25/05/2005 — Our Whale
Embassy activists yesterday received a threatening
letter demanding that we dismantle the Whale
Embassy within 24 hours or face "consequences."
The letter, delivered by representatives of
the Jangsaengpo Development Agency, accuses
us of some bizarre things, such as threatening
ladies' exercises and scaring teenagers, but
mainly of preventing an economic recovery
by opposing the research centre (or whalemeat
factory) and whale (or whaling) museum.
The truth is, whaling - especially "scientific"
whaling - cannot bring an economic recovery.
The research centre and whalemeat factory
are not scientific or "environmentally
friendly". The Korean government is misleading
the people of Jangsaengpo, risking their future
and our activists' safety.
The angry mob that visited us yesterday are
not representative of all the views in the
area. Many of Ulsan's citizens have been visiting
our embassy, drinking tea with our activists,
and even cooking meals for the team and offering
to wash their clothes!
Many local children have visited the embassy
and watched videos, and even had English lessons
in the green dome.
Obviously, opinions in Ulsan are divided.
But there is a sense of frustration at the
government, and at Greenpeace and Korean Federation
for Environment Movement (KFEM) for supposedly
threatening their optimism of an economic
recovery.
Locals speak of the "good old days"
of whaling and eating whale meat. However,
the fact is that Korea's whales are some of
the most endangered in the world, and the
locals' hope seems to be based on false promises
and a nostalgic view of the outdated, unsustainable
and internationally condemned practice of
commercial whaling.
The Korean government, and the city of Ulsan,
need to address the concerns of the Jangsaengpo
community and ensure they are given sustainable
means of redevelopment. The local government
should also ensure that our activists are
not threatened as they struggle to defend
Korea's whales for the future.
Translation of Document asking GP and KFEM
to withdraw [Greenpeace commentary highlighted]
Statement of Jangsaengpo local people wanting
to get rid of obstacle for international event.
Jangsaengpo local people have suffered over
the last twenty years of decreasing economical
conditions, but now they are expecting IWC
and grand opening of whale museum, so we are
so excited about our economic recovery and
local trading stimulation.
We are preparing facilitation, and making
clear the streets and public area to prepare
for visit of guests from other countries.
We are preparing our revival but Greenpeace,
invited by KFEM, have set up a camp on the
site of the proposed whale center. They are
illegally occupying the place and they are
trying to communicate their message, but they
are not listening to the local opinions of
local people. That's the reason why we make
press conference to exclaim our thoughts about
Greenpeace occupying the place for research
center. [Greenpeace has been entirely open
to talking with the local people, and sharing
views.]
From the beginning Jangsaengpo people tried
to block the entrance of rainbow warrior,
and we prepared demonstrations on the water
against Greenpeace visit. But since we are
facing international event, blocking Greenpeace
would be shameful, thats why we didn't do
it. So GP and KFEM didn't have any conflict
when they came in to Jangsaengpo port, and
they had their event, and they then promised
to us that they will do their event from 4th
April-11th April, then they said they would
leave [The Rainbow Warrior left on the 12th
April].
But they set up a camp right beside the whale
museum, which is whale researching centre.
They set up 10 tents and ran a campaign. It's
been 50 days so far.
Since they occupied this place it has been
a threat to ladies who used to do exercise
around this are, and parents who have teenage
children cannot let them outside. [This is
an odd observation, since people have continued
to exercise on the adjacent vacant lot everyday,
and many local people, young and old, regularly
come to the Embassy]
Moreover the company who is contracted to
build the whale research center is trying
to make car park for oceans day, but GP and
KFEM still occupy this space illegally, so
they are being an obstacle and it touches
the nerves of local people. [Oceans Day takes
place on 31 May in Korea, and this is the
day that the new museum promoting whaling
will be opened.]
Moreover GP and KFEM are still carrying out
illegal occupation, but city government and
MOMAF of Ulsan are not doing anything about
it. So it seems that the government doesn't
care about Jangsaengpo local people's opinions;
this makes Jangsaengpo people get more angry.
So Jangsaengpo development association, Jangsaengpo
senior association, Jangsaengpo young adult
association and Jangsaengpo local people can
not put up with this situation, so we declare
the following:
We ask to GP and KFEM, that the illegally-occupied
camp that was set up from April 5th is immediately
withdrawn by GP and KFEM.
We are asking the government of Ulsan and
MOMAF of Ulsan to process our complaint using
official power. We wish to make a complaint
about the illegal occupation by GP and KFEM
to the government after 30th May at 12pm.
In case GP and KFEM do not leave by 6pm on
the 26th May, and government do not protect
local area people's rights, everything that
happens caused by this situation, will be
the responsibility of GP and KFEM city of
Ulsan and MOMAF of Ulsan's shoulders. [Greenpeace
will happily vacate the site immediately,
as has already been conveyed, upon assurances
from the land owner (MOMAF), and the City
of Ulsan, that the whale meat factory will
not be built.]
2005 25th May
Jangsaengpo Development Association
Jangsaengpo Senior Association
Jangsaengpo Young Adult Association
Jangsaengpo local people
