Baltimore Reception and Rally for the Korea Truth Commission
The June 24, Baltimore reception and rally for the Korea Truth Commission and victims of the Korean war was a resounding success.
It followed the historic Korea War Crimes Tribunal in New York City that indicted the U.S. government, Pentagon, banks and multi-national corporations for past and present crimes. Over 500 people attended. A delegation from Baltimore went up together on a bus to attend and have brought back tremendous amounts of literature and information. For those who would like a copy of the documentation, research and literature on U.S. war crimes please call our office at 410-235-7040 or stop in our office, 426 E. 31st St. on Thursday's between 7 PM and 9 PM.
The Baltimore rally began with live television coverage outside the church. Representatives of Baltimore's community held a huge banner welcoming the delegation. Survivors and victims of the Korean war took center stage, along with youth and international delegations from around the world including a Korean delegation of women from Japan.
With youth chanting and a traditional Korean drumming group opening, over 200 people crowded into the Unity United Methodist Church.
Representatives and delegates from a cross section of Baltimore's community attended including: All Peoples Congress; International Action Center; AFSCME Local 1072; members of Amalgamated Transit Workers Union; Jesus Saves Church; National Action Network; Unity for Action; Baltimore Emergency Response Network; and Coalition Against Global Exploitation.
At the rally Sharon Ceci, co-coordinator of the Maryland International Action Center and volunteer organizer for the All Peoples Congress, co-chaired with Rev. Kiyul Chung, Secretary General of the Korea Truth Commission.
She called for reparations for the Korean people along with African American people and Native American people. Denouncing the Missile Shield Defense System and the trillion dollar Pentagon budget, she called for U.S. troops out of Korea.
Mr. Walter Black, a Korean war veteran paid special homage to the victims gathered at the rally.
Pastor John Wainsright, "international ambassador of gospel music", brought the group to it's feet with his rendition of "Let my people go."
But the high point of the rally was the testimony of the victims themselves, who described the horror of U.S. bombings of innocent men, women and children.
Following the rally, the group ate delicious Korean food prepared by local Korean activists. While sharing food, the rally continued with international guests from around the world sharing statements of solidarity and other victims of U.S. war crimes continuing with their accounts. A representative from Pusan "the city of strikes" gave a special account of losing his entire family.
Local television affiliates covered the activity and played the story live at 6 P.M. and later at 11 P.M. The Asian Fortune Newspaper, one of the largest English speaking Asian oriented East coast newspapers covered the rally and later the march in Washington D.C.
Reverend and Councilperson Norman Handy Sr. was originally scheduled to host and chair, but he was hospitalized with pneumonia and could not attend. Fortunately, he is now out of the hospital. Get well cards and well wishes can be sent to him at Unity United Methodist Church, 1443 Edmondson Ave., Baltimore, Md. 21223. While, he could not attend he was there in spirit with the group and in everyone's heart.
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