Uni Park writes from South Korea:
Collective
amnesia. Collective trauma. On picturesque Jeju Island, its quite easy
to forget that Jeju was one big mass grave. So many deaths and unknown
remains. I imagine the numerous golf courses and sprawling hillside
resorts built above the dead. Today, April 3rd, marks the 65th
anniversary of the 1948 civilian uprising and massacre where it is
estimated 1/5 [up to 80,000] of the population on Jeju Island were brutally killed for
associating or participating in people's committees or had refused to
vote in a puppet election recognizing a divided Korea, all labeled
communists. [These operations were directed by the US Army.]
These simple-minded farming, fishing communities wiped out.
230 villages disappeared, 40,000 homes destroyed or burned down. Someone
once told me that there are very few old trees on Jeju because they
were all burned down in search for those who tried to hide in the
mountains.
Arthouse documentary film, 'Jeju Prayer' connects the
governments bloody suppression of the 4.3 uprising and the Gangjeong village
struggle against the naval base. A special pre-screening with the
director and producer for Gangjeong villagers was held on Monday. Visually stunning, well edited, moving. Opening in theaters this week.
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