Peace for the Sea - 2024 Peace for the Sea Camp

🌊2024 Peace for the Sea International Camp Joint Statement🌊

We have come together for our 2024 Peace for the Sea International Camp in Jeju, under the banner of Inter-Island Solidarity. First held in Gangjeong Village in 2014, our peace camp has since gathered in Okinawa, Taiwan, Ishigaki, Jinmen, and Miyako, all in pursuit of turning our shared waters into a sea of peace. Our group embodies bonds of solidarity and friendship that transcend differences in language, age, gender, citizenship, and background. While embracing our vibrant diversity, we stand united in our commitment to protect peace, life, and democracy, as we confront mass environmental destruction, increasing militarization, overdevelopment, and the inequalities rooted in racism, patriarchy, colonialism, and predatory capitalism.

In the face of the war in Ukraine, the genocide in Gaza, the increasing military tensions in East Asia—largely driven by the US and Chinese militarism—along with numerous other global conflicts, we must stand in solidarity with those seeking peace worldwide. We must work to end this reckless wave of physical and psychological militarization and the narratives that justify it. Militarization does not prevent war. Nuclear arms do not bring peace. Instead, militarization accelerates the destruction of the environment, contributes to climate disasters, and creates divisions among people. It is essential to rethink what 'security' truly means and to prioritize people's well-being and social security over strategic interests. We need to explore alternative ways to understand ourselves and others, to relate to and respect the environment, and to develop what can genuinely be considered a sustainable society.

Jeju Island currently faces three major threats of militarization. The first is the proposed second airport, effectively an Air Force base, which is likely to heighten tensions and conflicts in East Asia. The second threat comes from the frequent military exercises conducted in the waters surrounding Jeju. South Korea, the U.S., and Japan have formed a de facto trilateral military alliance, which threatens the world, and this year they conducted their first multi-domain joint military exercise, Freedom Edge, which included operations in the space domain over the southern waters of Jeju (East China Sea). The increasing military activity in the area poses a serious threat to the Jeju marine ecosystem. Thirdly, the Jeju local government is collaborating with Hanwha, an arms manufacturing company, to develop a space industry cluster on the island. We fear that building space facilities in Jeju will further contribute to the militarization of the island.

Japan must learn and reflect on the history of past colonization of Asian countries and South Pacific Islands. Japan is intensifying Self-Defense Forces training and exercises in Kyushu, Okinawa, and the Nansei Islands in collaboration with U.S. armed forces. In addition to many US bases, the number and scale of SDF bases in the Nansei Islands are expanding, leading to significant environmental destruction and posing a threat to the security of local communities. Evacuation plans for residents of the Nansei Islands to mainland Japan have already begun, sending the message that the local people's livelihoods are being subordinated to military interests, rather than being safeguarded by them.

Historical revisionism promoted by both current and previous Japanese administrations over several decades has led to widespread forgetfulness among the Japanese about Japanese imperialism's impact on other Asian countries and has contributed to the militarization of public consciousness in Japan. The recent Philippines-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement, modeled after the US-VFA(Visiting Forces Agreement), rekindles painful memories of World War II in the Philippines, particularly for the victims of military sexual violence and slavery. Justice remains elusive as Japan continues to engage in historical revisionism.

The US, Japan and South Korea should refrain from using the 'Taiwan Emergency' as a pretext to justify and intensify their militarization and military ties with the U.S., as well as from turning their peripheral islands into military bases. The US must stop military intervention and arming its Asian allies. China must stop using “external threats” or “defending its territory” as an excuse to divert internal and external pressure and increase its armaments. We call on more people from the US and China to join in peaceful solidarity, so that we can all work to stop the militarization by each of our governments.

The Philippines has now become a zone of war. The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreements (EDCA) sites have increased. The US military forces have “shared” access to the Philippine military bases. The number of US Special Forces has increased dramatically. Medium Range Ballistic Missile launchers have been deployed. Balikatan war exercises have been expanded in their scale. Multiple military agreements have been signed with the US and NATO allies. The Philippines has clearly been integrated into US war strategies in the Indo-Pacific region, with a focus on China. The dispute over the West Philippine Sea provides the US with an opportunity to use the Philippines as a pawn in its efforts to provoke conflict with China.

Hawaii continues to have RIMPAC and many other war exercises. Fuel tanks that were built after World War II leaked gasoline into the drinking water and the freshwater aquifer on the island of Oahu. The tanks were finally drained this year, after many years of protests. Another harmful effect of the concentration of military headquarters and military industries in Hawaii has been to make rents unaffordable. Meanwhile, Hawaii is being used to project military threats elsewhere.

Let us resist campaigns of fear and let us, peace-seekers in every country, stand in solidarity. We are not divided, we are united. We give peace a chance when we listen to each other.

Stop the militarization!

Stop the war drills!

Stop the war and genocide!

We are linked by the sea of peace!

2024.09.02

The participants of the 2024 Peace for the Sea International Camp

(For a shorter version of the statement, you may use only the bold portions)

The 2024 Peace for the Sea Camp ended with a rally marking the "13th Memorial Day of the Fencing of Gureombi Rock." As you can see in the banner on the right hand side, participants from Taiwan announced plans to host the 2025 Peace for the Sea Camp in Taiwan. Group photo by Lee Jaekak.

2024 Peace for the Sea Camp:

We are linked by the sea of peace!

Dates: Fri., Aug. 30 to Mon., Sept. 2, 2024

Place: Jeju

Number of participants: 50

Participation fee: 220,000 won (including food and lodging) (up to age 18: 180,000 won)

Application deadline: July 22 (Monday) *Applications are closed.

Contact: (email) peaceforsea@gmail.com

Hosted by: Inter-Island Solidarity Peace for the Sea Camp Preparation Team

On Jeju, our beloved island, sweetfish leap against the current. Dolphins swim playfully. Different kinds of seaweed grow. The tangerine tree in front of our house grows old. The waves splash on the shore. They tell a story.

On Jeju, our beloved island, US nuclear submarines come and go from the Jeju Naval Base. So we gather in front of the base at 7 am and 12 pm. We gather together in defense of life. Not to practice killing but to practice building relationships. In front of soldiers with guns, in front of warships, in front of Gangjeong Village’s "Gureombi" rock that was buried under the base, we speak out.

On Jeju, our beloved island, they're building another big airport that might be used as an air force base. The airport will carve up and destroy Jeju's beautiful landscape of oreum (volcanic cones) and sumgol (“breathing” caves). Elementary schools will close and birds will lose their resting places. Airports invite destruction, just as bases invite destruction. Just as in 1937, airplanes from Alddreu Airfield, Jeju, were used to bomb civilians in Nanjing.

On Jeju, our beloved island, they’re planning to build the Hanwha Space Center to launch countless rockets and satellites. Each rocket launch, with its roar and smoke, punctures the ozone layer. Space is becoming a giant military base with more satellites than stars. Space is being polluted. At a frighteningly fast rate.

Jeju is in a whirlwind of militarization. Just as many islands are. If East Asians who resist militarism meet together, our meeting will be a source of strength. We are confident that together, connected by the sea, we can make a difference.

In 2014, we held the first Peace for the Sea Camp in Jeju, believing that peace has no borders, and we have met since then in Okinawa, Taiwan, Ishigaki, Jeju, Kinmen, and Miyako.

In 2024, still believing that peace has no borders, we shall hold the 8th Peace for the Sea Camp in Jeju. We invite our friends to our beloved island, Jeju.