Fasting for 100days on the 3rd February 2005, Venerable Jiyul Sunim is on her fourth hunger resistance that sums up to 200days. Demanding the South Korean Government to organise a joint research team to re-conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment in due procedures for the under-going tunnel construction that will penetrate Mount Cheonseong for Express Train which will link between Busan and Seoul, the two major cities in South Korea.

I am writing this urgent letter to you all with a heavy heart, but alarmed by her frail self fade away.

Venerable Jiyul Sunim is a simple Buddhist monk of Naewonsa, a monastery at Mt. Cheonseong in Yangsan(near busan), about 420kilometres away from Seoul.  Ven. Jiyul Sunim has taken the class action of the ‘Clawed Salamander’ a rare species found on the Mt. Cheonseong. This was an unprecedented case that a non-human plaintiff filing a lawsuit in the South Korean legal system, but a symbolic action to advocate for all beings on the mountain particularly representing over 30 rare species of flora and fauna of the Mt. Cheonseong.  

 

The current Roh Moohyun administration self-designates as the ‘Participatory Government’ of the people, but rather than to soothe the suffering and hear the plea of the mistreated, it breaks the promises with the public that it would conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment in due procedures and denies the election pledge to back down on the construction of the tunnel all together.  Further, the Roh administration is rejecting to hear the desperate plea of the Venerable Jiyul Sunim’s fasting and driving her life to the edge.

In repentance, of our ignorance and hopes to save the Venerable Jiyul Sunim, we are holding Candle Light Virgil on every night at the Central City Square, 100,000 Paper Salamander Appeal, Relay Repentance Prayer organised by the Jogye Order (the Largest Korean Buddhist Order) with the religious leaders from four major faith communities; Christians (Catholic and Protestant), Buddhists and Won Buddhists.

As I am writing this letter a thread of tear runs down on my cheek watching how frail she became, and feel ready to hold on to a straw if that will help the cause. Together with the Venerable Jiyul Sunim, we ask you to write a sentence of encouragement and support with your signature and send it to us by fax or email, this may enable the current administration to consider the desperate plea of the Venerable Jiyul Sunim and it would empower the Venerable Jiyul Sunim and us to save the lives of Mt. Choenseong in resonance of life.

Venerable Pomnyun Sunim
Chairperson
Join Together Society Foundation (JTSF)
Jungto Society Foundation

Today is the 100 day of her fourth hunger resistence against tunnel construction on the Mt. Cheonseong.  Ven. Jiyul Sunim's condition is deteriorating by the day, and so we are asking in desperation to environmental leaders of the global community to send us ONE-LINE statement of encouragement and support for the Ven. Jiyul Sunim's cause.

In Compassion,

Erica Kang
Project Co-ordinator, International Network
Jungto Society: Buddhist Academy for Ecological Awakening
URL : http://www.jungto.org
E-mail : intnetwork@jungto.org
Phone : +82 2 587 0662 (Direct) / 019 354 8996 (Mobile)
Fax : +82 2 587 8998