INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY IS WHAT WORKS

Former US Army Colonel and diplomat Ann Wright on Jeju Island with Gangjeong village Mayor Kang

• Ann Wright sent a message this morning saying that two more No Navy Base protesters on Jeju are going to jail - one for 6 months and another for 8 months and two more trials will happen tomorrow.  The South Korean government is hammering the people hard trying to break their spirits.  International solidarity is key now.  Mayor Kang is on his way to London (and a couple of other English cities including up in Yorkshire for a visit to NSA Menwith Hill on October 14) as well as Dublin, Ireland for a speaking trip.  Ann also reported that "Father Bix was here for a week with a Buddhist monk.  6 from Cambodia, 2 from Singapore and 2 Americans here now."
• The other American in Gangjeong village now is Mica from California.  She writes: "Yesterday I interviewed Dr. Song, a political prisoner going through a ridiculous trial with paid 'witnesses' against him. The prison only allows you to visit the prisoners for 12 minutes at a time, so it was a very short interview. I asked Dr. Song how Americans and other people around the world can best support this struggle. His immediate response was that he wanted people to come to Jeju Island, so they could see us and touch us and feel our support in person. He also said that there is no justice in the courts here. The activists need international people to come here and witness what is happening and then tell all of the media all over the world so they can pressure the government here. International people coming to Jeju is an important way that the activists maintain hope. And of course it is also vitally important that we spread the news of what is happening here to the international community."

• Global Network board convener Dave Webb (Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in England) is in India for Keep Space for Peace Week conference organized by another of our board members.  J. Narayana Rao, a retired railroad worker, has put together quite an event.  Dave sent word this morning, "Still there! Leave tomorrow. Visited and spoke at a college yesterday going to a High School today. Rao has managed to pull off a huge conference with around 600 or so in the audience each day for 3 days. A major international conference centring on Gandhi's relevance to disarmament and development with a session on nuclear disarmament and preventing an arms race in outer space. I will send a report but no real email access and I am sending this on my phone."