돌아가신 분들께 삼가 명복을 빕니다.
참세상난 집회 기사를 번역해보았습니다.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
A Rally Denouncing the Ministry of Justice for the Fire in Yeosu Detention
Center
"The Minister Must Resign! Close Down the Detention Centers!"
- Reporter Jeong-pil Byeon
Translated from Chamsesang (www.newscham.net)
A press conference and a rally on the recent fire in Yeosu Foreigners
Detention Center was held in front of the government building in Gwacheon
at 1 pm on February 13th. About 100 people, including migrant workers and
human right groups, joined the rally.
The protesters expressed the mix of grief and fury that they felt about
the incident. They severely criticized the government's wrong policy on
migrant workers as the cause of the tragedy.
Speakers on stage also pointed out that it was a murder committed by the
government, and that the foreigner detention centers, established for the
protection of foreigners, are actually used to imprison them.
"Lots of migrant workers have hung themselves, run into trains, and jumped
out of their windows. Now they are burnt to death.
Bong-hee Ju, the representative of the emergency committee said, "The
government and the ministry are trying to dodge their responsibility for
the tragedy. They just focus on who set the fire to lay the blame on the
migrant workers."
Ju mentioned the recent court decision that judged that the migrant
workers' trade union is legal. "I thought the situation of migrant workers
in Korea could be better. But it was wrong. Still, lots of people hang
themselves, run into trains, and jump out of their windows. Now they are
burnt to death. We have to stop the tragedies, beginning at once."
"They just sprayed fire extinguishers from the outside of the metal bars
and left the people inside."
Hyeon-mo Choi, the representative of Human Rights for Migrant Workers
pointed out the horrible condition of migrant workers in the detention
centers. "One staff member and two police officers just sprayed fire
extinguishers from the outside of the metal bars, and left the people
inside. But the fire wasn't put out. While they went to the 1st floor to
bring the keys, more people went dying." The Democratic Labor Party
members said that they saw three patients handcuffed to their bed frames
in the hospital after being saved from the fire. This shows that the
Ministry of Justice keeps violating the human rights of migrant workers
even after the disaster."
"It's a shame to live in this country."
"Even in the U.S., undocumented migrant workers are legalized regularly."
Young-guk Gweon from Lawyers for a Democratic Society criticized the
government policy on migrant workers, and pointed out that Korean
Immigration even violates their own rules and procedures. When they arrest
a person, they have to identify the person first and show an arrest
warrant. They are not allowed to sweep people up at random. He demanded
the immediate abolition of iron-bar cells, an apology from the President,
the resignation of the Minister of Justice and the punishment of the chief
of Yeosu Detention Center. He added that the government should stop the
crackdown and legalize undocumented migrant workers right now, taking the
U.S. policy as an example: "Even under the U.S. policy, which is known to
be strict on immigration, migrant workers with a five-year overstay
regularly get a chance to be legalized."
Migrants go through a complete strip search. Arson is impossible.
Kajiman, the representative of the Migrant Workers' Trade Union,
emphasized that the new Worker Permit System has intensified the crackdown
on migrant workers, which is the more fundamental background of the
tragedy. He was suspicious of the government investigators' argument of
arson. He said that arson is almost impossible inside of the detention
center because, before people are put in the detention center, they go
through a thorough strip search. They are not even allowed to smoke. "The
government and the Minster of Justice are responsible. Don't try to
distract people from that. They must apologize to the migrant workers and
suggest a fundamental solution."
The participants made it clear that the death was caused by the wrong
system and policy on migrant workers. Then they demanded the shutdown of
the detention centers, the resignation of the Minister of Justice and the
punishment of the staff in charge. They also showed their will to struggle
to stop crackdown and legalize all undocumented migrant workers. On
February 25th, another large rally on the same issue will be held.
Translation : Radical Language Exchange
http://seoulidarity.net
참세상난 집회 기사를 번역해보았습니다.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
A Rally Denouncing the Ministry of Justice for the Fire in Yeosu Detention
Center
"The Minister Must Resign! Close Down the Detention Centers!"
- Reporter Jeong-pil Byeon
Translated from Chamsesang (www.newscham.net)
A press conference and a rally on the recent fire in Yeosu Foreigners
Detention Center was held in front of the government building in Gwacheon
at 1 pm on February 13th. About 100 people, including migrant workers and
human right groups, joined the rally.
The protesters expressed the mix of grief and fury that they felt about
the incident. They severely criticized the government's wrong policy on
migrant workers as the cause of the tragedy.
Speakers on stage also pointed out that it was a murder committed by the
government, and that the foreigner detention centers, established for the
protection of foreigners, are actually used to imprison them.
"Lots of migrant workers have hung themselves, run into trains, and jumped
out of their windows. Now they are burnt to death.
Bong-hee Ju, the representative of the emergency committee said, "The
government and the ministry are trying to dodge their responsibility for
the tragedy. They just focus on who set the fire to lay the blame on the
migrant workers."
Ju mentioned the recent court decision that judged that the migrant
workers' trade union is legal. "I thought the situation of migrant workers
in Korea could be better. But it was wrong. Still, lots of people hang
themselves, run into trains, and jump out of their windows. Now they are
burnt to death. We have to stop the tragedies, beginning at once."
"They just sprayed fire extinguishers from the outside of the metal bars
and left the people inside."
Hyeon-mo Choi, the representative of Human Rights for Migrant Workers
pointed out the horrible condition of migrant workers in the detention
centers. "One staff member and two police officers just sprayed fire
extinguishers from the outside of the metal bars, and left the people
inside. But the fire wasn't put out. While they went to the 1st floor to
bring the keys, more people went dying." The Democratic Labor Party
members said that they saw three patients handcuffed to their bed frames
in the hospital after being saved from the fire. This shows that the
Ministry of Justice keeps violating the human rights of migrant workers
even after the disaster."
"It's a shame to live in this country."
"Even in the U.S., undocumented migrant workers are legalized regularly."
Young-guk Gweon from Lawyers for a Democratic Society criticized the
government policy on migrant workers, and pointed out that Korean
Immigration even violates their own rules and procedures. When they arrest
a person, they have to identify the person first and show an arrest
warrant. They are not allowed to sweep people up at random. He demanded
the immediate abolition of iron-bar cells, an apology from the President,
the resignation of the Minister of Justice and the punishment of the chief
of Yeosu Detention Center. He added that the government should stop the
crackdown and legalize undocumented migrant workers right now, taking the
U.S. policy as an example: "Even under the U.S. policy, which is known to
be strict on immigration, migrant workers with a five-year overstay
regularly get a chance to be legalized."
Migrants go through a complete strip search. Arson is impossible.
Kajiman, the representative of the Migrant Workers' Trade Union,
emphasized that the new Worker Permit System has intensified the crackdown
on migrant workers, which is the more fundamental background of the
tragedy. He was suspicious of the government investigators' argument of
arson. He said that arson is almost impossible inside of the detention
center because, before people are put in the detention center, they go
through a thorough strip search. They are not even allowed to smoke. "The
government and the Minster of Justice are responsible. Don't try to
distract people from that. They must apologize to the migrant workers and
suggest a fundamental solution."
The participants made it clear that the death was caused by the wrong
system and policy on migrant workers. Then they demanded the shutdown of
the detention centers, the resignation of the Minister of Justice and the
punishment of the staff in charge. They also showed their will to struggle
to stop crackdown and legalize all undocumented migrant workers. On
February 25th, another large rally on the same issue will be held.
Translation : Radical Language Exchange
http://seoulidarity.net
