| [ freeeXpression ] in KIDS 글 쓴 이(By): loneman (자유의지) 날 짜 (Date): 1994년12월20일(화) 03시25분04초 KST 제 목(Title): [번역글] 설 은주씨 편지 이 편지는 설은주씨의 편지를 번역한 글입니다. 원 내용에 충실코자 노력했읍니다.. 읽으시고 미비한 점이 있다면 도움주십시오. �縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡縡� <Letter> To dear students. I am Eun-Ju Seol, a recipient of a persecution by U.S. Army soldiers (who are stationed in Yong-San, Seoul), which was broadcasted on the title of "The MP of US Army disparaged a mother and daughters of a Korean family" at the MBC night news on Oct. 27, 94'. Even in my own land, the dignity of my family was brutally violated and the human rights of my family were preposterously infringed. Neither can I have sound sleeps nor can I eat anything at the dreadful nightmares from the outrageous incident. Excruciating agonies rend the hearts of my family on account of unbearable disgrace and bitter humiliation. Would you listen to my mortified story of humiliation and support me on my meek fight in the cause of justice against their atrocity? At Oct. 25, 1994, my mother (68 years) and I visited my sister's house in Han-nam dong, Yong-San gu; my sister married to an American soldier six years ago. Mother and my sister (who were highly praised for the cordiality in her filial piety to her parents) shared their earnest concerns about deteriorating health of my father (72 years) owing to infirmities of old age. So she gave sweet rice(4 lb.) and a chunk of beef(1 lb.) wrapped in a kerchief to mother and asked her to fix a sweet rice gruel for father. Mother, much worried over father, headed for home before me after two hours. About 30 minutes after she left, there was a phone call from a stranger, who wanted to confirm my mother's and sister's names. Startled at the thought of my mother being in a traffic accident, I breathlessly confirmed and asked what had happened to her. He said that Kum-Sun Kim, my mother, was under custody of US Army MPs at Hannam village gate post for the reason that she was taking stuff out. At the very moment, my sister was taking a bath and I just could not idly wait for her any longer in such urgent situation. Thus, I ran down to the gate post. The moment I arrived at the gate post, I witness a gruesome sight that my elderly mother, surrounded by five American MPs of sturdy build, was pleading between sobs in extreme fear and they were treating her as if a grave criminal of some sort. Extremely enraged, I protested to them against their harsh treatments saying "What are you doing? Why do you give her such vile treatments?" They asked "Are you a sponsor of this person?" I replied "I am her little daughter and visited my sister with her." Then they uttered raunchy and profane curses without hesitation "Then, shut your mouth up! ... ." At their ridiculous insults, I was indignant and said "I am a Korean citizen and you are US Army MPs. So I have no reason to obey your order." They became so irritated. They threatened me menacingly with savage visages and growled "Shut up or I will arrest you." At their vehement absurdity, I ask back "Why? What would you arrest me for?" One guy drew handcuffs instantly and twisted my arm roughly behind my back. Other three guys who were beside him jumped on me simultaneously and somebody hammered down my shoulder with a fist. They pinned me down against the floor and cuffed me in the manner of arresting a criminal. I shouted desperately "Somebody call Korean police." At my feeble request, they just sneered "Shut up!" The guy with handcuffs clenched my right wrist extremely hard that I still do have vivid bruises from the grasp. In the process of cuffing my both hands, my right wrist was lacerated. These and other injuries that I suffered required of me 10 days of medical treatments afterward. Before long after the incident, my sister, Eun-Ha Seol, entered the post holding 4-years-old nephew's hand and saw what had happened to her utter astonishment. She protested "What are you cuffing my little sister for?" Insane in a great agitation, they shouted madly "You, too! Shut up." And then four of them mobbed her and shoved her down against the floor maniacally. They wrenched her arm behind her back severely and pulled her twisted arm up with force. She screamed in an excruciating pain but they added more forces savagely without flinch. My nephew, extremely shocked at their monstrous brutality on his mommy, wept into a fit of convulsions crying "My mommy is dying.. My mommy is dying... ." They, American citizens who brag that U.S. is the first class nation in patronage for the human rights and in protection of children, assaulted and cuffed his mommy gleefully in front of her baby. My sister also had to receive medical treatments for her injures for two weeks later. When two jeeps arrived, they made us ride separately in each car and tarried for some minutes. Meanwhile a woman, a kind-hearted neighbor of my sister, came down after she got a call from a Korean guard and volunteered to take care of my nephew. They spurned callously her humble request only to reveal their hideous intention that they didn't care at all for a baby whether to witness any extreme situations. Instead they even hissed ruthlessly vile abuses against her "Fuck off if you don't want to be arrested too . . . " They abused their authorities as US Army MPs only to threaten and assault villainously on frail women. Was it because we were women of a small and weak nation? Did they disdain us because we were their easy preys? Their apathetic attitude whether a four-years-old child suffered a severe mental shock or not betrayed their antinomic hypocrisy that U.S. is the only self-righteous children's heaven. Soon we were led in cuffs to the 8th Army MP Headquarter and separated to be formally interrogated. During dreadful interrogation, my mother, who suffered chronic hypertension, fell down the floor and fainted from excessive shock and wet her clothes unconsciously. In such a pressing moment, they ignored her and refused to offer any first-aid treatment. Instead they encircled around her and sneered at her. They swore dirty words against her. under their breath. Hereupon my sister wept while praying for an ambulance many times but they just sat back and jeered at her earnest request and idly procrastinated times. After about 30 minutes, my mother was transferred to Sun-Chon-Hyang Hospital. And then they charged on me the interference in execution of their official duties and the misconduct in brazen faces and delivered me to hands of Korean police. They took away my sister's ID card of U.S. citizenship and placed her in confinement and interrogated for five hours until 2:20 a.m. the next morning. About 1:30 a.m. the next day, I was released from North Han-Nam Police Station. After long sleepless night, I went to the foreign affair section in Yong-San Police Station to file my complaint against those American MPs since I couldn't live any longer without recovering my family's dignity and bring justice against them for their trampling over noble human rights of my family. But between Korean and U.S. governments, a positive law called "S.O.F.A." come into effect at any circumstances. The S.O.F.A. ( Status of Forces Agreement), which was enacted many years ago, is an unequal treaty in which almost everything is for the advantage of American GIs (이 협정에 대한 자세한 설명이 필요하다고 봅니다..). Any legal efforts to bring justice in numerous incidents of these kinds have been collapsed in vain. Such efforts were just futile jokes as if to smash a rock with eggs. They just walked away scot-free even when they murder a Korean in daylight. All endeavors to bring justice has been baffled by S.O.F.A. and their impudent commanders. Since they are aware of that Korean government is hogtied by S.O.F.A. and incapable of doing anything to defend her citizens, they do not refrain to satiate their lust of crime. I sincerely believe that Koreans should not be victims of this malicious treaty any further. My beloved students! Whenever I encounter similar cases in which victims (Koreans) have to bear their afflictions and swallow down their wrath only by scorning themselves to be citizens of a small and weak nation, it is intolerable grief that I breathe air in which such criminals walk away gleefully, disdaining on helpless Koreans and incompetent Korean government. If Americans were in our shoes that Korean MP treated an American family in such manners, whole America would have been a beehive pricked with a stick. They might bombard down Seoul with missiles in such incident and accuse Korea to be a nation of devils. The incident that I suffered is not just a miserable misfortune of me and my family but an obvious provocation against the sovereign power of Korea and contempt against "Han-Min-Jok(Korean race)." My parents had emigrated and lived in America for five years. But they realized that they loved their homeland and yearned even in their dreams to return back to Korea. My family has been happy to be in the homeland until the incident. In states, I witnessed innumerable injustices infringed on Koreans and other minorities; many Koreans were treated unjustly, they were falsely accused as assailants even when they lend helping hands, they could not refute back in their crooked racism, and their poor English and ignorance in the law put them to all kinds of disadvantage. But this is my own country, my own land! If I have to face injustice by yankees, where should I go to have my own rights preserved? My elderly mother has been in a sickbed since the incident. The mental shocks and the physical pains that she had undergone were just too much for her. Suddenly, she becomes emaciated. She complains of a pain whenever she goes to rest room. Whenever I see her in pain, fierce wrath rends my heart to pieces. She screamed in nightmares, shedding her tears in her mortification. Whenever she cried "How shall I live with such mortification? How shall I?", my soul trembles with intense hatred toward them. My beloved students! I appeal to your just hearts sincerely. Let's bring them under the justice. Let's show them that they are not above justice. Let the realization penetrate their ignorant thick skulls that they are not free any longer in their wrongdoings. Many people are outraged and grieving over the incident. I believe in your ardent systematic protest will influence them more than anything. Please understand my incoherent writing in a great agitation. Thank you all. +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- 외로운 이의 자유여행 외로움은 나의 자유의 댓가이다. 강 민 수 행복을 향한 자유의 비상을.... +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- |