[Statement] Strongest condemn of the massacre of civilians by the military of Myanmar
Strongest condemn of the massacre of civilians by the military of Myanmar : South Korea's National Assembly and the government must take action as soon as possible, following the National Assembly resolution!
03 March 2021
It was 'bloody Sunday.' In anti-coup demonstrations, the military of Myanmar is massacring citizens with bullets. According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), at least 18 people were killed, 30 injured, and about 1,000 arrested by Myanmar's military and police on the 28 of February. According to local news in Myanmar, the number of deaths is likely to increase. The military and police have taken widespread measures to search for, arrest and detain citizens and activists who have led the protests and the people who have reported the protests on Social Network Services (SNS). Even reporters are being arrested, including foreign journalists. Some factories are firing workers who participated in the demonstrations and delivering personal information of union activists to the military. The military has stepped up its crackdown, massively arresting workers leading the protests, including a general strike.
Korean Civil Society Network Supporting Democracy in Myanmar firmly supports all Myanmar citizens fighting for democracy and human rights. We are enraged by the brutal Myanmar military, which does not hesitate to fire live ammunition at citizens.
On the 26 of February, the South Korean National Assembly passed a resolution – "Condemning the Myanmar military coup and calling for the recovery of democracy and the release of detainees." The Resolution condemns, "the Myanmar military has again defeated the desire for democracy by force at a critical time, threatening the lives of the people, and trampling on the fruits of democracy that will be in full bloom after 50 years of adversity."
The National Assembly resolution is significant as a confirmation of the legitimacy of the rise of citizens by clearly refuting the military's justification of the coup over the 'flawed election' and its crackdown on pro-democracy figures and citizens. Furthermore, this Resolution means that the military, which suppresses the legitimate resistance of citizens by force and slaughters citizens who participated in the demonstration, must apology to the citizens and be judged and punished by citizens.
For the Resolution to be effective, immediate follow-up actions of the South Korean government are strongly required. It is imperative to clearly recognize that the business activities with Myanmar's military and military-related companies have strengthened the military's economic foundation, thus trampling on democracy and human rights today. The South Korean government must take every possible measure to identify the situation of South Korean companies that have been engaged in such business activities and to terminate their business relationships with the military and related companies. Furthermore, the South Korean government must devise all the necessary institutional arrangements to prevent Korean companies from infringing democracy and human rights in accordance with international standards.
If the South Korean government connives at the connection between the Korean companies and Myanmar's military killing civilians, the government is to confess the New Southern Policy (Sinnambang) towards Southeast Asia, including Myanmar, which embraces "People, Prosperity, and Peace" as its core principles, is nothing but vanity. Also, the government's acquiescence is a betrayal of the earnest desire of Myanmar citizens who are asking for solidarity, remembering South Korea's history of democratization. The citizens of Asia are watching South Korea. Instead of declaring human rights and democracy only in words, South Korea must play a substantial role.
The international community have already endorsed international laws for the values of life, safety, human rights, and democracy that all humankind should be universally guaranteed, and for the obligations of governments to cooperate to ensure those values. Massacre and atrocities committed against citizens can never be considered as a matter of national sovereignty. Myanmar's military has crossed the line – their atrocious acts can never be justified on the grounds of interference in internal affairs.
As citizens of South Korea who have long fought for democracy with blood, and members of the international community who have felt the importance of cross-border solidarity at a harsh time, we will unite with Myanmar citizens' legitimate struggle and urge all political parties and political leaders in South Korea to discuss this matter seriously and come up with countermeasures shortly.
- Myanmar's military must stop killing civilians and withdraw the coup immediately!
- South Korea's National Assembly and the government must start working on detailed follow-up measures for Myanmar's democracy, including the issues of the investment of Korean companies connected to Myanmar's military!
Endorsing organisations
1. cheongdong church.
2. Activists group for Human Rights ‘BARAM’
3. Advocates for Public Interest Law
4. Artivism Hanppyeom
5. Asian Companions Against Brutality (A.C.A.B)
6. Asian Dignity Initiative
7. Association for the bereaved families 4.3 victims
8. Atlanta SaSaSe
9. AWC KOREA
10. BOM GRAPHICS
11. Bucheon Migrant Workers Support Center
12. Bucheon YMCA
13. Buddhist Solidarity for Reform
14. Busan Anti-poverty Center
15. Busan Democratic Uprising Memorial Society
16. Busan Association of Self-Sufficiency Promotion Center
17. Busan National Council of Churches
18. Catholic Human Rights Committee
19. CAUMINDONG
20. Center for Military Human Rights Korea
21. CHANG: Korea Human Rights Research Center
22. CHANGJAK21
23. Chondogyo Youth Association
24. CHRF
25. Christian Association For Community Organizing
26. CINEMATHEQUE GWANGJU
27. Citizens Action Network
28. Citizen's solidarity for social welfare of Seoul
29. Civilian Military Watch
30. College Student Committee of Seoul Democratic Party of Korea
31. Committee of The Poor Ministry, Seoul Archdiocese
32. Committee on Freedom of Expression and Press Repression
33. Commmitte of Justice, Peace, and Ecology of the Catholic Conference of Men Religious
34. Companion-Lawyers for Public Interest
35. CONET
36. COVIL
37. Cultural Action
38. DaeJeung Church
39. Danginlee Church
40. Dasan Human Rights Center
41. Dasom Small Library
42. Democratic labor union of Jogye order of Korean Buddhism
43. Donghaeng Poongmool
44. DongHak Practice Civil Action(DPCA)
45. Donghak-Chondogyo Action Network For People
46. DONGJAK COMMUNITY RADIO
47. Ecumenian
48. Fellowship with the sufferers
49. Forum for democracy unification peace
50. FORUM FOR SOCILIDARICTY
51. Fracesco of sjpic
52. Franciscan Jpic
53. Franciscana
54. Francisco JPIC
55. Freedom Dignity and Asia
56. Friends of Asia
57. Future Party
58. Gangjeong Peace Network
59. Gangjeong’s friends
60. Geumjunggul Humanrights & Peace Foundation
61. Gidok-Yominhoe
62. GIMHAE YMCA
63. GmCCEJ
64. GMYWCA
65. Good Wind Cooperative society
66. Goyang city labor union
67. Goyang YMCA
68. GOYANG YWCA
69. Green Party Goyang
70. Green Party Korea
71. Green Party Korea International Committee
72. Green Party Seoul
73. Greenparty Daegu
74. Greenview incheon segu get together
75. Group of Community Organizing Socail Workers “Deobul-eo hangil”
76. gwanak community radio
77. Gwanak Education Community MODU
78. Gwanak residents' gathering to support democracy in Myanmar
79. Gwanakwith
80. Gwangjin people's solidarity
81. Gwang-Ju Human Rights Center Hwal JJak
82. Gwangju Migrant Labor Human Rights Network
83. Gwangju peace forum
84. Gwangmyeong education hope network
85. Gwangmyeong Education Solidarity
86. Gwangmyeong Women's HotLine
87. GwangMyeong YMCA
88. H.S.M
89. hanbit church
90. Homeless Action
91. Hope Center with Migrant Workers
92. Human right film festival in Seoul
93. Human Rights Center of the National Council of Churches in Korea
94. Human Rights Education Center ‘Deul’
95. Human Rights Movement Space 'Hwal'
96. Imagination For International Solidarity
97. Incheon Democracy Foundation
98. Incheon YMCA
99. Incorporated Organization Silcheon Bulgyo
100. Institute for Human Rights Cities
101. Institute for Law and Human Rights in Society
102. Institute of Historical Culture, Dongjak
103. International Migrants Cultural Institute
104. Jeju 4.3 Research Institute
105. JEJU DEMOCRACY FOUNDATION
106. Jeju Peace Human Rights Institute WHAT
107. Jejudarktours
108. Jeonbuk Human Rights Mission Council
109. JEONJU YMCA
110. Jeonnam Citizens' Association
111. Jesuit Research Center for Advocacy and Solidarity
112. Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism The Social Affairs and Labor Relations Commission
113. Joomin Church of the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea
114. JPIC
115. June Democratic forum
116. Jungrangu gongdong-youk-a
117. Justice Party's Working Group for International Solidarity
118. KBUF Alumni Association
119. KCAO
120. KCM
121. KIMHAE YMCA
122. KIN
123. KOCO
124. Korea Christian Action Organization
125. Korea Christian Democracy Foundation
126. Korea Democracy Foundation
127. KOREA NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SENIOR WELFARE
128. Korea people's solidarity against poverty
129. Korean Social Innovator network
130. Korean Association for Asian Rural Mission
131. Korean Disability Forum
132. Korean House for International Solidarity
133. Korean Methodist Women's Leadership Institute
134. Korean Solidarity against precarious Work
135. Korean Solidarity for Overseas Community Organization in Asia
136. KOYANG Education Hope Network
137. Koyang. Kfem
138. KPTU SEOUL HEADQUARTERS
139. KwangHwaMoon TV
140. Kyungdong Presbyterian Church
141. Life & Safety Network
142. Little Difference
143. MADEUL
144. MAJUNG
145. Manduparty
146. Manyoupowerpeople
147. Mapo Young People mmm
148. May Democratic Women‘s Association
149. uijeongbu ymca
150. Media Christian Solidarity
151. Memorial Committee for the Jeju April 3rd Uprising and Massacre
152. Migrants trade union (MTU)
153. Migration to Asia Peace
154. MINBYUN Lawyers for a Democratic Society International Solidarity Committee
155. Minjok Bucheon
156. Minjokgopa
157. Mojiri
158. MYABIZ
159. MYANMAR JUNTA DENOUNCING COMMITTEE
160. Namu counseling center for women's right
161. Nangok Community Library
162. National Action Against Dictator CHUN Doo-Hwan
163. National Clergy Conference for Justice and Peace
164. National Council of YMCAs of Korea
165. National Parents' Association for the Realization of Equal Education
166. National Teacher's Union Middle & High school Branch in Goyang
167. NCCK Human Rights Center
168. New Bodhisattva Network
169. Nowon Community to create a village where we live together
170. Nowoncityagric
171. OFM KOREA JPIC
172. OFS Korea
173. OFS Korea JPIC
174. Okbaraji Missionary Center
175. ONE KOREA TREE
176. Organization of Gwan-ak Community Welfare
177. Palestine Peace and Solidarity in South Korea
178. Pax Christi Korea
179. Peace and Unification YMCA People for Association
180. Peace Ground
181. Peace K.S.
182. Peace Mothers
183. PEACEMOMO
184. People, Not Profit
185, People's Initiatives for Development Alternatives
186, People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD)
187. People's Solidarity of Gwanak
188. Platform.c
189. preparatory committee for youth of Kim Dae-jung foundation
199. Progressive Korea
200. Progressive3.0
201. PROK
202. Puchoncivil
203. Refugee Rights Center,NANCEN
204. SanDol
205. Sangsangzirak artfactory
206. SARANGBANG Group for Human Rights
207. SEJONGYMCA
208. Seoul Association of Social Workers
209. SEOULHOSE CHURCH
210. Shalom Community Church
211. SHARE, center for Sexual rigHts And Reproductive justicE
212. SHARPs (Supporters for the Health And Rights of People in the Semiconductor industry)
213. Siheung YMCA
214. Social Cooperation Union Jubeele
215. Social welfare corporation bokumjari
216. Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination
217. Solidarity for Another World
218. Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights of Korea
219. Solidarity for peace & humanrights
220. Solidarity of Labor and right to the city(nodong-dosi-yeondae)
221. Sumdol Presbyterian Church
222. Sunchoen YMCA
223. Sungmisanschool post-secondary
224. Sungsan central church
225. Supporters group for migrant workers movement
226. SUWON MIGRANTS CENTER
227. SUWONYMCA
228. THABYAE
229. The Frontiers
230. The Human Rights Forum of Persons With Disabilities in Gyeonggi
231. The Jeju People's Artist Federation
232. The Korea Center for City and Environment Research (KOCER)
233. The Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan (Korean Council)
234. The Korean Methodist Rural Mission Training Center
235. The Lay Buddhist Association for Righteousness
236. The People's Solidarity for Korea Youth Policy
237. The Presbyterian Church in the Repubric of Korea, Yeshim church
238. The Social Apostolate Committee, Korea Province of the Society of Jesus
239. The Truth Foundation
240. Transparency International-Korea, Gwang Jeonnam Headquarters
241. Truth-finding Commission on Yongsan Disaster
242. Urinuri Peace Corp.
243. Won Buddhism Social Movement Network
244. Workfare Sharing Center
245. World Without War
246. YANGSAN YMCA
247. YEOSU YMCA
248. Young Korean Academy
249. YouthDiscourse