Two weeks ago our director told us three interns that we had
to be prepared for flying jeju on 20th , 21st and 22nd. The day 20th
arrived. We went to the Guwangu airport by a taxi. The flight was delayed. But
finally, we group of 33 including me safely arrived in Jeju airport.
About Jeju
‘’According to Seong Kyoung ryung (Hallim University) Jeju
island gifted by God. Every Jeju visitor may feel that the island is beautiful
and marvellous like the gift from the God in heaven. Recently a lot of Asians
including Koreans and Chinese come to Jeju the beauty regardless of seasons and
days and this causes Jeju International Airport to be one of the busiest airports
in the world with more than 70,000 passengers a day on average. ‘’
Before going to our accommodation, we have visited Jeju 4, 3
peace memorial hall. It was a good opportunity for me to see this. It tells a
lesson how Jeju people be very developed. Both physically and mentally. They
not forget the history. They not forget it to get revenge from the foe but for
the forgiveness and not repeat the massacre in future.
What happened in Jeju?
It had been happened on Date April 3, 1948 – May 1949
Target was United States
Army Military Government in Korea and later Government of South Korea
The Attack type was Rebellion. Deaths 14,000–30,000, or one fifth of population killed from all
fighting
The Perpetrators Pak
Hon-Yong.
The Motive Protest against oppression by national police
employed by the US military government and the election that was held only in
South Korea.
We had attended the 6th Jeju 4,3 Peace Forum. We
listened to many lectures and discussions. Its theme was overcoming the Past
Truth Healing and Reconciliation – Jeju and the World in Comparison. The
lectures attended from the USA , Germany, Palestine and Cambodia. It was a
bundle of knowledge that we can take it to our home countries.
Comparing Jeju to Sri Lanka.
During the tour in Jeju I always remember my country and what
was happened and what we can learnt from Jeju. In the southern part of Sri
Lanka two uprisings had been taken place and the thirty year of war which was
won by Rajapaksha regime in 2009 May.
Now in Sri Lanka a discussion on
reconciliation going on. In this discussion history is not included or neglect
to sometimes willingness not to included it. We cannot achieve peace by
destroying the history. That is the most precious thing that we can learnt from
Jeju. In Sri Lanka now peace is restrained but human rights violations are
occurred in the almost all part of the island. Torture happens all most all the
police stations in this very moment also. The new government who called the
government of good governance yet to address to these violations seriously. Sri
Lanka has very good laws written beautifully on law books. In practice, all
become a farce. Judiciary is a corrupt institution. The police behave as making
the court a rubber stamp. Every occasion the police use the court and make a
fabrication of charge. In Sri Lanka Justice denied not only because of delayed
but too because of corrupt practices of who always engage in the justice
system.
These injustices must be explored to the world. In Jeju
experience all atrocities should be disclosed to the world. Like Sri Lanka Jeju
is an island. Unfortunately, in Sri Lanka situation most of the people don’t
like to make their bad explore to the world. They want to hide the tear some
history. This thing is being done by the peace makers too.
Truth
This is a very important factor in Jeju – ‘’The National
Committee for Investigation of the Truth about the Jeju 4.3 Events (4.3
Committee) was a truth commission in South Korea established in 2000. The
commission aimed to investigate the Jeju 4.3 events, which refers to a
"series of armed uprisings and counterinsurgency that occurred between
1948 and 1954 on Jeju island, the largest island in the southernmost part of
South Korea."[1] Announcing 14,028 victims, the first report of the
commission was published in 2003, following an official apology by President
Roh Moo-hyun, and his participation in a memorial service held in commemoration
of the events, in 2006. However the commission continued to be in operation
through 2009, carrying out various reparation projects as well as the screening
of victims, thus making it the lengthiest truth commission in history.’’ –
Wikipedia.
Religion and Jeju
In Sri Lanka the main religion is Buddhism. ‘’Now I would
like to close the lecture with the saying of Buddha. He said the greed
ignorance and hatred are 3 poisons which make human heart ill and most of all
the hatred is the strongest poison which destroys the interpersonal relation
and community. Focusing on the point Buddha stressed that the hatred would be
relived only by love that can restore the interpersonal relation and community
destroyed by the hatred and would bring the peace in the world where all the
things are connected by the principal of relationship. Surprisingly the lesson
is exactly the same with the Psalm 85, verse 10. Love and faithfulness meet
together righteousness and peace kiss each other.
A
Based on the lessons from Buddha and God I would Jeju people
would keep the sorrow of the Jeju 4-3 Incident but overcome the sorrow and move
toward the precious values and tasks. Then I would like Jeju people to use the
sorrow and pain as the driving force to save Korea and world. Finally I hope
Jeju people take victory and realize era where the sorrow becomes joy’’- Seong
Kyoung – Ryung (Hallim University)
Jeju is an example to the whole world specially to third
world countries.
Harshi C. Perera
