneath a bridge as US forces strafed from aircraft and fired machine guns and mortars. More than 400 people were killed. The Pentagon inquiry of Nogun-ri concluded that it was a rare occurrence caused by poor training. Then-president Clinton expressed regret but offered no apology. The truth is that of the millions of non-combatants who died during the 3-year war, many tens of thousands were killed just like this.
U.S. MILITARY ATTACKS PAVED THE WAY FOR GLOBALIZATION
When the economy of south Korea crumbled in 1998 the U.S. dominated IMF and World Bank moved in with harsh austerity measures. Job losses, union busting, and cuts in services spread, while U.S. companies took over banks and businesses. The 37,000 U.S. troops, and the bases that still dominate south Korea gave U.S. bankers and businessmen the leverage to turn the economic crisis to their advantage by dictating the terms of the bailout. The brutal military campaign of 1950/53 had paved the way for them.
U.S. ABUSE OF KOREAN PEOPLE SMACKS OF COLONIALISM
Washington arbitrarily divided Korea in 1945 and moved the troops in to enforce it. Since that time, tens of thousands of Koreans have been unable to see their aging parents, their siblings or other loved ones. Today those troops aren't even accountable to the Korean justice system for many crimes committed by them against Korean people. The U.S. Military often refuses to turn offenders over to Korean authorities, based on the provisions of the Status Of Forces Agreement, which gives the military immunity that resembles the Extraterritorial laws that the British Empire held over the heads of the Indian people during the colonial period. The U.S. Airforce routinely carries out bombing practice at Maehyang-ri - Korea's Vieques. One of the three islands that made the archipelago has already been bombed out of existence. Pollution from the many military bases is rampant, and is also rarely punishable according to the SOFA agreement.
SANCTIONS AND A CAMPAIGN OF DEMONIZATION AGAINST NORTH KOREA
Sanctions imposed by Washington deprive the north of fuel, fertilizers, food and medicine, and prevent them from easily obtaining these things from other countries. After a series of natural disasters hurt the agricultural base, and damaged much of the power generating capabilities of the DPRK, the U.S., Japan, and the south Korean government promised to provide food and energy assistance, in return for north Korea halting it's nuclear energy program. But the aid has been held back, exacerbating the energy and food shortage, and the new U.S. administration has suspended talks with the north Korean leadership. President Bush has revived a campaign of demonizing north Korea in order to justify a hi tech anti-missile system that threatens all of Asia. Bush and the Pentagon are the obstacles to self-determination, peace, and reunification for Korea.
KOREAN PEOPLE NEED YOUR SOLIDARITY
Join former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark and hundreds of others from the U.S., Europe, Canada, Japan, China and elsewhere on June 23 in NYC for the International War Crimes Tribunal and the International Peace March on June 24 and 25, 2001.
LET KOREAN VOICES BE HEARD! The U.S. State Department has informed the Korea Truth Commission that it is "unlikely to issue visas" to North Korean witnesses "at this time." A delegation of 10 citizens of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has been scheduled to attend the Korea International War Crimes Tribunal in New York on June 23. Washington is trying to suppress the truth about U.S. war crimes in Korea before, during and after the 1950-53 war. Phone calls and letters demanding that the U.S. reverse its position and grant visas to the North Koreans should be sent to Secretary of State Colin Powell, telephone (202) 647-6878 and fax (202) 647-7388.
LET KOREAN VOICES BE HEARD! The U.S. State Department has informed the Korea Truth Commission that it is "unlikely to issue visas" to North Korean witnesses "at this time." A delegation of 10 citizens of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has been scheduled to attend the Korea International War Crimes Tribunal in New York on June 23. Washington is trying to suppress the truth about U.S. war crimes in Korea before, during and after the 1950-53 war. Phone calls and letters demanding that the U.S. reverse its position and grant visas to the North Koreans should be sent to Secretary of State Colin Powell, telephone (202) 647-6878 and fax (202) 647-7388.
A sample letter:
June 13, 2001
Secretary of State
Washington, DCSecretary of State Colin Powell,
I am writing to express my concern and disappointment over the denial of visas to eleven citizens from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea who wish to attend the Korean War Crimes Tribunal on June the 23rd in New York City. It is incredibly important that these eleven delegates be allowed to travel to the United States to share their experiences and knowledge with the people of the US during this historic Tribunal.
It is time that the US takes responsibility for the horrific events and atrocities that were committed during the Korean War and allow the truth to be known. By closing the doors to these delegates, the US is showing that after 50 years, it still has plenty to hide from the citizens of the US and the international community. The United States claims to be an open and democratic country yet this display of repression shows that this does not apply to individuals who may not say what the government wants to hear.
I am urging you to grant the North Korean delegation visas and the opportunity to share the truth with the international community.
Sincerely,
Your Name
International Action Center
39 West 14th Street, Room 206
New York, NY 10011
email: iacenter@iacenter.org
En Espanol: el_iac@yahoo.com
web: http://www.iacenter.org
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phone: 212 633-6646
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