26.10.2015

News from
(1) Dreifachkatastrophe Fukushima in 2011, bes. AKW & Radioaktivität und
(2) Untergang der Fähre SEWOL am 16.04.2014 mit 304 meist Kindern an Bord


Remembering Sewol Disaster UK

26. Oktober
[The Deep Fissure]
Hans Buchner, Amnesty International Coordinator for South Korea
The MV Sewol sank in April 2014. Three-hundred and four passengers – most of them adolescents – died. Nine of the victims remain missing.
The disaster has profoundly changed South Korean society.
A deep fissure has suddenly appeared in the shiny surface of the economic power; negligence and corruption, reaching far beyond this particular incident, have become apparent.
These systematic failures registered with the public, resulting in many demonstrations.
Additionally, the owner of the shipping company abdicated responsibility by committing suicide, while the CEO was arrested.
It is shocking that those individuals from regulating authorities and the government that are actually responsible have not been held accountable. Furthermore, broadcasters and newspapers – “well-behaved lap dogs of the president” – initially gave false reports on the number of victims and, later, about relatives.
The yellow ribbons signal that relatives of the victims want an independent investigation into the sinking of the MV Sewol. They have declined to meet with the president, who, on the one-year anniversary of the tragedy, finally promised to have the sunken ferry lifted. However, in July (2015) seven organisers of demonstrations were arrested.
And this is the heart of the problem: the “ice princess” has been handling the disaster abysmally. On the day of the accident she was unreachable for seven hours. Later, she demonstrated little sympathy. Park’s increasingly authoritarian leadership style that suppresses any contrary opinions as well as mistakes made previously during her presidency (such as political meddling by the National Intelligence Service during the presidential election and the mis-selection of ministers) have profoundly shaken the trust of the South Korean people. Her reputation has fallen notably. South Korea’s democracy has been damaged.
(translated from German by Marlies Gabriele Prinzl)
https://rememberingsewoluk.wordpress.com/…/the-deep-fissur…/
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깊은 균열
2014년 4월 세월호는 침몰하였다. 목숨을 잃은 304명의 승객중 대다수는 청소년들이며 아직도 9명의 승객은 찾지 못했다. 이 참사는 한국사회를 크게 흔들어 놓았다.
화려한 경제권력 표면에 깊은 균열이 생겼다. 이는 경제력의 이면에 가려졌던 미봉책과 부정부패가 드러난 것이다. 시스템의 부재를 자각한 대중들이 수많은 집회를 시작했다.
해운회사 소유주가 자살하면서 책임을 회피했고, 선장이 구속된 사실이 알려졌다.
분개스러운 것은, 정보기관과 정부의 책임자들이 오늘까지도 진상조사를 받지 않았다는 사실이다.
게다가 방송사와 신문(“대통령의 충견들”)은 희생자 수에 대해서, 또 유족들에 대해서 오보를 쏟아냈다. 노란 리본을 단 유가족들이 바라는 것은, 독립적인 기구를 통해 침몰 과정을 밝히는 것이다.
하지만 박대통령은 침몰 1주년이 되는날, 선체 인양을 약속했을 뿐이었다. 그러나 7월에는 집회 조직위원회 소속 7명이 구금되었다.
문제의 핵심은 이것이다: “얼음공주” 박근혜의 사고 대응은 끔찍했다. 사고 당일 박근혜는 7시간 동안 연락이 안되었다. 사고 이후에도 관심을 거의 보이지 않았다.
나날이 독단적이 되어가는 국가운영 방식을 통해 이견을 철저히 억압하고, 그밖의 다른 실책(정보기관을 동원한 선거조작, 총리 인선 과정의 혼선) 등을 통해 시민들의 신뢰를 저버렸다.
박근혜의 평판은 명백하게 추락했고, 한국의 민주주의는 훼손당했다.
한스 북흐너 (엠네스티 인터네셔널 한국담당)
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Amnesty Report 92. Ausgabe, Juni – August 2015
Der tiefe Riss
Im April 2014 sank die Fähre Sewol und riss 304 Passagiere (die meisten Jugendliche) in den Tod. Neun wurden bis heute nicht gefunden.
Das Unglück veränderte die Gesellschaft Südkoreas tiefgreifend.
Die glänzende Oberfläche der Wirtschaftsmacht bekam plötzlich einen tiefen Riss; Schlamperei und Korruption, die weit über diesen Fall hinausreichen, wurden sichtbar. Diese Systemmängel drangen ins Bewusstsein der Bevölkerung und führten zu zahlreichen Demonstrationen.
Dass sich der Eigentümer der Reederei durch Selbstmord seiner Verantwortung entzog und der Chef festgenommen wurde, nahm man nebenbei zur Kenntnis. Empörend ist, dass bis heute die eigentlich Verantwortlichen in Aufsichtsbehörden und Regierung nicht zur Rechenschaft gezogen wurden. Zudem übermittelten Fernsehen und Zeitungen („Die braven Schoßhündchen der Präsidentin“) zunächst Falschmeldungen über die Opferzahlen und später über die Angehörigen.
Gelbe Schleifen signalisieren, dass die Angehörigen endlich die Vorgänge beim Untergang durch eine unabhängige Kommission geklärt haben wollen. Ein Treffen mit der Präsidentin lehnten sie ab. Diese versprach am ersten Jahrestag, das Wrack endlich heben zu lassen. Im Juli wurden aber sieben Organisatoren der Demonstrationen verhaftet.
Hier liegt der Kern des Problems: Die „Eisprinzessin“ managte das Unglück miserabel: Am Tag des Unglücks war sie sieben Stunden nicht erreichbar. Danach zeigte sie kaum Anteilnahme. Ihr zunehmend autoritärer Führungsstil, der andere Meinungen massiv unterdrückt, hat neben früheren Fehlern (Wahlmanipulation durch den Geheimdienst, verfehlte Auswahl der Minister) das Vertrauen der Bevölkerung massiv erschüttert. Das Ansehen Parks ist deutlich gesunken, Südkoreas Demokratie ist beschädigt.
Kommentar von Hans Buchner