No War on IRAN!

The press conference for the Korean NGO that denounces U.S.’act of war’ and opposes Korean troop dispatch

The Trump administration has committed an utterly unpardonable act of war. Last January 3rd (local time) they assassinated Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian Major General of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, through a drone strike at Bagdad Airport. In response, Iran declared a ‘harsh retaliation’ on the 8th(local time) and carried out an attack against the U.S. by launching a dozen or so missiles at two U.S. army bases in Iraq. Later, the Foreign Minister of Iran said that they did not seek further military escalation or war. Likewise, President Trump announced that he did not want to use more military force, which fortunately stopped the situation from getting out of control.

The assassination of General Soleimani is a clear violation of international law and an act of war that infringes upon Iraq’s sovereignty. The U.S. government argues that Commander Soleimani plotted an attack against U.S. facilities in Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria. However, the U.S. government failed to provide specific evidence concerning this and the Iraq government has also fully denied such claims. This is the reason why such criticisms against the violation of the UN charter, that attacking another country is prohibited unless one’s own country is attacked or unless it is approved by the UN Security Council, have arisen. Furthermore, it is unjustifiable for a third power to proceed with a military operation of murdering an independent nation’s high-ranking official without notifying the Iraq government. The foreign ministry of Iraq also confirms that it has sent a letter to the UN Security Council criticizing that “the U.S. attack severely violates Iraq’s sovereignty and the terms for U.S. military occupation in Iraq.”

We stress that the U.S. is clearly responsible for this incident. Moreover, it should be remembered that the conflict between the U.S. and Iran was caused by the U.S. unilaterally breaching the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Despite international organizations such as the IAEA and EU verifying on several occasions Iran’s fulfillment of the nuclear agreement, President Trump had called into question the nuclear deal when he was the presidential candidate. Eventually President Trump one-sidedly withdrew from the agreement and brought back sanctions against Iran. Disregarding the nuclear deal that set the foundations for overcoming the hostile U.S.–Iran relation and which was also supported by the UN Security Council cannot be justified by any words. The U.S. should not try to enforce new sanctions but acknowledge its responsibility and try to restore the nuclear agreement with Iran.

War cannot be a solution. Military action cannot solve conflicts or problems. The world has not forgotten the long ‘war against terrorism’ that started in 2001 with the Afghanistan war, passed through the 2003 Iraq war, and continued into the emergence of the ISIS. The people who have suffered the horrendous outcomes of war clearly remember: there are no winners in war. Through the cycles of violence, military industries have made billions and politicians sought political gain. Countless innocent civilians have died, gotten injured, or become refugees. The people of the world plea that the same mistakes not be made. There should be no more military action of any sort between the U.S. and Iran.

Meanwhile, last January 7th, the United States Ambassador to Korea Harry Harris openly pressured the Korean Government by asking Korea to send troops to the middle east, which is highly inappropriate. Korea has been examining several ways to respond to the U.S. request to send troops to Hormuz. Korea has considered sending a liaison officer to the Hormuz escort coalition headquarters or expanding the activity zone for the Cheonghae Unit. The Korean government should immediately stop such considerations and decline the U.S. request for military support. Korea has no justification to take part in U.S. military action when the U.S. has started such conflict through warfare. No matter how much the Korean Government argues that the dispatch is for protection of its citizens, other countries in the world including Iran will not think the same and Korean troops will ultimately have to face Iran. Moreover, it is not right for Korea to engage in military strife in other regions when it asks the international society to take part in making peace in the Korean Peninsula.

This is a time, more than any other, that requires a voice of peace. We are in solidarity with other global citizens that want peace and together will oppose war.

We strongly condemn the United States ‘act of war’.
The U.S. and Iran should not attempt any further military action.
The Korean government should refuse U.S. request to send Korean troops to Hormuz.

January 10, 2020

107 Korean CSOs that denounces U.S. warfare and opposes Korean troop dispatch

A Study Group for East Asian Detention Camp at Yonsei University

ALiM: (Animal Lights Me:)
Alternative Culture Solidarity
APWSL
Art liberation front
B.A.w.s
Bupyeong Ascom city studies group
Busan Counseling Center Against Gender Violence
Busan Differently Abled Solidarity
Busan Women Hot Line
Busan Women’s Association United
Catholic Human Rights Committee
Center for Military human rights, Korea
Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice
Civil Peace Forum
Civil politics madang
Civilian Military Watch
Comspace Pum&Pedagogy
Daegugyeongbuk movement for one corea
Dasan Human Rights Center
Diversity Korea
Durebang
DWAU
Energy and Climate Policy Institute for Just Transition
Estacion1913
Eunhasu Salon
Fullmoon House
Garden of multitude intelligence
Green Korea United
Green Party in SNU
Green Party Korea
Gwangju Human Rights Peace Foundation
Gyeongnam Women’s Association
Hot Pink Dolphins
Human Rights Education Center_DEUL
Human Rights Foundation SARAM
Human Rights Movement Space ‘Hwal’
Humanitiescommune of IEUM
Imagination for International Solidarity
Incheon Human Rights Film Festival
Incorporated Organization Silcheon Bulgyo
International review(Inter:view)
Jeju Dark Tours
Jeju Pan-Island Committee for Stop of Military Base and for Realization of Peace Island
Jeju peace human rights center
Jeju Queer Culture Festival Organization Committee
Jeju Solidarity for Participatory
Jeju youth group for unification
Jesuit Research Center for Advocacy and Solidarity
JPD-Anti Conscription Organization
Justice, Peace and Ecology Committee of Catholic Religious Men Korea
Juveniles Korea Green Party
JuvenilesActionUnion NALDA
KNPplus
Korea Women’s Associations United
Korea-Vietnam Peace Foundation
Korean House for International Solidarity
Korean Lawyers for Public Interest and Human Rights (KLPH)
Left-wing
Life & Safety Network
Memorial committee of the Jeju April 3rd uprising and massacre
Memoryreborn
MINBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society
Movement for One Korea
NanumMunhwa
Nation Solidarity for Reform of Unequal ROK-USA SOFA
National Conference of People in Sovereignty
National Council of YMCAs of Korea
National Solidarity against Sexual Exploitation of Women
New Bodhisattva Network
NGOdagachi
NPC
One Korea Tree
Palestine Peace and Solidarity in South Korea
Pax Christi Korea
PDAW
Peace K.S.
Peace Network
PEACEGROUND
PEACEMOMO
People Making Jeju be a Demilitarized Peace Island
People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy
People’s solidarity for self-goverining in Jeju
Platform C
Pohang women’s association
Reconciliation and Reunification Committee, NCCK (The National Council of Churches in Korea)
REDBOOKS
Refugee Rights Center
Refugee X Field
SARANGBANG Group for Human Rights
Seoul Human Rights Film Festival
SHARE, Center for Sexual rigHts And Reproductive justicE
Society of International Solidarity in Justice Party
Solidarity for Another World
Solidarity for peace & humanrights
SPARK (Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea)
The Frontiers
The Korean Council for Justice & Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan
The Wednesday Peace Studies Group
The Won-Buddhist Emergency Committee to Guard the Sacred Site at Seongju
Through The world by bicycle
Translation Collective  Itda
Women Making Peace
Womenlink
Won Buddhism Civil Society Network
World Without War
Young Korean Academy

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