This issue of
Praxis brings together a collection of some scholarly presentations on issues
and areas of concern that have increasingly come to dominate the Asian
scenario. In sharing these concerns with our constituency, and friends of the
Federation, we wish to acknowledge those that made this possible. We are
gratitude and thanks to Dr. David Suh, president of the
A special report
on "The Ainu Peoples9 Self-Affirmation and Christian Response" by
Kurata Masakiko traces the roots of oppression that the minorities are
subjected to and describes the social conditions that render this minority race
in Japan a dehumanized people. Alongside it expresses their aspirations with a
view to stimulating a meaningful Christian response to their situations.
"The burning
of the Seaweeds Barn" is a play that vividly portrays the social crises of
a fishing community in the
Finally we
share with deep satisfaction the 'Minutes of the CCA-WSCF Ad-hoc Coordination
Committee meetings. Thus meeting is undoubtedly a landmark in ecumenical
venture. National Movements are urged to study the minutes and its implications
and to initiate follow up processes through 'National level dialogues and
consultations between the National SCM and their respective National Council of
Churches.
3
SUMIYA MIKIO
HISTORY - WHAT IS IT?
"History"
is generally considered to be the accumulation of the events which have
occurred. It is also conceived that those events, having already occurred,
cannot be changed, and that they are facts which nobody can doubt, even though
somebody has perhaps had to dig them out. It is true, that Mr. Kim Dae Junq was
released and went to the
Historical events,
however, have to be seen from different angles. It will take five or ten years
for us to reach a correct understanding as to the historical meaning of the
release of Kim Dae Jung or of Premier Nakasone's visit to
Furthermore, when
we think of the concept of the "historical," the historical weight of
events becomes a questions; it follows that the meaning of each event has to be
examined. Why was Kim Dae Jung released? Various explanations may be given.
Some explain that the Korean government wanted to demonstrate her democratic
and liberal attitude toward the world. Others interpret that he was released
because of the
_____________
* Dr. Sumiya is President of
4
circumstances
rightly explain the event?
It
depends on each individual how to understand the event. Afterwards the event
may well turn out to be associated with unexpected factors now unknown.
In the meantime,
history is not merely a sequence of a separate events, but an accumulation of
complicated events. Taking today as an example, it is composed of numerous
intertwined events. Taking up the year 1982 there were a much larger number of
events. Everyday, newspapers and television report on the events they think to
be important. If news is not controlled each newspaper reports those events in
different way and weight. This comes from the newswriters' or editors'
different views as to what they think more important. When an editor finds one
piece of news worth reporting from among the infinite number of possibilities,
his selection is based on his view of history.
When news is
controlled by the government, needless to say, what the government thinks
important is reported and unfavorable news is not reported. Therefore, we
cannot say that what a government announces or what official documents state
necessarily consists of historical facts. Moreover, not seldom are the
documents of a government are trustworthy.
These
circumstances make the description of history difficult. Many historical
documents have accumulated before our time, but we have no guarantee that they
describe historical facts. These historical documents are usually colored. That
is, their editors' or writers' views are reflected in the historical documents.
Hence, we cannot regard historical documents as descriptions of facts.
Criticism of historical documents is required. We must clear the background and
authorship of these historical documents.
It follows, then,
that "What is history?" is not an easy question to answer. It might
seem that everybody is likely to deduce the same pattern from the accumulated,
immovable events of the past, but this is not true. The events themselves do
not explain which factors are most important nor how they are connected with
other events. Events appear silently to us; we cannot hear their own voices.
This leads us to
understand that "history" is a description of historical events as
understood and interpreted by the writer. History as accumulated events
naturally cannot be the same as described history. The history of events is
complicated; written history only tells us one aspect of the history of events.
After all, though, the only history we can be aware is written history.
THE DESCRIPTION OF HISTORY AND HISTORICAL CONSCIOUSNESS
"History is
written history" means that the writer's view of history is reflected in
the history he writes. When describing history, the first problem one faces is
what one should select from among the innumerable events. One's view of history
will inevitably function in selecting them. The history described by Japanese
textbooks before World War II, for example, was the history of the emperors, if
I may simplify matters. This was because
Generally
speaking, most histories are the histories of the ruling class or, one might
say, history as seen by the ruling class. Almost all historical documents,
particularly official documents, are drawn up by the ruling class. Therefore,
as long as one writes history using these documents as source material, it will
naturally be a description of history focussing on the ruling class. Most
people take this for granted, since they unknowingly accept the ruling class's
view of history.
On the other hand,
many people have come to believe that only the history written from the viewpoint
of common people would be "true history." From this point of view,
much research has been done, many historical documents have been dug out, and
many histories have been written. In this connection, studies in a new field
called "social history" have flourished in recent years. Needless to
say then, different studies are premised on different views of history.
One question
arises associated with the history of people, the aspect of the economic life
which supports the people's life. This field is called "economic
history." In this case, too, the emphasis often placed on those who
dominate economic activities. The understanding of the whole process of
economy, however, needs also a view of the relationship between the ruling
class and the ruled -- landlords and peasants, or employers and employees, to
be concrete. As for general history, too, the same point of view is required.
This seems to be natural, but it has not necessarily been properly treated.
That has been because this view of history has not been deafly formulated.
Any view of
history depends, then, on the standpoint of the observer of that history. As I
mentioned above, depending on the views of the observer, history ap-
5
pears to us in different patterns.
As one
age is replaced by the other, and as the concerns of the times changed , another facet of the past will be recognized. For
instance, as early modern culture rapidly developed, the middle ages have come
to be considered as "dark ages." However, since the deadlock of
modern times has come to the fore in the 20th Century, the middle ages have
been re-evaluated once again and thought more highly of.
This means that
history is a pattern of the past seen from the viewpoint of the present.
Looking back at the past, we search for the origin of the present situation;
then one aspect which has been buried or neglected may come to light. On the
contrary, our concern for what has previously been vigorously discussed may
diminish. In this way history continues to be rewritten. "History consists
of past events and thus remains unchanged." This is true in one sense, but
it is not true in another sense, for history is not fixed.
In relation to
this point, we may consider the studies of Japanese history in the
Of course, it is
not sufficient if we only conclude that historical description is the
reflection of current concerns . Historical description will be deeply
influenced not only by historians, but also by the government authorities'
intentions and the historical consciousness of the individuals concerned.
History will open its door to those who are deeply and widely interested in
history, while it will shut its door to those who see history superficially.
The image of history one describes is the reflection of his historical
consciousness and also that of his own opinions.
HISTORICAL
CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE TEXTBOOK ISSUE
One's image of
history is a reflection of his historical consciousness, and one's historical
consciousness is affected by the challenges of the present. This also means
that images of history continue to be rewritten in response to, or in order to
legitimate, the present situation. This kind of rewriting of history has
repeatedly been found in many socialist countries. When Stalin was criticized
after his death, for instance, the age of Stalin was rewritten. In the People's
Republic of
The Japanese
textbook authorization problem is an example of how such rewriting becomes a
political and diplomatic problem. Until the end of World War II the schoobooks
used for compulsory education were compiled by the government, but after the
War the state-run system was abolished, as it was considered to constitute
interference with education. Schoolbooks from elementary to high schools are
now independently edited by textbook publishers and only "screened' by the
Schoolbook Inspecting and Research Committee of the Ministry of Education.
There are now textbook inspectors who undertake substantive screenings. I would
like to call your attention to the fact that for the past several years, a
campaign ha been carried out criticizing schoolbooks as distorted toward
left-wing thought. The protesters are right-wing thinkers, supported by the
education-committed-group (Bunkyo-zoku) of the Liberal Democratic Party,
and the officials of the Ministry of Education have taken advantage of them.
Some textbooks were rejected outright an in other cases the authors were told to
re write the books; they were not acceptable because they recorded stains in
Japanese history. As one of the rewrites, for in stance, "invasion"
of
The problem of
terminology, however, is not so important. The basic problem lie in the
transformation of the Japanese historical consciousness and also in forcing the
nation to accept a certain view of history by using the inspection system
authoritatively. What has transformed the conservative politicians' historical
consciousness? This is the most serious problem in Japanese present history.
6
It can reasonably
be supposed that right-wing conservative politicians were not pleased with the transformation
of the political system after World War II. At heart they reacted against such
a series of events after World War II as the one-sided judgement upon Japanese
leaders at the War Crimes Tribunal, the severe reduction of the emperor's
powers, and the new Constitution forced onto them from abroad. Through these
events they might have for seen a crisis for
It has been widely
reported that, in the summer of 1982, keen reproaches against these movements
were heard from
The opening worship was held in Chosun Hotel,
The issue we are
facing is not political nor international; rather, the issue of education in
history is as to how history should be taught. As has been made clear above, it
is not that one "history" exists because there were events in the
past, but that there are many "histories," variously understood under
the circumstances of the times and from various individual points of view and
various sets of values. The problem is which history we should teach and what
textbooks should be compiled.
It is my basic
understanding that various textbooks from various point of views should be
permitted. Textbooks with too much ideology would not be appropriate; at the
same time, it is not correct to compel the teaching of only one view of
history. In this sense, it is not correct for textbook inspections to force
historical descriptions in one direction. It would be desirable for many kinds
of history textbooks to be available and for teachers to be able to select
whatever they want. Once
HISTORICAL
CONSIOUSNESS AND CHRISTIANS
History is, then,
a pattern of the past described from the present point of view. This might
bring a danger. We cannot necessarily accept "the present"
affirmatively. We have to see clearly what our own nation is. A situation may
occur which we have to resist. However, the violent stream of the times may
sweep us away, too. For instance, many of the Christians in
L- Dr. David Suh (President, KCFF) C- Dr. Sumiya. (Speaker) and R- Dr. Yang Joon
Kim (Moderator)
7
Participants at the Conference
steps, the Christian
churches resisted and might have moved only 50 steps, but it is also true that
they walked 50 steps together with militarism.
This is not all.
If we make resistance and are eventually washed away, there will be room for
excuse, but we are sometimes washed away without knowing it. If adequate
information is not available, or if only one-sided information is provided
continuously for two or three years, the standard of our judgment will be
shifted. Nevertheless, even under such circumstances there is still a distance
between 100 steps and 50 steps. We Japanese Christians were critical toward the
situation and were convinced that our standpoints had not so much been
transformed. Yet when the War finished, we awakened to find how far we have
been swept away by the flow of the times.
With reference to
being "swept away," Uchimura Kanzo, a Japanese representative
Christian, once wrote the following interesting sentences in criticism of his
fellow Christians:
"It is said that living fish swim against the flow of the stream,
while dead fish flow with the stream. Christians of our nation today have never
resisted the world, but always swim with the current of the times. What other
name is appropriate for them "dead fish"?"
What will enable
us to observe the times with cool eyes and without being swept away by the current
of the times? Further, what will enable us to resist the times? Nothing other
than to have a stable coordinate axis will make this possible. The horizontal
line (abscissa) is an axis to show the stream of history. The times change
every moment, like the flow of a river. If we have a horizontal line only, we
will just be floated with the time. In fact, many people are just being
floated. In this sense there will be no opposition, and i1 is an easy way to
live. If we wish to say "no" to the stream of history, though, a
vertical line (ordinate) is required by which to criticize the stream. By the
intersection of the two lines we can measure the place where we stand.
The trouble is
that this vertical line often moves also. When a society moves 10 steps, while
Christian churches move 5 steps, this means that the vertical line o the
Christian churches move. If so, we cannot correctly measure the point where we
stand. We have to go back to the original point of the Gospel.
Christianity is
thought to be a historical religion. Christ plunged into the history of mankind
to save history and people in it. He intended to bear the burden of mankind and
history, to judge and finally to relieve history. This is the nuclei of our
human history, and the flow of history can be estimated by the distance from
this point of nucleus, when we stand at the crossing point of Christ's
incarnation and the horizontal line of history, an outlook toward the movement
of history will be made possible.
These
considerations will give us the possibility of having a correct viewpoint as to
the teaching of history. As I have said, the views of history will change
depending on the times, and various history textbooks are necessarily
published. It is not a simple problem to discern what is the correct way
of teaching history. When right coordinate axis to judge history established,
though, history will show its pattern, and when we stand there, education in
history can be a living education.
8
KUANG-SHENG LlAO
The development of
nationalism is an important topic for the understanding of
It is well-known that after the Boxer
Uprising 1900, Chinese imperial government lost its courage to confront the
foreigners and gave in to external pressure. From this time, the Western Powers
were called "Lieqiang" (the Powers) instead of "barbarian"
in recognition of their superiority. The people, however, rose to oppose
foreign interference, and the sentiment of anti-foreignism persisted in spite
of the great chaos following the defeat by the Allied Eight Nations.
In early Twentieth
century, a great number of missionary were heavily engaged in educational work.
Many hundreds of schools were opened for teaching Chinese youths. In 1905, the
total number of schools under Protestant mission control in
During this period,
the Chinese people initiated movements to demand their rights from
imperialists. Previously, anti-foreignism sought to deny foreigners power in
_____________
* Dr. Liao is Professor of Political Science at
9
After the Boxer
Uprising, an increased understanding of the West and the awakening of immediate
danger faced by China, the Chinese people sought the protection of national
interests and restoration of national rights. They urged the restoration of
control of railroads and of mining and demanded the abolition of the
supervision of customs by Western powers. Most important of all, they demanded
an end to unequal treaties and extraterritoriality. The significance of this
period is clearly that anti-foreignism developed into nationalism. And
nationalism in
I. EARLY NATIONALISM AND "MOVEMENT
RESISTING
Nationalism was
first developed in
There is little
dispute that
In the early
Twentieth century, Liang Qichao, a leading Chinese intellectual , maintained
that the Chinese had strong culturalism but had no equivalent concept of
nationalism as the Europeans had. He argued that the Chinese took
In 1900, he
(Liang) wrote that Europe and
Liang Shu-min,
another leading Chinese scholar, held a similar opinion on nationalism. He
perceived traditional
The development of
nationalism in
10
In China and to
resist Russian domination in Manchuria.Organizations
for "Resisting Russia" (Ju E Hui) were formed in major cities such as
Peking, Shanghai, Tianjin, Hanzhou, Suzhou, and spread over many provinces in
the Central and Eastern parts of China in addition to Manchuria, Mongolia, and
Xinjiang. Many overseas organizations were also formed in
This movement weakened
after mid-1901 but became a hot national issue again in April 1903 when the
Russian government attempted to delay its withdrawal of troops from
II. ANTI-AMERICAN BOYCOTT OF 1905
Another
manifestation of the new sense Of nationalism was the boycott of American trade
in 1905. The boycott was completely political and had nothing to do with
opposition to Christianity. It was adopted by the Chinese people as a means of
strengthening the position of their government on the request for unrestricted
immigration of Chinese into the
Restrictions on
Chinese immigration were started in the Immigration Treaty of 1880 which gave
the
The Anti-American
Boycott of 1905 represented the rising concern of the Chinese people over
National
industries were rapidly expanded. For example, in 1890 only 7 new factories
were established. The number increased to 17 in 1895 and 23 in 1904. Together
with the development of national industry, merchants and industrialists were
seen as increasingly important in society. The had capital, status, and social
prestige as a result of the development of their enterprises. The Anti-American
boycott of 1905 was a demonstration of the power of this newly-developed class
of merchants and industrialists by 1905. The boycott was called by the General
Chamber of Commerce in
While commercial
people were the initiators of the boycott, the intellectuals and students were
great followers. They held meetings to support the decision made by the Chamber
of Commerce in
The Anti-American
boycott of 1905 was an important mass response to an international issue in
11
Uprising. Despite the fact
that the boycott was neither successful in disrupting Sino-American trade nor in
changing the U.S. policy toward the exclusion of Chinese labor, the
mobilization of merchants, intellectuals, students, and other people to
participate in the boycott was a great step in Chinese foreign
relations. After 1905 there were continuous nation-wide movements undertaken by
the Chinese people, particularly the newly rising merchant class and the local
gentry class. Their efforts in the struggle against foreign domination and
pressure were seen in the push for restoration of mining and railroad rights
and in the anti-foreign boycotts of the 1910s and 1920s.
Another development
of Chinese nationalism in early 20th century was the movement for recovery of
national rights in mines and rail-roads. The victory of
Before the 1894
Sino-Japanese war, foreign investment was turned down for mining enterprises.
This policy was changed, however, due to financial difficulty and the increased
pressure of foreign aggression in
In the early
twentieth century mining rights were the major interest of the Western powers.
12
rising fervor
against imperialism in the 1910s and 1920s.
The political
implications of these foreign controlled mining enterprises were many. First of
all, they represented the continuous expansion of Western interests in
After the 1905
Russo-Japanese war, rising national consciousness stimulated the co-operation
of the local government and local gentry to reclaim the mining rights lost to
foreigners. The period when the movement for recovery of mining and railroad
interests developed was from 1905 to 1911. The movement for the reverse of
concessions was intended to recover the right of railroad construction and the
mining rights seized by foreign countries through peaceful means. The earliest
efforts were made by the officials and gentry of
In the movement
for recovery of mining. rights the foreign expansion in the field of mining was
checked. Remarkably,
It is evident that
the local gentry class played an important role in the claiming of mining
rights. In contrast to anti-foreign incidents prior to 1900, however, the
movement to reclaim mineral rights from foreign concessionaries was based on
rightful and rational claims. It was not an attempt to expel all foreign mining
interests from
13
achieve the goal. The
nationalist-minded Chinese, whether government officials or local "gentry,
appeared to have given up the anti-foreign emotional outbursts of the late
Nineteenth century. Ant-iforeignism was no longer disruptive of Sino-foreign
relations, nor violent in pursuit of national interests. The gentry class in
the provinces often got into direct negotiations with the foreign
concessionaries on behalf of local interests. The rise of the gentry class in
the Chinese political scene helped check the Western powers' expansion in
As discussed
above, Christianity was gradually tolerated by a greater part of the Chinese population
following the Boxer Uprising. Increasingly, Western culture and scientific
knowledge were introduced to better educated Chinese. Students who had studied
in Europe,
IV, FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN
In spite of the
initial success of the rights recovery movement, an important development in
It was well-known
that during this period foreign enterprises as a whole were stronger
financially than their Chinese counterparts. This may have been because of
their larger amounts of capital or because of their ability to borrow from
foreign sources at lower cost or because they had better management. In
addition, foreign enterprises enjoyed extraterritorial rights which exempted
them from Chinese taxes and levies. With these advantages and privileges,
foreign enterprises invariably threatened the existence of their Chinese
counterparts. The Chinese gentry class and merchants increasingly perceived
these foreign enterprises and investments as a serious threat to Chinese
enterprises.
Together with the
rise of nationalism in the 1920s, hostility towards foreign enterprises emerged
first among the merchant and gentry classes and later among the workers. This
development antagonism against foreign investments aggravated already
prevailing anti-foreignism and reflected the economic aspect of
anti-imperialism. Thus, the sentiment of anti-imperialism in the decade from
1920-1930 was an expression of the nationalistic fervor of the gentry and
merchant classes opposing foreign investment
Attacks on foreign
investments in
V. ANTI-FOREIGN BOYCOTTS/ 1908-1926
The period under
study is generally considered a chaotic period in which
14
the rise of
nationalism, a political force emerged among people opposing injustice or
"aggression" toward China committed by foreign powers. Because no
government could protect them, the Chinese people began to search for methods
to deal with the foreign powers themselves. If the period of 19 OS1927 was the
period in which the Chinese people learned to deter "imperialism," it
was also the period when they learned to mobilize themselves to resist foreign
pressure. Anti-foreign boycotts were the most concrete demonstration of
anti-imperialist sentiment in
As the Japanese
pushed further into
Anti-foreign
boycotts were first organized by merchants or chambers of commerce in large
cities and then became a major approach of the people to oppose foreigners.
With the strong sense of nationalism in the 1910s, almost any conflict between
Chinese and foreigners which resulted in causalities would lead to a boycott.
These boycotts, as well as strikes, dealt a serious blow to foreign goods.
Politically, the
most important development was the increasing participation of the laborers and
students. Students had been activists in the May Fourth Movement and afterwards
they continued to play an important role in anti-foreign movements , whether in
boycotts or strikes. The participation of the workers, however, was not seen
until 1925. This was due to the late development of anti-foreign sentiment
among workers and the indirect impact on their lives by intermittent boycotts.
The explanation for the early involvement of the merchants is that the boycotts
could eliminate foreign goods from the market place.
L- Dr. Yong Bock Kim (Moderator) R- Dr. Liao (Speaker)
This reduced the
pressure of foreign goods and improved the competitive position of local goods
in the market.
VI, SUMMARY
Chinese
nationalism emerged from anti-foreignism in the early Twentieth century in two
forms: one was the boycott against foreign goods; the other was the movement for
recovery of national rights. Both of these actions, in turn, reinforce
anti-foreignism. The major differences in anti-foreignism between the late
Nineteenth and early Twentieth centuries are: first, early Twentieth century
anti-foreignism was stimulated by nationalism whereas late Nineteenth century
anti-foreignism was fueled by ethnic cultural conflict; second, anti-foreignism
in the early Twentieth century involved a greater number and variety of people
and became a nation-wide movement whereas the Nineteenth century
anti-foreignism was scattered and related to local or regional incidents;
third, anti-foreignism in the early Twentieth century was constructive in the
pursuit of national interest and was no longer oriented towards the expulsion
of foreigners from China; instead it was aimed at the struggle for national
equality and independence.
In spite of the
Chinese struggle for national equality and independence, foreign influence on
Chinese politics and the economy was not reduced. To the contrary, foreign
investment and loans in
General Session in progress
15
YOUNG-ICK LEW
The Korean people
have undergone ordeals unparalleled in human history during the past century. An
average Korean child born in the late 19th century was destined to live through
such major international conflicts as the Sino-Japanese War (189495), the Russo
Japanese War (1904-05), the Pacific War (1941-45), and the Korean War
(1905-53), in addition to numerous internal rebellions and coups. These
catastrophes had their origins in external causes for which the Koreans could
not be held responsible. Therefore, it became the dream of every conscientious
Korean in modern times to see his country develop into a stable one, worthy of
the respect of the family of nations. Tens of thousands of people sacrificed
their lives for this cause. In short, modern Korean history is one of fervent
nationalism.
Viewed from a
religious angle, Korean history of the same period is one of' miraculous
transformation, from a model Confucian state into one of
In such a rapid
glance, recent Korean history calls to mind the familiar historical
correspondence between nationalism and Protestantism in the emergence of modern
_____________
* Dr. Lew is Professor- of History at
16
for the production of
modern Korean nationalism, it is safe to point out that Protestantism was one
of the vital forces behind the growth of nationalism in Korea. This paper will
review Protestantism's contribution to the development of modern Korean
nationalism, with the ultimate purpose of identifying the appropriate roles for
Korean Christian intellectuals to play in the present day.
I. ETHNOCENTRIC HERITAGE AND
THE GROWTH OF ANTI-JAPANESE NATIONALISM
Needless to
say, to the traditional Korean mind. Westerners residing outside the pale of
Chinese civilization were hopeless "barbarians."
The consciousness
of
One critical
intervening factor in the 1870's, however, changed the developmental course of
Korean nationalism: the emergence of imperialistic
17
of harmonious
relations which Yi dynasty Korea and the Tokugawa shogunate
had cultivated for two and a half centuries, from 1600 to 1868. As is well
known, in 1876 Japan humiliated her Korean neighbor by forcing Korea's
acceptance of an unequal treaty, the Treaty of Kanghwa, through bunboat
diplomacy. They then started the systematic economic exploitation and political
subjugation of hapless
In the course of
her relentless aggression, culminating in colonial domination, the
ultra-nationalistic Japanese inflicted untold misery on innocent and patriotic
Koreans. Among other incidents, in 1894 Japanese soldiers killed "several
thousand" Tonghak peasant soldiers who rose up against the Japanese
occupation of Korea in the midst of the Sino-Japanese War; in 1895 a band of
Japanese soshi murdered Queen Min in her bed-chamber at the behest of the
Japanese minister in Seoul; and Japanese soldiers annihilated about 17,000
"righteous army" volunteers after the Russo-Japanese War in their
final drive to conquer Korea. The story of how the Japanese colonial masters
oppressed Koreans with gendarmerie or special police during the years 1910-1945
is too familiar to repeat. Suffice it to say that 7,645 Koreans were killed and
45,562 were mained in 1919 at the hands of Japanese gendarmerie and soldiers
during the historic March First Movement. Historians rate the Japanese colonial
government in
After the
conclusion of the Kanghwa Treaty in 1876, some Koreans entertained the vague
hope of obtaining manifold help from a "civilized"
The foregoing
discussion makes it clear that
II. CONTRIBUTIONS OF PROTESTANTISM TO KOREAN
NATIONALISM
The record of
Protestant evangelism in the late Yi
The number of
Korean converts made from the 1880's to the mid-20th century was by no means
impressive in and of itself But these converts made signal contribution to the
pre-1910 Korean "enlightenment" (kaehwa) and national salvation
movement and to the post-1910 national independence movement by taking
prominent leadership roles in these movements. The Protestant Koreans were
particularly active in the politico-social reform movement of the Independence
Club (1896-1898), the national salvation movement of the New People's Society
(Sinmin-hoe) (1909-1910), the 1919 MFNIM, the post-1919 nationalist
independence movement symbolized by the Korean Provisional Government in
Shanghai (late Chungching), and various religio-socio cultural activities in
Korea under Japanese colonial domination, including the campaign to boycott
worship at Shinto shrines from 1932 to 1945.
18
Korean Protestant
nationalists were placed in a competitive position vis-à-vis the Tonghak
(renamed Ch'ongdogyo or the "Religion of the
Protestantism
contributed to the growth of the Korean nationalist movement by providing it
with the requisite leadership, organization, and, above all, ideas. First,
Protestant churches in Korea produced numerous political and intellectual
leaders equipped with modern cosmopolitan educations obtained in the United
States, including So Chae-p'il, Yun Ch'i-ho, Yi Sung-man, Kim Kyu-sik, and An
Ch'ang-ho. Together with Kim Ku, Yi Sung-hun, Yi Sang-jae and Cho Man-sik,
whose educational background was chiefly domestic, they formed the top leadership
elements in the "enlightenment" movement of the 19th century and/or
the national independence movement during the years 1910-1945.
Parenthetically, the early leaders of the Korean socialist movement, including
Yi Tong-hwi and Yo Unhyong, also started their political careers as active
church members. Aside from these native Korean Protestant leaders. North
American missionaries, including Horace G. Underwood, Henry G. Appenzeller,
Mrs. Mary F. Scranton, and Horace N. Alien are noted for their critical contribution
to the early Korean "enlightenment" movement, while innumerable
missionaries, including Frank W. Schofield, gave hearty support to the Korean
endeavors to regain national independence after 1910.
Secondly, the
Korean Protestant churches helped the cause of the Koran nationalist movement
with its religious, educational, and social institutions. By the time
Thirdly,
Protestantism contributed to the growth of Koran nationalism morally and
intellectually, not only with the all-important Christian gospel, but also with
the Old Testament nationalism and assorted liberalistic politico-social ideas.
The Christian faith had the tonic effect of rejuvenating Korean morals;
Christian iconoclasm had the effect of purifying Korean culture of its
superstitious elements; the Puritan ethic generated a healthy labor ethic; and
the egalitarian Christian concept of man had an impact on the destruction of
the traditional society characterized by the four-class system and female
subordination to the male, in favor of a more egalitarian and modern one. More
relevantiy, Old Testament nationalism and the strong patriotism exemplified by
American missionaries led the Korean Protestants to associate Protestant
beliefs with patriotism. Most important, the Korean Protestants developed an
inveterate proclivity toward republican democracy as the ideal form of
government under the combined impact of Christian egalitarianism. Western liberalism,
and the political beliefs of the American missionaries. It is no coincidence
that the Christian-led Korean Provisional Government in
III. ROLES OF PROTESTANT CHRISTIANS IN
CONTEMPORARY
From the above
survey of Korean nationalism and Protestant evangelism in the late 19th and
early 20th centuries, we obtain a collective picture of Korean Protestants as a
progressive historical force behind Korea's search for
"enlightenment," (or modernization) and national independence. To
borrow Toynbee's expression , Korean Protestants performed the role of a
creative minority in galvanizing the emergence of a new
19
somewhat tarnished
in the post-1945 years, due in part to the lackluster involvement of Christian
politicians in the "corrupt regime of President Yi Sung-man (Syngman Rhee) during the years
1948-1960 and partly to the post-Korean War quantum leap in the Protestant
population. The sustained struggle of select Protestant Christian intellectuals
for the causes of human rights since the 1960's, however, has helped refurbish
their original image.
Given the proud
tradition of the Korean Protestants in the past, what are the appropriate roles
contemporary Protestant intellectuals can and must aspire to in terms of
relating themselves to Korean nationalism? The following three major roles
maybe conjured upon the basis of the above historical observation:
1. The role of the watchdog. Nationalism,
like a double-edged sword, has positive and negative sides. The history of modern
nationalism is prone to chauvinism, imperialism, racism, and/or totalitarianism
-contrary to normative ideals of individual and national liberty, equality, and
fraternity. In a contemporary
2. The role of
the switchman. Korean nationalism is a variant of the so-called colonial
nationalism, or "resistant" (chohangjok) nationalism. Such
nationalism tends to emphasize an external enemy or enemies for the sake of
self-preservation or self-aggrandizement by utilizing its "resistant"
inertia. The enormous emotional energy generated by this kind of nationalism is
often channelled into the destructive goal of fighting a hypothetical enemy or
enemies. The other side of the coin is that this externally-oriented
nationalism neglects internal goals, and problems. Post-1945 Korea con-¦ fronts
a myriad of political, social economic, and cultural problems to resolve,
stemming from the process of industrialization and democratistion. On top of
these problems, the Koreans have yet to tackle the supreme task of achieving
the unification of their fatherland in keeping with the dream of the
nationalistic martyrs. Like a good switchman on the railroad, contemporary
Korean Protestants must learn to channel the nationalistic energy of the Korean
people to constructive internal goals by becoming the first to forgive the
enemy or enemies.
3. The role of the eye-opener. Korean
nationalismsuffersfrom a myopia of narrow ethnocentrism because of the
above-mentioned ethnocentric tradition and also because of
Thank you.
20
Nationalism is
viewed usually as either "active" or "passive", passive
nationalism is a feeling of a common bond that unites a people to the
motherland. This sentiment is often latent and is variously expressed in the
art, literature, religion, national symbols and economic policies of a nation.
Active or assertive nationalism surfaces when a nation is faced with some
competition and danger from another nation. For a nation under subjectivity, it
could mean fighting for its independence through constitutional means, passive
resistance , violent revolution or a combination of these. In the case of a
sovereign nation, it could mean mobilization against an outside threat.
Nationalism in its extreme form is imperialism (Mahajani:5-6). Western
nationalism usually has been of the imperialist sort and this is precisely what
sets it apart from Third-World nationalism . Ferdinand E. Marcos makes such a
distinction when he says: "the impact of Western nationalism in Asia,
Africa and Latin America was imperialism; the impact of the new nationalism on
the West is decolonization" (Marcos, 1971:105).
As in all nations,
passive nationalism was inherent in the Filipino nation. It did not become a
social force, however, until it was aroused and concretized by assertive
nationalism. An observation has been made that "external pressure "
is a significant force in the rise of nationalism in
Teodoro Agoncillo,
an eminent Filipino historian, argues that nationalism in the Asian context is
a defensive sentiment "which expresses the people's longing to live an
independent political life, to direct their economic and social improvement,
and to protect their interests" (Agoncillo, 1974:2) As such, nationalism
neither destroys nor creates but defends and protects what the people has
already achieved in terms of their culture, prosperity, national dignity,
freedom and independence (ibid).
_____________
* Dr. Mart-Inez is Professor of Philosophy at
21
THE BEGINNINGS OF
NATIONALISM (1521-1872)
Philippine nationalism
has had a long and varied history. Its first spark was seen more than four
hundred years ago on the
ORGANIZED
NATIONALISM AGAINST
The Filipinos
needed to be united. Nationalistic sensibility was not lacking, but something
was needed to unite the people. That momentous event came with the Cavite
Mutiny of 1872 — a rebellion of some 200 soldiers and workers in protest
against high tributes and repressive measures imposed by the government. At the
time, Filipino priests were agitating for the secularization of the clergy. The
mutiny was blamed on the priests. Many of them were arrested, exiled and their
leaders, Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora, were garroted in
public. It was hoped that the execution will inculcate fear upon the people,
but when the news reached the people, it! had the opposite effect. It became
the rallying point of intensified nationalism. Some years later, Jose Rizal,
who was only eleven years old when the event took place, dedicated his second
epoch-making novel, the El Filibusterismo, in memory of the
martyred priests.
The following
decade was a period of peace, but a "frightening peace" in which the
Spanish civil and clerical authorities "terrorized the Filipinos into
object submission" (Agoncillo, 1974:9). It was also a time when
communication and transportation to
The Propaganda
Movement. The propaganda movement, led by men like Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. del
Pilar, Graciano Lopez-Jaena, demanded reforms from the Spanish government.
Their demands included a restriction of the powers of the governor-general, the
expulsion of the friars, the teaching of the Spanish language to the people,
representation in the Spanish Cortes, suppression of the civil guards and
equality before the law between the Filipinos and Spaniards. In addition to
their fortnightly journal, the La Solidaridad, the propagandists wrote letters,
poems, essays, stories and plays
exposing the evils and excesses of the Spanish authorities in the
Shortly before his
arrest, Rizal founded the La Liga Filipina. Its objectives were: to
unite the whole archipelago; mutual protection and defense against violence and
injustice; encouragement of education, agriculture and commerce; and the study
and application of reforms. The society was dissolved with Rizal's arrest.
Later, it was revived by Andres Bonifacio (1863-1897) and Apolinario Mabini
(1864-1903). The new Liga aimed to support the La Solidaridad and pursue its
demands. Many prominent Filipinos joined it. But because there were two
factions within it -- the passive and militant, it did not prosper. Inevitably,
the movement split up. The militant Bonifacio founded his own secret society,
the Katipunan (Cf. Majul, 1960:118f.)
22
The Katipunan. The
Katipunan or KKK (Kataastaasang Kagalanggalang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng
Bayan -- The Highest Most Respectable Association of the Sons of the
People) aimed to unite all Filipinos under a single ideology and to create an
independent nation through a revolution. Unlike the propaganda movement, it had
a mass base/ 2/. The members swore to follow a decalogue which prescribed that
"the true measure of honor and happiness is to die for freedom of thy
country" and that "the true love of God is the true love of thy
country" (Reprinted in Agoncillo, 1956:94). The society was discovered
when a wife of a member confessed of its existence to a Spanish friar on 19
August 1896. Many prominent Filipinos who were suspected of supporting the
movement were arrested, tortured, exiled and imprisoned. Most of the important
leaders were able to escape, however. On 26 August 1896 they gathered in
Balintawak near
In 1897, the
leadership of the Katipunan changed hands. With Emilio Aguinaldo (1869-1963) as
president, a revolutionary government was established with a constitution that
provided for a bill of rights and a republican form of government. Shortly
thereafter, the Spanish governor-general, primo de Rivera, initiated a
reconciliation. The Pact of Biak-na-Bato was ratified on 16 December 1897
providing indemnity of 800 thousand pesos for the revolutionaries, a grant of
general amnesty, Aguinaldo's voluntary exile and a request for reforms.
Aguinaldo left for Hongkong. But soon after, the hostilities resumed. Both
parties accused each other of reneging on the provisions of the Pact. The fact
is there were some who refused to abandon the fight against
NATIONALISM
AGAINST THE AMERICANS (1898-1910)
Meanwhile, war
broke out between
The relation
between the
We have started to
fight for our independence, we will continue, we will have to lose ail before
vie live wider the domination of those who humble us and destroy us..... Justice
and right, which are on our side, will conquer. There is no other cry but this:
"Long live
The Americans
responded by strengthening their military position and then sending peace
feelers to the Filipino leaders/4/. Aguinaldo sent peace missions to Washington
and Paris on the advice of Mabini who has become his chief adviser. Felipe
Calderon (1863-1908) was sent, but failed.
On 4 February 1899
the hostilities between the Filipinos and Americans broke out. The Filipino
army was no match against a well-armed and better-organized American infantry.
Helpless, Aguinaldo disbanded the army of the Philippine Republic and resorted
to guerilla warfare. The conflict went on until the last of the Filipino
leaders, Macario Sakay, was lured to surrender in 1907 only to he executed on
the charge of brigandage. Aguinaldo surrendered in 1901 and on 19 April issued
a manifesto of surrender. Thus ended the First Philippine Republic.
NATIONALISM UNDER
THE AMERICAN REGIME (1901-1941)
The nationalistic
struggle of the Filipinos entered a new phase under the Americans. They sought
to fulfil their hopes and aspirations through the political framework
established by the American colonial government. Passive nationalism
flourished: religious, educational, cultural and literary. In spite of the
Sedition Law of 1901, the literature of the criticized the American
administration and clamored for independence from the
23
That the Nacionalista Party won by electing the overwhelming majority of
the members of the Philippine Assembly in 1907 was proof incontrovertible that
the Filipino people repudiated annexation and accepted our announced resolve to
work vigorously for independent nationhood (Cited in Agoncillo, 1974:27).
In the years that
followed, nationalism had become politically oriented. The reins of the
government was progressively handed over to the Filipinos especially under the
administration of Francis Burton Harrison. And under the leadership of Manuel
L. Quezon (1878-1944), who once said, "I would rather have a government
run like hell by Filipinos than a government run like heaven by
Americans," the Filipinos pressed for greater independence. The
independence missions finally triumphed with first, the Hare-Hawes-Cutting
Bill, and, subsequently, the Tydings-McDuffie Bill. The commonwealth of the
NATIONALISM DURING THE JAPANESE INVASION
(1941-1945)
Nationalism continued
to play a vital role during the Japanese occupation. Nationalism during those
times, however, were of two persuasions: one looked forward to the end of the
American rule and another looked forward to the return of the Americans. Says
Constantino:
Americanization
had taken away from us and especially from our leaders the capacity to think
and act for ourselves, and so our efforts were tragically misdirected
(1969:118).
But nationalists
of whatever persuasion were concertedly anti-Japanese. They expressed their
resistance either by joining the guerilla movement or by refusing to
collaborate with the enemy. Agoncillo notes that
The fact that
Filipinos, brutalized though they mere, did not succumb to massive Japanese
propaganda is a tribute to their moral stamina which secretly nurtured their
nationalistic Spirit in a time of crisis and to the effectiveness of the
American educational system which conditioned the minds of the Filipinos to the
American way of life and institutions (1974:35).
The Japanese were
in the
In terms of the
growth of nationalism, the Japanese occupation rekindled once more the
nationalistic and revolutionary instincts of the people. It was also a setback,
for there were those who while fighting an invader were ironically
"waiting for the return of another" (Constantino, 1978:50ff.).
But all was not
lost. Constantino summarizes the gains from the Japanese occupation best:
..... viewed
from a longer perspective, the Japanese occupation, by fostering certain
negative social developments, by bringing about economic chaos, by creating
strong, armed radical force in the Hukbalahap, all of which set the stage for
and influenced the nature of the second American occupation, eventually made
possible a new level of anti-imperialist struggle and awareness and a more
mature re-examination of Filipino colonial attitudes despite the euphoric
pro-Americanism of the post-"liberation" era and years of cold war
conditioning (Constantino, 1978:150).
RESURGENCE OF
NATIONALISM (195C) to the Present)
The post-war years
saw a cooling-off of the nationalistic spirit that fanned the struggles for
liberation. Agoncillo traces the cause to the fact that Filipinos "were
and continue to be, too sentimental and naive to believe that America, in
pursuit of her destiny and national self-interests, was capable of exploiting
then who stood by her in her hour of need" (Agoncilio:1974:86).
Soon after the
war, the Philippines gave the United States territorial rights for its bases,
granted parity rights to American citizens and corporations over the country's
natural resources, gave preferential treatment to U.S. goods entering the
country and entered into other "special relations" with the United States.
"All too soon," Jose B. Laurel, Jr. (1912- ) said, "we were
willing to take our hard-won liberties for granted and even barter then for a
'mess of pottage'" ("Resurgence of Philippine Nationalism,"
1956, reprinted in Agoncillo, 1974:312f.).
One of the most
stirring nationalistic crusades was championed by Claro M. Recto (1890-1960) in
the 1950's. Recto, who earns the sobriquet "Mr. Nationalist",
criticize! the "special relationship" with
the United States and called it a "mirage", the mutual security pact
as one sided, the bases agree-
24
ment as an incursion on Philippine sovereignty,
and the parity rights as a "mockery of 'mutuality'" (Cf. Constantino, 1969:218 ff.) He also clashed with Carlos P.
Romulo and branded the latter's foreign policy "mendicant." He said:
...our foreign
policy was conducted from the very beginning, and -is being pursued, on the
erroneous assumption of an identity of American and Filipino interests, or more
correctly, of the desirability, and even the necessity, of subordinating our
interests to those of America (Recto, "Our Mendicant Foreign Policy, 1951,
reprinted in Agoncillo, 1974:321-46).
Recto also called
the
If what is
meant by "anti-Americanism" is the refusal to abdicate OUA
sovereignty and self-respect, and the reasoned determination to stand on our
rights, promote our own national interests, and secure the maximum security of
our people, first and foremost, and to be Filipinos before we become anything else,
then every Filipino who loves his country and believes in its independence mast
be called "anti-American, " and I would be in very excellent and
agreeable company (Cited in Constantino, 1969:178-79).
Since Recto, there
have been other outbursts of nationalism. In February 1967, Filipino
nationalists from all sectors united themselves into a Movement for the
Advancement of Nationalism (M.A.N.). MAN'S fundamental aim is the promotion and
protection of the national interest of the country. It considers nationalism as
the solution to the nation's problems. MAN'S analysis of the Philippine society
is that it is very rich in natural resources but remains poor and
"underdeveloped as a direct consequence of its long colonization by
western powers." MAN blames American imperialism for the present ills of
the country. Thus it proposes to "struggle for the complete emancipation
of the economy from the stranglehold of aliens" and to "launch an
unceasing campaign to make the Filipino superior in the enjoyment of his rights
and liberties to any alien" ("M.A.N General Declarations,"
reprinted in Abueva, 1972:142-8).
Other
nationalistic organizations coming from varied sectors of the society sprung
during the 60's. The labor sector came up with the Lapiang Manggagawa (Labor
Party) and the Socialist Party, the women formed the Malayang Kilusan ng
Bagong Kababaihan (MAKIBAKA), the farmers organized themselves into the Malayang
Samahan ng Magsasaka (Federation of Free Farmers-FFF), and the students
founded the Kabataang Makabayan (Nationalistic Youth -KM). The KM and
other leftist groups believed in a "national democratic revolution"
and the KM, backed up by the New People's Army (NPA) sought to liberate the
people from a twin exploitive structure: American imperialism and feudalism.
These structures were blamed for the worsening condition and increasing
suffering of the people. The KM and other very radical groups were outlawed
with the imposition of Martial Law in 1972. Nevertheless, their short-lived
existence was momentous. As Constantino observed:
These were ominous
developments, not only because these groups were raising the issue of American
imperialism more pointedly, but because the protest movement had again taken a
mass character and had come under communist influence, if not direction"
(1978:339).
PRESENT ISSUES
The present
nationalistic struggle faces a more complex sort of imperialism with "new
and more sophisticated methods of neocolonial central."
American presence
in the
Closely linked to
the bases issue is. the political influence of the
More alarming in
the light of present realities, is the socio-economic influence of the
25
The Transnational
Corporations. Like all Third-World countries, the Philippine economy is dependent
and controlled by transnational corporations--American, Japanese and West European.
The Philippine situation is not to different from the. Korean situation. While
the TNC's rake enormous profits and send 50 to 75 percent of the profits back
to the mother corporations, the Filipino worker in these TNC's is one of the
poorest (a study shows that 35 million Filipinos or 84% live below the poverty
level, subsisting on 25 cents a day or less), and the most exploited (he is
made to work long hours, paid very low wages, and prevented from joining a
union or striking) worker in Asia (Ibon Facts and Figures). Those who
depend on the land and the sea for their livelihood are also affected
indirectly, if not directly. Thousands have been driven off their ancestral
lands to make room for a TNC complex. Hundreds have been driven off their traditional
fishing grounds to make room for TNC fishermen with their modern trawlers. More
people are now exposed to the dangers of pollution coming from TNC factories.
Indeed, the TNC's may have brought increased production but at the same time
they have contributed to greater poverty.
Transnational
Banks. The domination of the country's banking and finance by TNB's has also
brought grave problems. The
The "Debt
Trap" and the Educational System. Another sad reality is how the "debt trap" has
affected not only the political and economic aspects of the country, but the
educational system as well. In his famous essay, "The Miseducation of the
Filipino," Constantino claimed that the educational system introduced by
the Americans in the
CONCLUSION
These are some of
the issues which face today's Filipino nationalist, yea, the Asian; the
challenges to which he must respond. How, indeed, must a nationalist respond?
First, we must
take a lesson from the past. An understanding of the past will give us a better
perspective of the nationalism of the present. It is interesting to note that
to join the Katipunan in 1896, one had to answer three questions: 1) What is
the condition of the country in the past? 2) What conditions prevail in the
country today? 3) What conditions will attain in the future? There one has a
consciousness of national history, and analysis of the prevailing conditions
and a direction for the future. The nationalists of the 1896's recognized the
import of history upon one's nationalistic commitment. Recto echoes this idea:
"A Filipino cannot assert his identity and call himself a nationalist
unless he is one with his people's history and has enshrined in his heart the
precepts and examples of our heroes and martyrs" (Constantino, ed.
,1965:3).
The nationalists
of the past began with a consciousness that they were a distinct people with
their own customs and traditions and way of life. These were not to be taken
away nor changed by any alien power. The early uprisings were a protest against
such intrusions. The uprisings failed because the people were disunited.
Only when the
people are united can a revolution make headway. This leads us to another
lesson in our history. The reform movement did not flourish because it did not
have a mass base. There is some justification to Sionil Jose's complain about
nationalism then and now: that its leaders do not see beyond their petty,
personal desires and fail to identify with the masses; "their nationalism
is avarice" they want the whole cake for themselves " (Jose,1982:34).
Nationalism in the
past was the people' s desire and determined effort to be independent and to
have free control of their destiny as a people. Nationalism can be defined
similarly today. The definition given in the report of the CCA-sponsored
workshop on TNC's is appropriate:
Nationalism
reflects the desire to regain control over our resources and our lives, and to
achieve political sovereignty so that productive capacities are geared towards
producing the essential needs of the people. Democracy signifies the people's desire to participate more in the
26
making of decisions that would affect them, and to
partake of a greater portion of socially produced wealth, (URM-CCA,1981:67).
The enemy is the
same: imperialism. Only, it has put on new clothes.
Renato Constantino,
the foremost nationalist in the
Nationalism as an
ideology of liberation must have two basic characteristics: it be mass nationalism
and it must be anti-imperialistic. It is the masses who bear the brunt of
neocolonial domination, who are condemned to poverty by an imperialist-imposed
economic system; it is they who will be the biggest gainers in any struggle to
liquidate the country's neocolonial
status. Therefore, nationalism should be a mass weapon (Constantino, 1983:7)
Another thing must
be mentioned. There seems to be a tendency to equate nationalism with
anti-imperialism and imperialism with capitalism, particularly, American capitalism.
It must be said that imperialism of whatever brand is imperialism. Claro Recto
had something to say to us about this:
To my mind, the
salvation of Asian nationalism can be found only in its reoonquest, its
liberation, from both western colonialism and the new Soviet imperialism. Asian
nationalism, and that includes Philippine nationalism, uill have no meaning if
it continues to be a mere battlecry, a mere slogan, for either the East or the
West. The only justification for Asian nationalism is the welfare of the Asians
themselves, and that welfare should command undisputed primacy in our scale of
values, above the interests of the western powers or the Soviet system.
Only when our
nationalism is liberated from bondage to one or the other, only when vie have
followed the ideals of racial emancipation and equality to their logical
conclusion, can we in Asia, and the Philippines, direct our own destinies and
maintain our common freedom and prosperity (op. cit, 111)
One last thing
must be asked and answered. Is our Christian faith compatible with nationalism:
It will take another paper to answer the question adequately. It is enough to
say now that if nationalism ultimately means the liberation of the people from
the unjust and dehumanizing structures of society and if the way to bring this
about is to be in solidarity with the mass of suffering humanity, then the
Christian faith is compatible with nationalism. Indeed, we must be
nationalists, not first of all because we are Filipinos or we are Asians, but
because we are Christians.
27
Why should Koreans remember the shameful history and have sustain it as
a tradition?
MIN YOUNG-JIN
It has been 37
years since the liberation of
_____________
* Dr. Min is Professor of Old Testament at Methodist Theological
College in
28
distorted. Therefore, those
who want to understand history correctly does not look at historical records as
they are, but with critical and accurate analysis.
Even in the Bible biblical historians distorted their own history in order to
please their rulers. Thus, we as biblical scholars must study biblical history
critically in order to differentiate distorted history (Geschichte) from
the actual event (Historic).
The fact that
"Japanese
scholars in their writing of our history asserted always that we were colony of
The recent
Japanese attitude seems to me is no difference from this. When Koreans look at
their history before 1945 from their side, if Japanese people who has done the
damage to the Korean people record Korean history so that their mistakes were
correctly reflected in their text books, there is nothing Koreans can hope for
any more. On the other hand, whether the distorted history is corrected by the
Japanese themselves or not, it is most important for Koreans to recite and
repeatedly remember the forty years history even if it is a shameful history.
The history of
forced labour which was experienced by the people of
The history of
What is more
important for Koreans is not what Japan will do, that is, how they are going to
write the history of the relations of the two countries, but it is what Koreans
write about their own history to remember and repeatedly recite as their
tradition and to reserve historical evidences and heritages so that they can
always answer to the questions that comes from Japan and respond to any protest
that comes from Japanese people.
In ancient times
people of
29
The Passover is the memorial day for the Exodus.
Whenever the Passover comes each family celebrated the Exodus event. During
this celebration there is recollection and remembrance of the history of Exodus
and Sinai covenant and the laws
that were given at
In Deuteronomy
6:20-25 it is written, in later day, that is, after a long time has passed
since the Exodus children will ask their parents, "Why did the Lord our
God command us to obey all these laws?", then the parents are tell them as
follows:
We were slaves of
the king of
The Israelite
parents in he Old Testament period do not recall the stories of David and
Solomonic period which is glorious but they always teach and repeatedly tell
the story that they were living as slaves in
What do Koreans
say to their younger generation repeatedly about 40 years of Japanese colonial
rule? The shameful history should be retold repeatedly and recollected as a
tradition. Why their modern history is so shameful? It is shameful because the
story tells how Korean people became colony of their neighbour country. It is
shameful because Koreans became colony people and had to live as slaves in
their own country where they were lords. It is shameful because the story tells
their sovereignty was lost. Moreover, it is shameful because just as people of
It seems to me
that Koreans must also say to their children that they were the slaves of
It has passed 38
years since the liberation. Today Korean children ask their parents what is the
meaning of the report that the Japanese are distorting history. Then the
parents to say and recite the shameful history of their past. That they had
been ruled by the colonial regime for 36 years; that they had surrendered
themselves to foreign rule; that some of then resisted against Japanese rule on
the one hand, and some of them among their people had betrayed their country
and paid their loyalty to the colonial regime; that still they have deep wounds
among their midst even though 38 years has passed since the liberation.
Why should Koreans
remember and recite that shameful history as a tradition? In
Why should Koreans
remember those shameful 40 years of colonial rule as a tradition? The memory
liberates them but forgetfulness shall drags them into new colony.
30
KUBATA MASAHIKO
I was engaged in
the Race and Minority Issues programmes of the Christian Conference of
The Ainus ( which
means human beings in the Ainu language ) used to live in the northern part of
Today most Ainu
people live in
____________
* Mr. Kurata is Executive Sectary, Centre for Christian Response to
Asian Issues of the National Christian
31
However in recent
years a group called Kanto Utari Association (Utari means brothers) was formed
and among other things they are fighting to build an Ainu Culture Center in
Tokyo.
Perhaps the most
common attitude of Wajin (non-Ainu Japanese) may be reflected in the following
passage of an article written by an anthropologist. This article is included in
the book entitled "Discrimination and Prejudice in Contemporary
Japan" which is supposed to be written in the spirit of sympathy to the
discriminated minorities. "One nation will disappear from this earth
forever. It is a serious problem, but it may bring happiness to both parties in
the long run and contribute to the ideal way of life in which humankind is
unified." Over a decade ago the Ainus were sensationally described as a
disappearing nation in journalism. In fact it was the widely accepted idea in
It was back in
1981 March when I personally met with an Ainu person for the first time.
Mr.Narita Tokuhei is a well known figure among those struggling Ainu people as
he is the first Ainu who stood for the national general election in 1977.
Mr.Narita was recommended by the Hokkai Synod of the United Church of Christ as
well as the National Christian Council of
This experience
led me to decide to visit
One striking thing
I encountered in
At different times
of history many a minority community all over the world have been conquered or
colonized by colonial nations headed by the Empire of Great Britain. Even today
those surviving minorities are being chased away from their ancestral lands by
neo-colonial interests of transnational corporations which are coming in search
for minerals and other resources or by development thrust of development thrust
of developing countries . What happened in
In 1971 Mr. Narita
stood for the national general election of the upper house where he made a
serious challenge to the Japanese society. The 'Asahi Shimbun' on July 16th,
1977 pointed out the significance of Mr. Narita's challenge and quoted him in
its article 'Ainu Candidate and PluriEthnic Nation': "
Another thing
which impressed me very much is the Ainus' view of nature or their value system
which appears to be so critical of the process of modernization or so-called
modern civilization. The founding statement of the Ainu Youth Council which
32
was set up to support
Mr. Narita's election campaign had the following passage: "Ainu culture is
the origin of Japanese culture in the sense that it has existed in the Japanese
archipelago from the ancient them. The Ainus' spiritual culture which valued
nature as God should be re-evaluated to revive the harmony between human beings
(Ainu) and nature (God) . With this we appeal to the whole of
This reminded me
of a passage in Revelations which gives the eschatological image of human
society. The Ainus' philosophy seems to be very prophetic indeed.
Another issue at
stake is the question of language. Several years ago one professor of economics
at
Another
significant discovery with regard to the Ainu language is the claim made by
Prof Umehara and others that ancient Japanese is the Ainu language. According
to them, religion is a very important part of life for the Ainu people. A
relationship exists between key Japanese words and key Ainu words related to
religion as shown at least by a few words: " Kami " is God-and
"Kami" in Japanese language; "Pito" is human being and
"Hito" in Japanese; "Tama" is spirit and it is the same in
Japanese. Two other words "Lama" and "Kulu" are also
similar to the Japanese expressions found in the ancient writings in the 7th or
8th centuries. This is really a revolutionary theory. Well known linguist and
Ainu study expert, Mr. KINDAICHI Kyosuki had long maintained the theory that
the Ainu language was influenced by the Japanese language and not vice versa.
Such theory helped foster the Wajin's superior attitude towards the Ainus.
Lastly, I would
like to refer to the Christian contact with the Ainus and explore a Christian
response to the contempoary Ainu problems. When you look back over the history,
Christian mission was actively involved in the conversion of Ainus into the
Christian fold. Most noteworthy is the work of John Batchelor who stayed in
In recent years a
number of pastors in
National Christian
Council had its triannual Assembly in March 1982 with the theme of "Jesus
Christ with the Least of These." If the NCC sees the 'meaning of Christian
ministry in this way, then the concern for and commitment of the Ainus' aspirations
for freedom and cultural identity must be a central concern in their ministry.
The NCC at the same Assembly decided to set up a Center for Christian Response
to Asian Issues to which I was appointed as executive secretary. For CCRAI the
concern for oppressed and discriminated in Japan holds a central focus as it
builds a perspective towards Asian Issues precisely at a time when indigenous
peoples' aspirations for their freedom and transformation in society are being
linked worldwide, The suffering and problems faced by minorities are nothing
but a reflection of problems caused by the majority or ruling class in society.
Therefore our involvement in the issues of minorities or other oppressed people
must have a perspective for social transformation and political change. We are
now called to express our concern and commitment to the Ainu people and sustain
this concern not only as part of our response to Gospel but also as part of the
life commitment as God's servants,
33
ELIZABETH S. PADILLO
NARRATOR: Hear, O Asians, from the Southeast,
Northeast, Middle East and the Pacific Islands
Our Lord, the Christ is one Lord and you shall love the Christ your God,
with all your heart, and with all your mind and with all your strength.
And you shall
teach this to your children: the Christ's story of peace and salvation in the
struggles of the peasants, the fishermen, the industrial workers, the outcastes
and the cultural minorities. Then let us together keep our brotherhood in
support and common witness.
O Hear, Asians,
the struggles of the fishermen, the fishermen in the.
ACT I
SCENE
I
(Night. The setting is a
barrio, the fishing
LUNENG: (The door hangs. Runs clearing her eyes.)
PEDRING!!! PEDRING!!! (Goes out to the road running)
DANIEL: (Among the vigil group alarmed.) Ma,
what happen? You're dreaming? Now you sleep-walk again? Come.....
____________
Rev .Ms .Padillo is pastor
of local church in the
34
LUNENG : (Hesitates. Points to the
dark road.)
DANIEL : Where are you going?
LUNENG : I saw him. I saw him.
DANIEL : Who?
LUNENG : My son, your brother, I saw
him. I saw him.
DANIEL : Manoy Pedring? You're
kidding, Ma. Come, you are only tired.
LUNENG : No. No. No!!! I saw him... I
was about to open the door and there I saw him standing -- bloody from his face
down to his chest and feet. When I would have wanted to approach him, he turned
back and left. My son! my son! huh, huh, huh....
DANIEL : Ma, he's already dead. The
dead won't come back. We just buried him yesterday.
LUNENG : But I saw him, believe me. (The
noise easily makes a crowd: the vigilants and the neighbors.)
NEIGHBOR I : How did he look like, Luneng?
LUNENG : He was still all in blood like
yesterday. So sad. There must be something that he'd like to tell me but he
left.
NEIGHBOR II : (Tikoy): He did not speak at
all? LUNENG : No, he didn't say anything. My son! my son! (sobs)
NEIGHBOR III: Where did you see him?
LUNENG : There. [Runs to the door
and demonstrates.) Here. I saw him here. Still bleeding. (Neighbors move
to the door).
NEIGHBOR I : Like when he died of dynamite
explosion?
LUNENG : Yes, like two days ago.
NEIGHBOR I : (Tikoy): (Picks up
something from the floor). Here,
fresh blood! My poor friend was here.
NEIGHBOR III: (Examines the blood
spot on the floor and spanks the head of Tikoy.) What fresh blood? Fool!
TIKOY : Ahh,
you will be brought to the court of Sanhedrin if you call me fool. Look! this
is fresh blood! (Holds a red paper, a candy wrapper.)
(Tikoy and wife of Loreto chase each other.)
LUNENG : I saw him
here, still bleeding.
DANIEL : (Gives a
glass of water to her mother)
Please stop that. The dead won't come back. You're only dreaming, Ma.
JONATHAN : You must be dreaming only, Manang.
TIKOY : A dream? But Jesus in the
Bible came back and the people present there were not dreaming.
WIFE OF LORETO: But did .they see fresh blood on his chest
and hands?
TIKOY : I don't know. But Jesus
spoke and Pedring did not. Jesus died on the cross and Pedring, on the sea by
dynamite explosion. Jesus died whole and Pedring died with some scattered parts
of his body on the sea. O I won't go into dynamite fishing anymore.
JONATHAN : It's sad to be a fisherman and die
like a dynamited fish.
DANIEL : It was Manoy Pediring's fate
to die of dynamite which could have been given for the fish.
LUNENG : And should a person dead of
dynamite come back? I saw him!
35
TIKOY: Of course, he comes back because
of the things he has missed telling you.
DANIEL : Please stop that. I don't believe that
the dead comes back.
TIKOY: Even Jesus! Coming back to life?
DANIEL : Yes, even Jesus' coming back to life
it only meant to be seen by a crown. An empty miracle! (Holds the mother)
Come, Ma, there is still time for you to sleep.
TIKOY: Of course the dead comes back.
Hmm. do you smell? The smell of candles? (Tries to frighten the
rest.)
DANIEL AND LUNENG: (Exit)
TIKOY : Now, do you smell: O, do you hear?
O there! The dog barks again.
NEIGHBOR II : Tikoy! Pedring at your back!
TIKOY : (Shrinks in fear. Everybody laughs.)
SCENE II
NARRATOR: Hear, 0 Asians, the fishermen of
Hingotanan! From the traditional hook and line, they moved into a little
sophistication of using dynamite for fishing like the super-powers that invent
the nuclear weapons.
The use of
dynamite was a matter of survival amidst the modem trawlers that round up the
seas night and day, eating up the resources in the deep and shallow seas even
including their fishing nets.
O the story of the
fishermen's dynamite: with dynamite powders pulverised, mixed with the finest
remains of sawed wood, moistened it with alcohol, dried and placed in the empty
bottles of Anejo or Tanduay Rhum or Vino Kulafu or them empty little can of the
Caltex oil, planted with fuse or call it "tiklong" as the local term
and tied into it are three or five sticks of Rizal match.
Hear of the
fishermen engaged in dynamite fishing in an attempt to cope with the giants and
the wanting to live now because tomorrow will take care of itself.
DANIEL: (Seen -processing dynamite for fishing
on a plywood board).
LUNENG: (Enters.) Son, I don't want you to go
into dynamite fishing anymore.
DANIEL: No, Ma, this is much much better than
the hook and line.
LUNENG: But we've already got a painful lesson.
It's enough dear son, to be able to eat.
DANIEL: And how can we eat by hook and line or
even by a fishing net when what we used to get a catch of two or more baskets
of fish is no longer possible because of those fishing boats.
LUNENG: They won't stay with us very long. Please
learn to suffer.
DANIEL: That I cannot wait anymore, Ma. When
will they leave us? God knows. For the meantime, I must live. We must live.
LUNENG: It
is enough that we can eat. And that can be done by hook and line or fishing
net.
DANIEL: (Continues to process the dynamite on
bottles)
LUNENG: Look son, what good can dynamite fishing
offer us except the deaths of your brother and father?
DANIEL: No, Ma, father's case was different.
LUNENG: What difference? It was dynamite, the
killer! Of course, he was not like you or your brother Pedring. Never did he
use dynamite for fishing. He was great, I think so, a man of integrity who felt
it was alright to be poor as long as things could be done in the legal way. But
why not dynamite that killed him?
36
DANIEL : What I mean, Ma....
LUNENG : Why not dynamite that killed him? Like
ants feasting over a crumb of bread, fishermen gathered in an exploded area to
collect the dead fish. And your father came after the enthusiastic feasting as
a latecomer, alone, wanting to save other dead fish. And at a distance, there!
Another dynamite explosion happened and he was there below feeling the shock of
the explosion. And why not dynamite that killed him?
DANIEL : Please, Ma, don't speak to me about
that anymore.
LUNENG : Son, I can't afford another loss.
DANIEL : (Holds a bottle of dynamite) Ma, this way of catching fish only needs
extra care and a prayer for God to protect.
LUNENG : How can God protect in a thing which
the government prohibits? This way of catching fish is illegal.
DANIEL : I know. But we are a forgotten island.
And who knows (smiles) by doing so we can be remembered.
LUNENG : What nonsense are you talking about?
DANIEL : Anyway,
Ma, our place is very remote. And when the PC men come, we can be alerted and
so we can hide. (Places the dynamite bottles in a basket.)
LUNENG
: Son, I am always afraid. I
am afraid that what happened to your brother might happen to you.
DANIEL : No, Ma, seldom that two people can
have the same fate.
LUNENG : (Leans near the window and focuses
her attention to the scene on the road) SSh, Son the PC men!
DANIEL : (Looks out the window). Picks up
the basket and hides it on an empty kerosene can; places it under the bamboo
bed and covers it with sacks) They come in time just when we have talked
about them.
LUNENG : They must have come to spot the
dynamiters in the island. Son, I've got fast heartbeats. I am afraid.
DANIEL : No, Ma. (Points to the hidden
basket under the bed.) Look, it's well-hidden.
LUNENG : No, no, I've heard there's an
instrument that can detect...
JONATHAN : (Enters, gasping for breadth.)
DANIEL : The PC?
JONATHAN : (In whispers) You see the PC men?
They are making raids of all the houses in the island to find out the
dynamiters, we already have three neighbors found out because of the evidences
gotten from their homes. They will be taken to town, and for sure, will be
imprisoned. Your dynamite bottles? Hurry, get rid of them!
DANIEL: Look! I've hidden mine under that
bed.
JONATHAN: For heaven's sake, let's not delay, that
will be found out.
DANIEL: But how? There is no secret place in
this hut.
JONATHAN: (Motions) The roof! On top of the roof!
DANIEL: Ours is nipa and that basket is
heavy.
JONATHAN: Now listen, just don't mind how much you
will waste. What is important is that you will be saved. We'll drop that to the
sea like what I have done to some of my dynamite bottles. A little stone can
help us identify that place and when the PC men will be gone, it will be easy
to recover the thing back although it's going to be a long job of drying if not
a complete waste.
37
DANIEL AND
JONATHAN: (Remove the kerosene can
containing the dynamite bottles from under the bamboo bed. ) (At a distance can
be heard loud blasts of bullets on the air as if a wasted rehearsal.)
LUNENG: My God, o my God, help! (Makes an
automatic sign of the arose: forehead, chest and the two shoulders.)
DANIEL AND
JONATHAN: (Carry the can as if
throwing a dirty garbage to the sea.)
SCENE III
LUNENG: Sits. Intently waiting. Frightened
to hear knockings)
ABEL: (Enters from school. Kisses the
hand of the mother) ma, the PC!
LUNENG: Where?
ABEL: There.
LUNENG: Where?
ABEL: At Nong Loreto's house.
LUNENG: O thank God, they bypass us.
ABEL: Because our house is very small, Ma. That's why.
LUNENG: (Nods and smiles)
DANIEL AND
JONATHAN: (Back with the empty
herosene can).
ABEL: (Kisses the hand of the two).
LUNENG: You've been a good friend to us, Jonathan. Thank you.
JONATHAN: That's all right, Manang. They did not
drop by here. .You could have saved those dynamites from getting wet or from
being wasted.
LUNENG: O, that's all right. At least, that
has saved us from fear.
JONATHAN: It's a waste indeed.
LUNENG: What is important is that Daniel is
saved.
JONATHAN: Manang, you know what happen? Loreto, Rudy
and Lito are now in the custody of the PC men. Their wives have been trying to
please the PC by giving an amount. Poor wives but I think the PC men won't be
carried by their pleadings.
38
DANIEL : Of course, not with their pleas, John.
The amount to please will have only to be increased three times or more, then I
am sure their husbands will be released.
LUNENG : But where shall they get the money?
We've just been from a two-week bad weather.
DANIEL : O, the money? The money can be
produced in any painful way if only for the exchange of freedom from jail.
JONATHAN : I don't think, Dan, that their release can
be as easy as that. I have heard that with the present state of Martial Law the
President is passing a decree against dynamite fishing, say twenty years
imprisonment for the offenders, or is it life-imprisonment?
LUNENG : O, my God, life-imprisonment?
DANIEL : I can't believe in that.
JONATHAN : Or say, twenty years imprisonment. But it's
a decree.
DANIEL : Well, I believe that there's a decree like
that but I just don't believe that it should be for the dynamiters, for the
fishermen like us.
JONATHAN : You're funny, my friend. But for whom
should it be?
DANIEL : For the operators of the fishing boats
and for the rich buyers of our fish!
JONATHAN : That is being practical, my friend. I am
with you. But our world is different.
LUNENG : My dear son, that of the fishing boats
is legal. The government can earn from them because of their big taxes, or
license? (frowns, not sure). And ours like dynamite fishing is illegal.
JONATHAN : And besides. Dad, they are afraid that soon
with dynamite fishing, there won't be fish anymore in our island.
DANIEL : The fish will always be there even
when we use dynamites. The fish will be lost only if the travelers will go on
because fishermen tike us will die. And whose is legal or illegal?
LUNENG
: What do you mean? DANIEL :
That which kills many people is illegal.
LUNENG
: Of course, dynamite
fishing kills people like what happened to your father and your brother and
many others.
DANIEL : No, you cannot understand me, Ma.
Their deaths are sudden. And our own deaths can be more prolonged.
LUNENG: I cannot understand you, son.
DANIEL: (Shakes his head. Looks at
Jonathan.)
JONATHAN: Let's go and hear the investigation.
LUNENG Investigation? JONATHAN For Rudy and others.
ABEL: I'll go with
you, Ma. (Holds the mother's skirt.)
DANIEL, JONATHAN,
LUNENG, ABEL: (Exit).
SCENE IV
(A month after the raid. Evening. After supper. Light comes from the
gas lamp.)
LUNENG
: (Washes the dishes. Sings
lullaby.)
ABEL : Ma, let me have that basin, please.
39
LUNENG : What are you going to do with it?
ABEL : I'd like to ask fish from Manoy Rudy.
LUNENG : And what a big container, a basin! You
should be ashamed!
ABEL : He's got a big catch today, Ma. Two
pumpboats. Plenty! Plenty! (Swears his hand).
LUNENG : Is that so? Here. (Gives the basin).
ABEL : (Exits running).
DANIEL : (Seen preparing the basket to contain
the equipments for fishing.).
LUNENG : Why do you have bottles of dynamite,
Daniel?
DANIEL : I borrowed these from Jonathan.
LUNENG : You'll go fishing with dynamite?
DANIEL : Yes, Ma, tomorrow at ebbing tide.
LUNENG : Son, I hope you will go fishing without
dynamite.
DANIEL : Rudy got a big catch of two pumpboats and
more. And how much will that be if say, 60 cans of salted fish at P50 a can?
Today is the best season for the schools of fishes.
LUNENG : Son, I am afraid.
DANIEL : You can pray to God, Ma. And I can pray
also.
ABEL : (Carries the basin, half-filled
with small fish) Manoy, Look! (Swears his hands) Mortal sin! Plenty!
plenty of fish in the boats of Manoy Rudy! Let's go fishing tomorrow. I'll go
with you.
LUNENG: Huh, stay. You have your class.
ABEL: We won't have class tomorrow, Ma.
LUNENG: Why?
ABEL: My teacher will be absent.
LUNENG: Again?
ABEL: She has not arrived yet. And she
will not arrive tomorrow because tomorrow is not market day and there won't be pumpboat
from town to our island.
LUNENG : O, she will be present tomorrow.
ABEL : I will just go with Manoy, Ma, If my
teacher comes, she will have also headache because she vomits while riding on a
pumpboat.
LUNENG : It's
always like that, ha? (Salts the small fish.)
ABEL : Because our island is very far from
town, she said. I'll just go with Manoy, Ma.
LUNENG
: Talk to your brother.
ABEL : Manoy, I'll go.
DANIEL : Okey, you can go but promise that you
will be an honor pupil on graduation.
ABEL : I am dull, Manoy. I'd like only to be
a fisherman.
DANIEL : No! You will remain poor like us. You
should be a professional then you will not be smal1.
ABEL : But I'll grow big.
40
DANIEL: Yes, you may grow very big. You may grow
to be a fat and tall man I1,ke your brother, Pedring, but if without a course,
you will still be small.
ABEL: Because they won't call me. Sir?
DANIEL: Yes.
ABEL: But we don't have money, Manoy, like
Manang Petra.
DANIEL: O we shall have plenty of catch by
dynamite fishing. And that will be much money.
ABEL: Like manong Rudy's?
DANIEL: Yes.
ABEL: But what if you will get married?
The little brothers of Manoy Rudy are not with him because he has his own
children.
DANIEL: It's just unfortunate that we don't have
money to make him a lawyer.
ABEL: {giggles). Manoy, when will
you marry?
DANIEL: I won't. I'll have to see you get a
degree, a diploma.
ABEL: What is that?
DANIEL: O stop now. If you want to go with me,
then prepare. We will leave at the first crowing of the cock.
ABEL: (Approaches the mother who is
salting fish) Ye pe!!! I will go fishing!!
SCENE IV
(The two, Daniel and Abel, riding on a
pumpboat reach a shallow sea. Abel paddles, Daniel stands at the front end of
the pumpboat with the dynamite bottle on his right hand. )
DANIEL: Paddle fast. Some more... some more...
ABEL: There! There! Beautiful! the fish!
so plenty! So thick! So dark below.
DANIEL: If you will do good today, we shall have
bigger catch than Rudy's.
ABEL: Two pumpboats? Can they be two
pumpboats if we get them?
DANIEL: O more than two pumpboats. Other schools
of fishes will join. Watch. Me follow.
ABEL: Why are the fish together, Manoy?
Look! Like in the PC Parade.
DANIEL: Don't talk too much, the fish may run
away.
ABEL: Will they hear me? No. They run only
because of the noise of my paddle. I must paddle slow.
DANIEL: Now, Abel, do good. Faster. Don't joke
ha? I'll be angry now. Paddle, paddle. To the right... there..............to
the left. .some more. some more Faster!
ABEL: (Silent, amused at the large
formation of the fish) Now they look very dark below, Plenty! Plenty! —
DANIEL: Paddle, a little, a little. There....
There.... (Motions his hand to Abel mho is behind him at the other end of
the pumpboat.)
(Continues to survey the
place and begins to calculate where to land the dynamite bottle. He should make
the right hit and the right kill. Now he lights the stick. Now, slowly, slowly
it burns near to the mouth of the bottle.)
DANIEL: See, Abel, when I win throw this, cover
your ears.
O paddle, paddle. Just a
little... A little... Some more...... To the right.... a little .....a
little...... to the left.....
(Calculates.
Forgets that the end of the stick is already reached.)
41
SOUND OF THE
DYNAMITE EXPLOSION: BONG! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
DANIEL : (Shudders in pain; half of the awn
drops and floats on the sea. )
ABEL : (The blast seems to have shattered
his eardrums) Manoy, manoy, huh, huh, huh.
DANIEL : (Groans... unconscious)
SOUND OF ANOTHER
PUMPBOAT VEHICLE
ABEL : (Sees another pumpboat. Waves his
paddles a signal for asking help.)
NARRATOR : Hear, O Asians, who celebrated the
International Year for the Disabled in 1981! There are lot more in Hingotanan
who are disabled in the struggle to live a descent life.
O the disabled
fishermen, the disabled fishermen who can still maintain their dignity by
working some more in order to survive. We have here like Daniel.
ACT II
SCENE I
(Daniel is seen
mending an old fishing net with his left arm uith the half of his half right
arm and his mouth. Beside him is a radio that sings the song of the fishermen.
While the music is played, a group may do an interpretative dancing uhile
Daniel is seen in his mending act. )
RADIO: (The song)
Krootsay, and
sakayanon nagtawag sa hangin Krootsay, daw ang kalantap sa dagat malaay gayod
Kabug-at sa gaod, ug and kainit nga nagapamahit. Krootsay..................
Mindag-um, mingdag-um na Dapit sa atong habagatan Pagbantay, bantay mga kauban
A ng timbangan, dili pagbiyaan A yaw baya'g kalimot nga Gikalisangan kining
hangina Mogisi sa layag, moguba sa atong sakayan.
Bantay kamo,
Hinubig kamo Dangan ngadto, dagan ngari.
Maoy labing pait ang kinabuni
n among sakayanon
Init ug ulan wala
intawon
kami'y
pulupasilong.
Nia pay kagutom ug
Katugnaw pa goyod
intawon
Gi-antus ang tanan
Kay gimbut-an sa
kapalaran.
Krootsay....
Krootsay......
(The rough translation in English)
Oh, oh, oh (sounds
of the wind) The fisherman is now calling for the wind.
Krootsay, (another call)
The calmness of
the sea
is not inspiring.
The triggers for
sails are heavy and the heat of the sun is searing.
Krootsay, (another
call for the wind).
Now, the South
shows dark clouds. Be watchful, the whole company. Do not leave the outriggers
Do not forget that this wind is frightening It will shatter our sails And will
destroy our boat.
Keep a balance.
Help remove the waters from our vessel.
From heat and rain
Run here. Run
there!
What is most
painful is the life of the fisherman
From heat and rain
he has no shelter; from hunger and cold he also has no suffer
Here we do suffer
because this is the will of our fate.
Krootsay....(Another call for the wind)
42
DANIEL : (Stands up and stretches the body.
Turns the radio into another station.)
RADIO : This is a seven o'clock news brought
to you by the COCOFED or Coconut Producers Federation in the country. Here are
the headlines: KBL Caucus Set on Copra Controversy; Supreme Court Fires Samar
Judge; Policy on Hiring More Cops Clarified; Inagurate City Hospital Tomorrow;
Alleged Illegal Fishermen Demonstration Against Trawlers Staged.....
DANIEL : (Turns the radio into the right
volume)
RADIO : These are the headlines. We shall
be back to you in few minutes.
DANIEL : (Lowers the volume a» he sees his
friend approaching).
JONATHAN : So back to work again? Let me see (gets
the right arm of Daniel.) It's not completely healed yet. Be sure you won't
overwork this.
DANIEL : I feel sick without doing anything.
Now, I think this old net will serve its purpose.
JONATHAN : So you won't go into dynamite fishing
anymore?
DANIEL : I will see. I will first make use of
this net.
JONATHAN : Have you heard of the demonstration in Gaus?
DANIEL : What demonstration? Ahh, I heard
something about that in the radio. (Turns on the volume)
JONATHAN : (Snaps the hand of Daniel from the
radio) No, it's high
English.
DANIEL : Tell me, what demonstration?
JONATHAN : Our brothers in the
DANIEL : What dynamite demonstration?
JONATHAN : It's so funny and yet it's true, the first
kind I ever saw. Riding on an individual pumpboats they made along procession
on the sea and encircled a fishing boat while on their hand, each one held a
dynamite bottle standing on each pumpboat while facing the fishing the fishing
boat.
DANIEL : O sounds like a violent demonstration
that our people are not capable of.
JONATHAN : No, I don't think that they will ever do
the violent thing of dynamiting the fishing boat. It must be a threat only to
drive away the giants. But if given the chance, well, I really don't know.
DANIEL : It's Martial Law and they will surely
be endangered for doing such a thing. Didn't they ask help from us?
JONATHAN : They tried but they know that our people
are no longer interested in the trawlers because we are moving away from the
life of the fishermen to that of the seaweeds farmers. So they recruited only
the true fishermen.
DANIEL : I am a true fisherman. Don't call me a
seaweed-farmer. I would like to help the cause but not in that kind of
demonstration. Tell me more. What happen? How about the PC?
JONATHAN : I am not sure. It was just a very good
scene. There was no fear of the PC. My speculation is that those fishermen
dropped their dynamite bottles on the sea to get rid of evidence.
DANIEL : So funny, our people can be so funny in
wanting to live.
43
JONATHAN : I can only imagine one thing, if those
fishermen will be imprisoned, there won't be enough space for them a11 in jail.
They said that they will all go to jail. And if the' evidence is not very
strong, there is reason for the fishing boats to be afraid, and leave our place
to do fishing somewhere else. I don't want to be a fisherman, anymore, Daniel.
DANIEL : You're funny. So what are you going to
do? Leave our place and go to the city? Abroad? Or to
JONATHAN : Of course, not, I don't have VIP's to back me
up. We have so much wealth in our island. my friend. And I will not leave this
place.
DANIEL : Come, tell me your hidden treasure. (Stands)
we"11 go back to my hut first. There's medicine which I'd like to take in
now. (Leaves the net on the seashore. Takes with him the radio)
ACT II
SCENE II
NARRATOR
: Hear, 0 Asians, fishing
carries an old stigma of being poor, of endless uant, and bad physical look
like black shin and blisters and brow, hair.
O the standard of
beauty: the Hell-fed whites: the standard of success: the world's money and
materialism!
Where should
fishing lie? An occupation of the undignified! Leave, leave the old old
occupation that has not changed the physical and. social status of their
lives!! The fishermen leave their life, fishing, and turned to one demi-god--
the seaweeds farming!
(People from the
seashore are seen carrying big basket, and sacks and sacks of seaweeds, fresh
seaweeds to be dried on bermuda grasses, along the road, and all the good
places for drying. )
LUNENG: (Seen with other women and men drying
seaweeds. A. cloth covers the head from the heat of the sun. ) Here,
Abel, quick take this basket back to your brother. We
should be through spreading these fresh seaweeds soon.
ABEL: Ma, I am already late for school.
LUNENG: And who will help us? Just be absent
today, please. Your breakfast?
ABEL: I will just come back during recess
to eat, Ma.
LUNENG: No, I will still ask you to buy canned
sardines for our viand. My stomach is now complaining.
ABEL: But Ma, we shall have a regional
test. My teacher said that we should not be absent.
LUNENG: Don't go to school if you don't have
breakfast especially if you have your test.
ABEL: I won't be hungry, Ma. I will just
come back at recess time.
TIKOY: (Seen also drying seaweeds)
Ahh, dear test, school, you'd like to be a teacher? An engineer? That's nothing
in comparison with the seaweeds. Look! some of the teachers have resigned from
teaching and are involved in seaweeds-farming. What is the salary of the
teacher to that if P6.00 or P6.00 per kilo of our product? Last week. I earned
three thousand pesos. How many months will that be for a teacher?
LUNENG: Tikoy, even if we shall have money, we
still need education.
TIKOY: O, no, Manang. The reason why people
go to school is to have much money. And now that we have a new promise to
assure us of good money, where is the place of the school then?
LUNENG: We can never be sure of things, Tikoy.
Abel, okey just give back this basket to your brother, and if you'd like to go
back to school, then go. Here. (Throws fifty centavos coin to Abel) For
your snacks.
44
TIKOY : (In joking manner,
holds Abel, as if refraining him from leaving.) No, you cannot pass. You don't have to go to school. It's no longer
necessary.
ABEL : I will be a great fisherman!
TIKOY : No, not a fisherman but a
seaweeds-farmer. Look what happen to your brother Pedring and Daniel: It's no
good to be a fisherman.
ABEL : (Shouts) I will be a great fisherman! (Runs).
TIKOY : Fisherman? (to Luneng) I don't
want to be a fisherman anymore. I've been a fisherman for thirty years. My
parents were fishermen and should my children be fishermen also? And so I don't
want my children to be fishermen also.
Manang,
this seaweeds-farming is a manna from heaven. I am so thankful for the Genu
Corporation that introduced us to this new industry.
LUNENG : Yes, such a marine corporation is a savior.
They have been operating since 1971 and it took us seven years to believe that
indeed there's so much wealth in our island.
TIKOY : We have been seeing the wild seaweeds
in our shallow seas and it's only now that there's a new way of culturing seaweeds
and getting a big produce. And imagine at -P5.00 per dried kilo at every 45-day
harvest? We are much more advantageous than the coconut producers. Soon this
island will be an island of the rich people.
LUNENG : I don't dream to get rich, Tikoy. To have
enough is just enough.
TIKOY : hat is enough, Manang? There is no such
thing as enough. At the next harvest, I will buy refrigerator, at another
harvest, another.
DANIEL : (Arrives. Dressed like a fisherman,
met all over and carried a big basket of fresh seaweeds on his head).
LUNENG : Here, Tikoy, help us. (As they receive
the basket down). Are there more in the pumpboat?
DANIEL : I have dried the rest in the seashore.
LUNENG : But how about the
sands?
(that uill stick to the seaweeds) ?
DANIEL : Anyway, we shall wash the seaweeds again
the next day to assure us of good weight.
LUNENG : Is that so?
DANIEL : That's the experience of Jonathan and
other seaweeds-farmers.
TIKOY : Excuse me. I will leave now. (Exits).
DANIEL : Ma, it's already noon and we don't have
breakfast yet.
LUNENG : We can always forget if we have much work.
I just feel empty pangs in my stomach.
DANIEL : I am so hungry and my head starts to ache
now.
LUNENG : We don't have viand. There's no fish sold out
today. It seems everybody is a seaweeds farmer. None is a fisherman.
DANIEL : What shall we have for today's meal?
LUNENG : (Still spreading the seaweeds)
Okey, go ahead. Heat the rice which I cooked very early this morning. Then I
shall drop by
NARRATOR : O hear, Asains, the ballad of the fate of
the fishermen in Hingotanan. From the hook and line and the claws of the
middlemen, the local capitalists, to the dynamite and the trawlers, they become
the seaweeds-farmers hooked by the marine corporations and more neglecting
their food as the source of energy for their work.
O the new power of
control but the old fishermen look at it as the demi-god sent in by Christ to offer
them the new salvation from hunger and want and to equip them of the things
that the man of the twentieth century can dream of.
45
SCENE III
(A meeting of the seaweeds farmer with the manager and representatives
of Genu and Simberg Corporations. The barrio captain is the Master of
Ceremony.)
MC (Barrio
Captain) : Before
we let our visitors speak, let us first entertain them by our local talents,
the first number is dance. Timkling!
PEOPLE : Fishermen (Clap their
hands... others whistle.)
DANCERS : (Bamboo sticks and tinikling
costumes) PEOPLE : (Claps)
MC : Now let's hear a solo
from one of our youths. Eva Meka?
EVA MEKA : (approaches)
MC : What would you like to
sing. Day?
EVA MEKA : "Dahil sa lyo."
MC : Everybody, clap! Dahil
sa lyo, because of You..huh, huh...
EVA MEKA : "Dahil sa lyo"
Dahil sa iyo nais kong mabuhay
Dahil sa iyo
hanggang mamatay
Nais kong tanduin,
wala nang ibang filiw
Puso koy tanungin,
ikaw at ikaw rin
Dahil sa lyo,
ako'y lumigaya.
Pagmamahal ay
alayan ka
Kung tunay man ako
ay alipinin mo
Ang lahat ng ito'y
danil sa iyo.**
DANIEL : (Approaches the barrio
captain.) Cap, it's getting late in the afternoon. If this is a meeting,
let's have this a meeting. No more of this entertainment.
MC : But they are our
visitors. Okey, okey, just one more. (Runs to the microphone after the
singing). Let's have the last number. Who of you can recite a batak,
a poem.
PEOPLE : We want Tikoy! We want Tikoy!
MC : Okey, Tikoy Cainglet,
you are wanted for a poem.
TIKOY : (Recites) ULTIMO DE
ADIOS!
Adios patria
adorada
Hija diel sol
querida... (stammers)
Peri a
Nuestra perdida
ONE FROM THE
CROWD: Spanish ha? Dr. Jose Rizal,
Tikoy!
TIKOY : (Scratches his head...
Does it like a clown) A darte voy
de alegre... (Shakes his head forgets.)
(Smiles) Depensa mi,
aim'gos, ami gas, no hay palabras.
MC: Muchas gracias, Jose
Rizal bonito. Now I will give you our visitors for today. Atty. Mercado and his
party!
ATTY. MERCADO : Ahh, before I'll say our purpose in coming,
I'd like to hear one more song, then I'll give a gift to whoever will sing
again. Those who have danced, sung and recited, please come forward because I'd
like to give you gifts also.
PEOPLE : (Loud clapping)
ATTY. MERCADO : Who will
sing?
ABEL
: (Hands
up) I will. Sir.
Kutis ko'y maitim
Di makita sa dilim. (My skin complexion is dark cannot be seen in
the night.)
46
Ngipin ko'y maputi kung ito'y nakangiti. Tulad din ng mata di gaanong makita. Kung ito'y nasa dilim di gaanong mapansin. Dilim, dilim bughay ko ay kay dilim. Walay ilaw, walang tanglaw. (My teeth are white when they are used for smile. Like the eyes which cannot be seen when they are in the dark, it cannot be recognized. Dark, dark my life is so dark without light, without direction.)
ATTY. MERCADO: Come, very good. Very good. (Shakes
Abel's hands) I never knew that these people in Hingotanan have great
singers, dancers and orators. Here, receive your fifty pesos.
PEOPLE: (Loud clappings..)
ATTY. MERCADO : Where are the others who performed here?
Here, receive your prizes.
TINIKLING DANCERS,
TIKOY AND EVA: (Forward... and
receive their prizes and shake the hand of the good benefactor.)
ATTY. MERCADO : Now I've got an important thing to tell
you which is for your interest and for our company as well. You see, Hingotanan
has become a very popular place because of its seaweeds farming. By the present
promise of the good price, soon your people will get rich and soon you will
have doctors, engineers, architects and many more professionals in your midst
because more money means that you can send your children to school and you can
buy all the comfortable facilities in your house which you need. You will have
good houses and what more? You see, people from other places have been pouring
in the islands because of the good news of your wealth. And you owe this to the
marine corporations that have taught you the skill of culturing seaweeds and
also of buying your product.
We come only
to make an appeal that you should come out with a clean product. Remove the
little stones, the plastic ties and all the weeds in your dried product. That
means, you need to clean your seaweeds very well, very well, so that we can
also have a name in the buyers of the product outside the country. It is found
out that the present product that we export is of less amount of juice and more
of moisture and dirt. So let us help each other. If this appeal can be given
consideration, then we shall be buying your produce at the same price. And we
shall live comfortably together.
JONATHAN : Sir, how should we clean? We
have done ours twice, during and after a day of drying we bring the seaweeds
again to the sea for washing.
ATTY. MERCADO: That's the best! And if you can continue
to do that, then you will have the price per kilo of seaweeds at P6.00. Isn't
that fair an incentive?
PEOPLE : (Clap.)
JONATHAN : I have been doing that and
others too, and so don't say that we producing dirty product.
ATTY. MERCADO: Well, we can always generalize.
MESSENGER : (Calls the barrio captain)
Cap, cap! Come quick! Rudy and Loreto are fighting each other with bolos.
BARRIO CAPTAIN/MC: What? Atty. Ahh, excuse me. There's an
emergency there.
ATTY. MERCADO: (Nods. And to the audience) Okey,
you can ask questions.
PEOPLE : (Alarmed, follow the
barrio captain and one by one disappears.)
SCENE IV
(A crowd is seen at the house of the barrio
captain. Loreto's right arm is banded with white cloth and it shows a stain of
blood. Rudy has his forehead bandaged. Their wives stand beside them. Barrio
captain stands near a long table, near the barrio secretary who records all the
statements of each party. )
BARRIO CAPTAIN: Rudy, how are you related to Loreto?
RUDY : (Silent)
47
BARRIO CAPTAIN: Loreto, how are you related to Rudy?
LORETO : (Silent)
WIFE OF LORETO: Imagine, cousins, and trying to kill each
other?
BARRIO CAPTAIN: Yes, cousins. First degree cousins! Now
what happened?
RUDY : He was very angry that I
removed the marker of his sea lot. I had my lot surveyed by a geodetic engineer
and I placed the marker as the boundary because that was the result of the
survey.
LORETO : And why did you remove the
marker when in fact you know that I have already cultivated that area? You see
my seaweeds grown. And if you recognize me as your cousin, you would have
settled it first with me and we could talk about it as brothers. But you
removed my marker!
BARRIO CAPTAIN: Did you do it, Rudy?
LORETO : For three times he removed my
marker. And what did he mean? I could kill a person if I would be done a foolish
thing.
BARRIO CAPTAIN: Did you remove the markers, Rudy?
RUDY: Yes, because in the
survey it's mine, the area is mine.
BARRIO CAPTAIN: And what did you do to Rudy, Loreto?
LORETO : I challenged him to a fight.
WIFE OF LORETO: My God, don't say it. You will be
endangered in the affidavit, (in whispers)
BARRIO CAPTAIN:
You challenged him to a fight with a bolo? is that right?
LORETO : Ahh.
WIFE OF LORETO: No, no. no, ah, yes, cap, because Rudy had
his bolo on his hand also.
WIFE OF RUDY : Of course, the bolo that he carried was
not meant for Loreto.
RUDY
: I could have
killed him also with that bolo.
WIFE OF LORETO: You see?
BARRIO CAPTAIN: What do you wish to happen, Loreto, Rudy?
You two have wounds, it's a great shame to find two first degree cousins
fighting each other in court.
WIFE OF RUDY : Please, cap, help them reconcile each
other. I don't want them to be enemies. O, how shameful for our children! Just
because of the sea area!
BARRIO CAPTAIN: Yes, a great shame in the island. Or do you
have already the license for your area from the BFAR or the Bureaus of
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources? O, Rudy?
RUDY : Not yet.
BARRIO CAPTAIN: How about yours, Loreto?
LORETO : Not yet,
BARRIO CAPTAIN: Imagine you are fighting over something
that each of you does not have an authority yet. You've got to get a license
form the BFAR. And even if how many times you have surveyed and cultivated the
area, if you don't have the license to operate, then you are never in the
position to claim the area as yours.
LORETO: Papers, license. I don't care
so much. If I have utilized the area so that I live, nobody is in the position
to snatch it from me simply because he has the papers or the 1icense.
BARRIO CAPTAIN: That is if being practical, Loreto. But our
world is different. What do you say?
JONATHAN : (Nods.)
48
RUDY : Nothing, cap.
BARRIO CAPTAIN: Okey, shake your hands as a sign of peace.
By the way, I got the memorandum from the BFAR Office in
SCENE V
(Back to the hut
of Luneng and her family. Daniel reads a small piece of paper).
LUNENG: Let me see what is that you are reading,
Daniel?
DANIEL: This is receipt of the geodetic engineer's
survey of Loreto's lot.
LUNENG: O, let's me see. What P250.00?
DANIEL: Yes, P250.00 for a survey of one per
hectare.
LUNENG: I thought it's a government sent surveyor
and why should we pay that much?
DANIEL: Loreto said that during the meeting with
the BFAR in
LUNENG: We don't have that money yet.
DANIEL: Even if we have that amount, what area can we
apply for? We are late finding our lot. It's been six months that people have
been placing markers on the area they are cultivating. But we're late because
of my wound.
LUNENG: But there must be more areas. Tikoy requires
many more.
DANIEL: There must be more but they are to the
deeper seas and the current may not be so good for growing seaweeds. But I will
find. Our problem will be the amount for the survey.
LUNENG: O, I will see
DANIEL: And pay another high interest?
LUNENG: It's her business, son. And without
interest, she won't let us owe. It's natural!
DANIEL: How much interest is she charging?
LUNENG: Twenty per cent a month.
DANIEL: We should pay her within this month. And
never owe from her again and then what is natural will ease to be natural.
49
LUNENG : Anyway, we are benefited. It's what
people have been doing. Negosyo! business, my dear.
DANIEL : Yes, business here and business there.
Business even among the fishermen like us. (Shakes his head)
LUNENG : How much percentage is Loreto asking
you from the income from his area?
DANIEL : How much? Ten per cent of the produce.
LUNENG : O, my God, our folks are like God
demanding 10 percent tithe.
DANIEL : Rudy is asking 50% share of the
seaweeds farmers' produce in his area.
LUNENG : There! 50% share? That's too much. Why
is that happening?
DANIEL : Well, they say that they much ask for
a share because of the expenses involved for the survey, for pleasing the BFAR
personnel and all the other expenses involved in processing the papers for
license like the P1,000 deposit in the bank and what more to please?
LUNENG : Son, I miss the good old days when we
lived like one family, of sharing and giving and without counting the cost how
much have we shared to those who are in need. Where have we learned this new
thing now?
DANIEL : Seems like the landlord-tenant system
on land. My friend used to tell me that sharing of the produce of the land
between the landlord and the tenant, say 4:4 or 1:2 or 1:3 or with the agrarian
reform, 1:4. We must have learned this from the people, in the mainland who
have learned the system from our Spanish colonial ancestors.
LUNENG : A big change, like on land, our seas
will cease to be owned by us all.
DANIEL : But by those only who can acquire the
papers and license to operate.
LUNENG
: So that means that when we
sell our produce, we are going to give Loreto the 10% share of our income and
to Rudy, a 50% share.
DANIEL : Yes, from our clean income. That is
the trend of our world. And we must be ashamed not to do it. And hence, we make
things natural. And we have them in our midst.
JONATHAN
: (Enters. Carries a gallon
of tuba).
DANIEL
: What thanksgiving?
JONATHAN : Go with me. The surveyor and the personnel
from the BFAR are in the house. I've been wandering the island to find fish but
I find only crabs. So I just lichen my smaller pig. Let's go.
JONATHAN : Manang, go with us.
LUNENG : Don't mind, Jonathan. I am nobody to
face your visitors. Besides, I am going to
DANIEL : I am glad that the personnel are in
your house. Ma, the money that we need?
LUNENG : Yes, I am going now.
JONATHAN : Money? for what?
DANIEL : For the survey of the sea-area.
JONATHAN : I thought it's Loreto's lot that you are
working on.
DANIEL : Yes, I am cultivating in his lot and
in fact, a portion of Rudy's. But I would like to have an area I can call mine.
JONATHAN : Where have you sighted? It's moving deeper
about five kilometers away from Rudy's lot.
50
JONATHAN : I doubt if you could have a good harvest in
that lot. Go with us this afternoon, then I shall point to you a better place.
DANIEL : Which no one has sighted?
JONATHAN : I
think so.
LUNENG : Okey, Dong*** Jonathan, please help us.
Now I will secure the P250.00 for the survey.
JONATHAN : Take it to the house this afternoon,
Manang. Because the surveying will be done this afternoon, Okey, Bay, Daniel,
let's go.
DANIEL : (Looks at himself) I must
change first.
JONATHAN : O, no need. You already look handsome by
that T-shirt.
DANIEL : Okey, let's go.
ACT III
NARRATOR : Hear, 0 Asians, and they followed the
trend on land, acquiring papers and license of the lots operated on; imitating
the relationships between landlords and tenants; justifying the present trend
as the world's arrangements as they please people and spend it only to acquire
the legal possessions.
Lost is the oneness in ownership and
the sea becomes the property of the individual few- the stronger and the more
influential as in the pattern on the mainland.
But it was a short-lived obsession at
acquiring license if not an absolute ownership. It was a short-lived time for
abundance.
SCENE I (At the barn of Marine
Corporation. The Big Placard: STOP BUYING is seen.
People carry sacks and sacks of dried seaweeds, then stop upon seeing the
placard. Drop their load and stop and rest on the ground. )
ATTY. MERCADO : We are very
sorry. We are not buying your product yet because there is no demand yet. We
have much over-supply. It's not only Hingotanan that produces tons and tons of
seaweeds every month but also Zulu and the country like
TIKOY : But Sir, when are you
going to order, to buy our seaweeds again? :
ATTY. MERCADO : Just wait. We will announce.
TIKOY : O my God, I have already
spent my last centavo on building my farmhouse on the sea. I still have debts.
ATTY. MERCADO : We will announce our next buying. It won't
be too long.
TIKOY : But I have hired people to
help in the farm. They are pressuring me to give their wages. What can I give
now?
ATTY. MERCADO : They will understand.
TIKOY : Can an empty stomach
understand?
ATTY. MERCADO : You are not going to die. Just go on with
seaweeds-farming and you will be fine at the coming back of the high price.
TIKOY: Why too short, sir? You
made us rich for only 3 months.
ATTY. MERCADO: Your fortune will come back to you. Just be
patient.
TIKOY: How long, sir?
ATTY. MERCADO : Just be patient. Only those who can suffer
will become saints, mind you.
51
RUDY : (Enters)
TIKOY : O perhaps Rudy would like to
be a saint. What are you talking about? Nonsense fool. (in akimbo} I can
be patient with you.
ATTY. MERCADO : That's the saint.
RUDY : Sir, I am badly in need of an
amount. Can you just buy my seaweeds even at a low price? When the high price
comes back, you will certainly profit.
ATTY. MERCADO : Just wait. We will let you know.
TIKOY : (Laughs.) You can't
help but be a saint like me.
PEOPLE (including
Tikoy and Rudy): (Carry the loads back home. Stop.)
SCENE II (People carry the same sacks and sacks of
dried seaweeds. The placard in the seaweeds-barn is changed into P3.00. More
and more people crowd, so alive and enthusiastic. Seen their product weighed.
The cashier, a lady, gives the money.)
TIKOY
: O, this is
good! Now I can pay my men. This manna from heaven is great. I am like a master
with plenty of employees to be fed.
WIFE OF LORETO : Now I can pay the installment fee for my
television.
TIKOY : At the next harvest, you
will know what will I buy.
WIFE OF LORETO : What?
TIKOY : A modern washing machine.
I don't want to seethe hand of my darling bruised by washing.
WIFE OF LORETO : There you are, Tikoy, dreaming again. I hope
there isn't blood on your hand.
JONATHAN : Now I can have money to buy food
from town. It's so difficult to be always running out of food, of viand. Better
in town, the fish is cheap.
DANIEL ; How many kilos did you sell?
JONATHAN : About one thousand kilos.
DANIEL : That's plenty.
JONATHAN : Yours.
DANIEL ; About that much but this will
be subtracted from the 10% share to Loreto and 50% to Rudy.
JONATHAN : I thought you are now cultivating
the area which you have applied for? The one we just let surveyed.
DANIEL : That's it. Much of this
income, I mean, the remaining amount will go for the purchase of line, mangrove
sticks and cement for the markers. It indeed requires money to start operating
an area.
JONATHAN : If you only cultivated in my area,
I wouldn't have required you to share with me your income.
DANIEL : Rudy and Loreto's wives were
too quick at recruiting for seeming tenants in their applied lot. Anyway with
this amount I can start working on my own lot. It's so funny, our people can be
so funny. We do feel ungrateful not to share from our clean income because
everybody does it.
JONATHAN : Let's go,
Dan. Let's buy some drinks. (Withdraws from his wallet the one hundred peso
bill).
52
DANIEL : That will be too much.
JONATHAN : I shall spend more if this is not enough.
Let's celebrate! It last I have learned after the long stop buying and soon you
will have also your own area! (Invites others on the way.) Let's
celebrate!....
JONATHAN, DANIEL, TIKOY AND OTHER PEERS : (Around
a table of bottles and bottles of beer and gallons of tuba.)
SCENE IV (Stop Buying, a placard posted at the
Seaweeds Barn again. People carry sacks and sacks of dried seaweeds. )
LORETO
: Sir, when are you going to
buy our product again?
MANAGER : At indefinite time. We are also waiting
for a signal from our boss.
LORETO : Why is this stop buying again?
MANAGER : We've got plenty, plenty of stacks and the
demand is low. Imagine the whole people of Hingotanan engaged in seaweeds
farming and plus the other people from other islands.
JONATHAN : Ahh, isn't this only a drama? So we will
feel comfortable with the low price? (In bad shape because of much drinking)
What is that? Watch out ha?
MANAGER : It all depends on how you interpret this
happening.
DANIEL : (Giggles) Now, how can I got to
the farm area today? The cost of one gallon of gasoline is P20.00. If this stop
buying will go on, we are forced to go back to sails and paddles.
JONATHAN : Imagine we are made to wait. When is that,
Sir? Indefinite and everyday we spend?
DANIEL : Hold your peace, John.
JONATHAN : What is this now? I earned another three
thousand pesos and like wind the money is gone. (And addressing to Daniel)
Your problem is gasoline? (Gets fifty pesos from his wallet.) Here,
Tikoy, buy a gallon of gasoline for my friend, Daniel.
TIKOY : Can I borrow some amount also?
JONATHAN : I know that you have your money. This is
only for my friend, Daniel. Do you have to share with people the income of your
produce like what happen to my poor Daniel?
TIKOY : Of course not, because I have my
own area.
JONATHAN : But my poor friend, Daniel. You know that
man, Loreto? (Gets the serious attention of Tikoy) That guy? Like a
hypocrite monster on the mainland, a landlord, pew!
LORETO : (Overhears) What are you talking about? (Blows
his fist against the right cheek of Jonathan).
JONATHAN : You have made my friend, a tenant, and you
a landlord! There! (Retaliates) You hungry leech! (Then the rumble.
Daniel and Tikoy separate the two.)
SCENCE IV (People
are seen enthusiastically carrying loads of dried seaweeds. The placard is
changed into P2.00).
NARRATOR
: Hear, O Asians, the kind of
conditioning applied to the fisherman of Hingotan and like Pavlov's experimental
conditioning to a dog. After creating the fear; of the non-market of their
produce, they kept their constant hopes and prayer: that their product maybe
bought even at a much lower cost (price). A bargain
53
they had chosen at
every order of Stop Buying. Until they learned to settle for the least that the
buyer could offer: from P5.00 or P6.00 per kilo; to P3.00 then to P2.00, to P2.00,
to P1.00 and then to sixty centavos.
And they wore faces like the people in Lent.
LUNENG : How is that, now, Abel?
ABEL : (Shows the empty buyot, a bag
made of bwz_ plant) No credit.
Manang Petrasaid.
LUNENG : Did
you tell her that we've got plenty of stocked seaweeds?
ABEL : I told her but she said that she must
not allow credit for now because her capital is losing.
LUNENG : This
ABEL : She said, Ma, we still owe from her cash
for the survey.
LUNENG : But she should have understood the situation,
who will sell our product at forty centavos? It seems like throwing away to the
wind our labors.
ABEL : I will now go to school, Ma.
LUNENG : Not yet. Don't leave without your breakfast.
Or maybe you can go to a neighbor. Here, go to your Manang
ABEL : Ye pe! That bamboo post downstairs Ma?
LUNENG : Yes.
DANIEL : (Enters. Carries a net bag of dried
seaweeds.) Here, Abel, take this same to Manang Petra. Tell her that she
can buy our seaweeds at five centavos to add to her profit.
ABEL : But Manoy, Mama wants me to borrow only
three chupas from Manang
DANIEL : To the wife of Loreto? Don't put me into
shame. Go back to Manang Petra. And take this. Tell her, Okey, at five
centavos, to let her swell in profit from the poor like us. (Turns to the
window).
ABEL : (Receives the net bag of dried
seaweeds. Silent)
LUNENG : (Taps the shoulder of Daniel) Son,
don't be much dismayed.
DANIEL : I only know, Ma, that for what she is now,
she owes it from the poor fishermen like us.
LUNENG : That is how our world operates, son.
DANIEL : We don't count. We have not counted long how
much has she earned from us and all through out these years we choose to be the
passive silent fishermen.
LUNENG : That's our world, son. Business is business.
It is operated for profit. And without profit, it has no business to go on.
DANIEL : (Boxes the wall)
ABEL : Will I go back to Nang Petra, Ma?
LUNENG : (Looks at Daniel) I told your brother
to borrow three chupas from
DANIEL : Why
LUNENG : Well, we are the tenant of Loreto, aren't we?
DANIEL : (Shrugs) Three chupas? And how about
our lunch?
54
LUNENG : We will buy.
DANIEL : We are not sure when will the good price
return. And we don't have money to buy.
LUNENG : Remember my few coins deposited in that
bamboo bank? It helps to save at the time of abundance.
DANIEL : (Sits down)
ABEL : (Exits)
SCENE V (On the seashore. Daniel is seen
mending his net again.)
JONATHAN : So you
will go back fishing?
DANIEL : While waiting for the price-hike of the
seaweeds. How about you? What is that on your hand?
JONATHAN
: Half a kilo of dynamite?
DANIEL : O, dynamiting fish again?
JONATHAN : Yes, I am losing hope about the seaweeds.
DANIEL : We really thought it's our salvation.
JONATHAN : There must be plenty of fish now. It has been
quite sometime that I have seen the fishing boats plying at very distant seas.
So the past demonstration has an effect.
DANIEL : Well, I think that way, too. The reason,
I have planned to go fishing by net. Do you know, good news! I have heard that
the government is waging campaign against trawlers.
JONATHAN : (Giggles). So many laws have been made
but they're implemented on papers.
DANIEL : Well, Our world is so funny, so funny
indeed.
JONATHAN : Do you think, Dan, that the price of seaweeds
will come back?
DANIEL : I think, it's possible because just
imagine the by-products of that raw material from plastic plates, slippers to
capsule covers and many more. And we buy these materials in return. Funny. Very
funny indeed.
JONATHAN : How ironical. We are the laborers and we are
the good buyers.
DANIEL : Well, in spite of that, I still think
that sometime the price will be restored. But nobody knows really. We live on
much uncertainties. Good for you that you have your license.
JONATHAN : What license? For that stupid thing, I had
spent a lot but until now, no license.
DANIEL : In spite of your lechon and other
pleasant servings?
JONATHAN : Nobody is given a license except that one
family corporation that applies for thirty hectares.
DANIEL : How funny. Yours and mine and that of the
others for one hectare is not given attention and the local rich applying for
thirty hectares has made it.
JONATHAN : So you see, the trend of our world now?
DANIEL : It's really funny. Now that the price of
the seaweeds is low, it seems the buzz of acquiring license to operate is lost.
We thought we could own the sea areas like owning land in the mainland but
there is no absolute ownership but only the license to operate.
55
JONATHAN : For the meantime, I have lost my interest in
that. I'd like to go into fishing. Back to fishing.
DANIEL : So take care of yourself. Look who's
coming?
JONATHAN : Where have you been, Tikoy? You look like a
different person today.
TIKOY : I've been from church.
JONATHAN : Oh, a churchman? For what petition?
DANIEL : Maybe for the good price of the seaweeds.
Well, we can pray. Prayer, the mightiest silent instrument of the powerless.
Well, tell us did you really pray for it?
TIKOY : Don't tease me. I think what happen to
us is God's punishment. Lent is coming soon and we must repent.
JONATHAN : Now you sound like a priest preaching, I mean
a pastor, in mellow voice convincing us to be really that sinful.
TIKOY : We've got only few days before Easter.
Now is the time for repentance and on resurrection, the time for newness.
DANIEL : Now you have resolved to be new. From
what old?
TIKOY : From my drunkness and from my being
such a noisy fellow.
DANIEL : So you mean newness to be timid and
silent?
JONATHAN : Don't let me miss your being vocal, Tikoy. Not
too many of us are like you.
TIKOY
: Really, we need to repent
and renew ourselves. But that I think the mercy of God will come upon us. Hey,
I am participating in a drama for Easter. We need more participants. You can
join, you two.
DANIEL : I am no good actor.
JONATHAN : Neither am I.
TIKOY : It's fine drama about Jesus' raising
from the dead. We've just made the tomb and the wings of the angels. We need
more people who will walk on the road to Emmaus.
DANIEL : Oh, that old stuff again?
TIKOY : Why Daniel? It's the finest story in
Christianity. Christ has vanquished death. And we can be like him wearing our
newness from our old self.
DANIEL : Is that so. And we are staging a play
which is a mere repetition of the old story?
TIKOY : And what more? (In serious
condemnation) I think the bad fate that has happened to you and to your
family is because of your being a subversive Christian. Too many things you
don't believe in.
JONATHAN : Don't speak to Daniel like that, Tikoy. What
he probably meant only is that it's lousy to see the play that has been
repeated through all the years.
TIKOY : But what other play should we stage
on? If the celebration is Easter, so why not dramatize the Resurrection story?
DANIEL : But why not our story?
TIKOY : My goodness, we know our story, our
own story and why should it be staged?
JONATHAN : And how about Jesus' coming back to life from
death? Are we ignorant about it?
TIKOY : Ahh, I have resolved not to argue
anymore. I'd like to renew my old self. If you don't participate, well that's
alright. (Leaves)
56
JONATHAN
: Ohh, where are you going?
TIKOY : Home and will repent. You should also
repent taking that dynamite package.
JONATHAN : I must go back to fishing, to dynamite
fishing.
TIKOY : It's Lenten Season. More bad fates
happen at this time of the year.
JONATHAN : Just leave me your blessing, churchman. I must
live because the seaweeds cannot make us live. I'll just go with Tikoy, Dan.
DANIEL : Take care of yourself, John. There must
be plenty of the schools of fishes now. But don't be too enthusiastic. In case
you decide to go back into dynamite fishing, I shall leave you a bottle or two
processed bottles. We can never stop wanting to live.
DANIEL : Our life is so funny, so funny.
SCENE V (At the Seaweeds Bean again. People
overcrowd after tujo months of Stop Buying. The placard says, PS. 00 for a
limited quantity of fow hundred kilos only from each seaweed-farmer. )
MANAGER
: Now, move, my goodness, don't
ever crowd there!
LUNENG : Sir, I have been here since yesterday. And
this early morning I was the first to arrive. Please let me be the first to
have my seaweeds weighed.
MANAGER : Fall in line. Fall in line or wait until your
number will be called.
LUNENG : I was the first to arrive but my number is
20 and now the number called is already 80.
MANAGER : So you did not listen. (Points to the
table) and get another new number.
LUNENG : But sir.....
MANAGER : Please move, there behind,
THE GIRL : Number 83.
Come quick.
MANAGER : Number 83. (While somebody is seen who
does the weighing of the secaoeeds.)
TIKOY : At last, my turn has come. (Gets
his load to be weighed.) Why four hundred kilos only? I've brought
fourfold. And I have plenty in the house.
MANAGER : We cannot absorb all.
TIKOY : When will you buy again?
MANAGER : Nobody knows.
TIKOY : Waste. Waste. We cannot stock them for
too long.
THE GIRL : Number 84!
MANAGER : Okey,
Tikoy, here. (Hands in the receipt)
TIKOY : Where's the money, sir?
MANAGER : You can claim it only next week. You see,
we're not given the money yet for whatever reason. Perhaps, the company is
afraid that we would be robbed in this place.
TIKOY : Heaven! Robbers in Hingotanan?
MANAGER : No, I didn't say that there are robbers in
your island. But of course, you have heard of the thieves or robberies. For
security.
TIKOY : So you first protect your security?
And ours is after a week? He,
he, Ehh, I'll have to shut up my mouth.
57
MANAGER : Now move! So other people can come in.
MANAGER : Okey, we stop for a while. It's lunchtime.
LUNENG : Please, sir, let me have my seaweeds
weighed. I've been here since very early in the morning and I was also here
yesterday. (Invites Daniel to carry the tuo sacks near the weighing scale. )
DANIEL : (Assists the mother).
ASSISTANT TO THE
MANAGER : (Holds the sleeves of
Daniel). You hard-headed. You were told by boss to wait. We are stopping
yet for lunch. Wait! what if we won't buy your seaweeds anymore.
DANIEL : But ours is just very small quantity.
We've got to have money.
ASSISTANT TO THE
MANAGER : It's all the same. You can
have the money only next week.
LUNENG : (Perspires and loses the balance
because of hunger). (Collapses to the ground.)
MANAGER : I told
you not to overcrowd. You really
don't understand. Now somebody
is knocked unconscious. Move, move, it's hot! (Fans himself. People
stirred.)
DANIEL : (Holds the mother.) It's not
because of heat. It's because of hunger. You have made us wait for too long.
MANAGER : Now, it's not my business to feed the sellers
of the seaweeds here. You must be thankful that we are buying your product so
you can have your food. You should be grateful enough.
DANIEL : Mark my word. I won't come back anymore
to sell my produce. We are the owners of our product but you treat us as our
masters.
MANAGER : It's alright if you won't. So many people are
waiting. (Eats with the assistant manager and with the girl. )
DANIEL : (Carries the unconscious mother out of
the barn. Walks to the road. People follow. Meets Jonathan handcuffed and
followed after by the PC men.)
JONATHAN : Dan, what happen?
DANIEL : What is that, Jonathan?
JONATHAN : They are going to take me to town.
DANIEL : For dynamiting fish?
JONATHAN : Yes. What happen to Manang?
DANIEL : She collapsed maybe because of hunger and
heat inside the seaweeds barn.
PC : Now move.
JONATHAN : Dan, I've already sent to your house what I
have promised. Ask Abel about it.
DANIEL : You're leaving us? Well ask the barrio
captain to help intercede like what happened to Rudy and Loreto.
JONATHAN : I don't have money, Dan.
PC I & II : You cannot buy us, move.
JONATHAN : (shouts while moving away.) You've
lost your right arm, Dan. But you're free. You're more fortunate.
SCENE IV (Night. Light comes from one gaslamp.
Seen Daniel sleeping on a bamboo bed. On. the sala are Abel and Luneng
sleeping. Can be heard the singing of Hendel's Alleluiah by the choir as part
of Daniel's dream.)
DANIEL : (Kicks the air. Fights. The chorus in
volume) Empty! Empty miracle! (The
cross lights on top of the stage. The chorus goes on.
58
DANIEL : Empty. Empty miracle! Empty miracle!
ABEL : Manoy, manoy, what happen?
CHORUS : (Slows down).
ABEL : Manoy?
DANIEL : Huh? (Rises) There!!! (Points to
the cross)
ABEL : What?
DANIEL : The cross! An empty cross.
ABEL : That's the morning star we used to see
on the sea while we fish, Manoy.
DANIEL : There. I saw it as Jesus' cross in my dream.
Come Abel, Come.
ABEL : (Listens. )
DANIEL : Where did you hide the thing which your
Manong Jonathan left?
ABEL : (Goes and gets it from the basket).
Here. (Holds the dynamite bottle).
DANIEL : Now, my dear friend is gone. Our mother is
weak. And my dream for you is gone.
ABEL : I don't want to get a degree, Manoy. I'd
like only to be a fisherman.
DANIEL : Come, child, take this gasoline and I shall
take this bottle of dynamite..
ABEL : Manoy, I shall be a fisherman with sails
and hook and line.
DANIEL ; There is no dream for you, dear child. Take
this gasoline. Burn, burn. Let us burn the seaweeds barn.
ABEL : No Manoy, I only want to be a fisherman
and not a seaweeds farmer.
DANIEL : There is no dream for you, dear child. Here,
take this gasoline. Let us burn, burn the seaweeds barn.
ABEL : No Manoy, I shall not kill people.
People will be in church today because Of the
DANIEL : Take this gasoline and I shall take this
bottle of dynamite. Let us burn, burn the seaweeds barn.
ABEL : It's Easter. Manoy, and they say that
Christ comes back today.
DANIEL : We are only to burn that which play us.
Never allow yourself to be played with. That's the story of Easter. Do you
hear? (The choir sounds on....) They are singing the song of Easter.
Christ is alive and is back to life. No amount of human game succeeded in
playing with Him.
One dawn your brother Pedring
came back as Mama saw him. But again she was lost to her eyes because the human
games were indeed victorious to entomb him.
ABEL : I can't understnad, Manoy. I won't go
with you.
DANIEL : Come, come, take this gasoline and I shall
take this dynamite. Let us burn the seaweeds barn.
ABEL : No Manoy, we are small without degrees,
you said.
DANIEL : I now believe in the resurrected Christ, the
Emmanuel. Now let us go and burn the seaweeds barn. Let us burn all that which
play with us.
Come quick, there's no time to
delay.
59
1. In Attendance: Rev. George
Ninan, Secretary of the CCA-URM and Mr. Kang Moon-Kyu, General Secretary of the
National Council of YMCAs of Korea and Treasurer of the CCA on behalf of the
CCA General Committee; Mr. Ahn Jaewoong, Regional Secretary of the WSCF
Asia-Pacific and Ms. Lidy Nacpil, Vice-Chairperson of the WSCF from the
Philippines SCM on behalf of the Regional Committee of the WSCF Asia-Pacific
Region.
2. Mr.Kang Moon-Kyu was appointed moderator of
the meeting.
3. The Ad-hoc Coordination Committee jointly
constituted by the two regional fellowships, namely the CCA and the WSCF (Asia
-Pacific), immediately after a Consultation on " The Ecumenical Task of
the Asian Student Christian Movements" in Hong Kong in March 1982 was
mandated to:
a. review the report of the Hong Kong
Consultation of 1982 and to identify the major programme areas to be the focus
of the WSCF-CCA Joint Programmes for 1983 through 1985.
b. draw up concrete plans for 1983 and make
projections for 1983 and 1985.
c. make appropriate budgetary allocations to the
joint programmes for 1983 from the special fund of US$50,000.00 jointly raised
by the CCA and the WSCF Asia-Pacific.
4. Taking into account the progress made since
and basing on the recommendations made at the Hong Kong Consultation of 1982,
the Ad-hoc Coordination Committee strongly recommends the following priorities
and programmes for 1983 with projections for the following two years:
____________
* These are Record of a Meeting of the
CCA-WSCF (Asia /Pacific) Ad-hoc Coordination Committee which met in
60
NATIONAL CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN SCMs- NCCs AND
a. The Consultation of 1982 was very emphatic in
the need for the National SCMs and the NCCs and member churches to engage in continuing
dialogue towards more effective partnership not only in student and university
ministry but in the total Christian ministry. At present some SCMs and member
churches maintain strong links and are involved in joint ventures, others
maintain at best tenous links, while a few have almost completely lost ties
with each other. While this must be understood in terms of the historical
development of the SCMs, NCCs and member churches as individual entities and of
their relationship to each other in the context of their particular situations,
the Consultation opinioned that it was timely to call on all SCMs, NCCs and
member churches to forge stronger links for their mutual enrichment and to
explore more dynamic patterns of cooperation.
b. To facilitate this continuing
dialogue, the Ad-hoc Committee reiterates the recommendation of that Consultation
that the SCMs, NCCs and the churches hold their own national consultations
similar to the regional
consultation held in
c. The Ad-hoc Coordination Committee proposes
that the holding of these national Consultations be one of the major thrust's
of the WSCF-CCA Joint Programmes during the next two years. Grants should be
made available to the National SCMs for this specific activity from out of the
Special Funds.
d. As some SCMs have already made plans for such
national consultations this year, the Ad-hoc Committee proposes that the SCMs,
NCCs and member churches in the following countries be encouraged to proceed
with the preparations:
-
-
-
-
-
e. The Ad-hoc Coordination Committee also
strongly feels the need to encourage one SCM in the South Pacific region of the
WSCF, namely
f. For the year 1983, a sum of US$12,000.00 is
to be set apart as grants for this specific activity.
g. Similar consultations in
h. As for 1985, the rest of the SCMs in the
region should be encouraged to conduct similar national consultations. With
this, it is hoped, a foundation would have been laid for the ecumenical
ministry in the universities in
L- Lidy, Ahn, Kong and George
UNIVERSITY WORK:
i. In view of the increasing domestication of
the universities in Asia by power structures as instruments to further oppression
and exploitation, the Consultation of 1982 recognised a fresh need to
critically assess the university situation and clarify its role in
j. The battle to assert the role of the
universities in the genuine development of the people cannot be undertaken by
students alone. Other members of the academic community must also take an
active part. Educators and other members of the teaching profession are very
crucial in this process as they play an active part in education. While
students are in the universities for only a phase in their lives, the
professors and teachers remain as a constant force.
k. The Churches are urges to play a greater
role in the ministry in the universities, both by supporting and participating
in efforts to organise students in all the SCMs and jointly with them bring
together other members of the academic community with a view to involve them in
this ministry, as well as by keeping their constituencies abreast with the
university situation.
61
l. Towards all these, the Committee proposes an
intensive study/workshop to be conducted in 1983. This should focus on the
university situation in
m. The Ad-hoc Committee further recommends that
sum of US$20,000.00 be allocated to the above mentioned workshop in 1983.
n. Further to the intensive study/workshop,
plans should be made for local and sub regional workshops in 1984. Though they
may focus on the same theme, its contents will have to be more substantially
rooted in the specific national and sub regional contexts. It is also suggested
that after these, regular discussion forums be held.
o. As follow-up to the 1983 and 1984 study/
workshops, the Committee proposes a regional conference on the same focus
putting together and sharing all the inputs from the local and sub-regional
gatherings. Such a conference should be planned for 1985.
PUBLICATIONS:
p. The Committee recommends that a special
newsletter be published to provide the SCMs, NCCs and member churches with news
of the various WSCF-CCA joint programmes. Towards this, a sum of US$3000.00
should be set apart from the special funds.
LEADERSHIP
DEVELOPMENT:
q. It has often been noted how many leaders of
the churches and the ecumenical community are products of the SCM-WSCF
experience. The task of developing leaders not only for the SCM and the WSCF
work but for the whole ecumenical fellowship is indeed a continuing challenge,
l
r. The Committee noted that the WSCF
AsiaPacific has a strong leadership formation programme. This programme is
presently in need of additional funds. Hence an allocation of $10,000.00 should
be made from the Special Funds.
5. All the allocations made for programmes in
1983 amounts to $45,000.00. An administrative budget of $5,000.00 for all the
above programmes should be provided. The Committee recommends that amount for
the said purpose.
6. Regarding the administration of the Special
Funds of $50,000.00, the Committee proposes that a separate account be opened
in Hong Kong authorising Rev. George Ninan (CCA) and Mr. Ann Jaewoong (WSCF) to
be co-signatories of the said account, the accounts of which will be maintained
be the WSCF Asia-Pacific office.
7. The Ad-hoc Coordination Committee proposes
that it meet again sometime between March and December of this year to follow
up on the implementation and to made supplementary/complementary
recommendations.
JESUS CHRIST • THE
LIFE OF THE WORLD
THE SIXTH ASSEMBLY of the WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHE6
VANCOUVER-CANADA-JULY
24 TO AUGUST 10 1983
62
The Australian
Student Christian Movement (A.S.C.M.) at its national conference strongly
condemned the momentum of the arms race. It called for a transfer of resources from
military spending to programmes designed to meet urgent human needs. The race
was described as 'idolatrous', placing faith in weapons and involving human
sacrifice through neglect and war.
The conference,
based on the theme 'Christians and Conflict1, was held at Chum Creek near
The conference
considered wide-ranging issues, including conflict within the church and the
wider society, pacifism, peace theology, the Australian peace movement from
World War II to the present and
Noting Christ's
call to us to be peacemakers, the conference stressed the real difference
between 'defence spending' and 'peace spending', the latter involving the
Biblical concept of 'shalom', which aims at the total welfare, development and
cooperation of all peoples as members of God's family. With the Australian
Government's defence spending now averaging $300 per annum for every Australian
at a time of severe economic and social hardship for many Australians and for
others in our region, the A.S.C.M. believes the Federal Government should
substantially cut conventional militaristic defence spending and redirect
resources to areas of human need, such as public housing, job creation, health
and welfare services, education and overseas aid.
The A.S.C.M.
strongly identifies itself with the world-wide peace movement and especially
supports Christians - in both the West and East power blocs - who oppose
abuse of power and militarism in both blocs.
The A.S.C.M.
supports the Quakers' belief that Christians must 'speak truth to power' and in
so doing proclaim Christ's message of love and the sacredness of all creation,
which we now threaten with nuclear destruction.
(1) remove foreign bases from Australian
territory, beginning with those that are priority targets for nuclear attack,
(2) deny port facilities to nuclear-powered and
nuclear weapons-earring warships.
(3) deny facilities, including entry rights into
Australian air space, to air-based nuclear forces,
(4) urgently promote an Indian Ocean Zone of Peace
and a Nuclear-Free Pacific, and
(5) immediately allocate at least 0.1% of the defence
budget to establish a Peace Research Institute to positively promote
initiatives for peace.
The A.S.C.M. will
encourage students to work for the survival of life on the planet by becoming
actively involved in the peace movement.
63
The meeting of the
Executive Committee of the Federation met in
Representing our
Region on the Ex Co are Marshal Fernando, Choe Hyondok (Proxy for Cho Young
Ock), Lidy Nacpil and Ahn Jaewoong.
The Human
Resources Development (HRD) Programme is a programme of the Asia/Pacific Region
in Leadership Formation. The HRD'83 was successfully held in Tao Fong Shan
Ecumenical Centre in
Participants
from
The Annual General
Committee of the SCM-Hong Kong was held in Kowloon Union Church on July 3,
1983. Mr. Po Bing-Wing, councillor of the Urban Council was invite as guest
speaker and to received all the reports as well as made a decision of the
programme of the SCM-HK, Ms. Angala Wong was elected as Chairperson of the SCM-HK , Praxis wishes for her every success in the future.
ANGELA WONG
“As far as finance
is concerned,
(a)
We would like to express our heartily gratitude to
the Hong Kong Council of the
(b)
We are very grateful to the WSCF (IRQ,
(c)
Members of the Exco decide to found a separate and
independent fund to support students sacrificing their summer vacation to serve
for student movements. This fund will be independent of the SCM-HK finance; and
we need your prayer for the fund. (From No.12 Newsbrief, SCM-HK).”
64
On April 18, the
KSCF and PAX ROMANA jointly organized a celebration at Conference Hall of the
More than 2,000
students attended in this annual celebration on the Theme-- of "The April
Revolution and the meaning of Resurrection" and heard Rev. Moon Ick-Hwan
and Fr. Kim Byung-sang.
The KSCF and
NCCK/Churches had a two-day National Consultation on the follow-up measure of
the CCA-WSCF joint venture. More than 70 people; e.g.: students, university
teachers, senior friends, pastors and church leaders - participated in the
meeting which clarified a number of issues. The documents are in preparation in
English so that we are going to circulate as soon as we have it from the KSCF.
The meeting was held at Korea Christian Academy House in
HWANG IN-SUNG
We are pleased to
inform you that Mr. Hwang In-Sung has been elected as New General Secretary of
the KSCF. His inauguration ceremony will be held at the Conference Hall of the
This is to inform
our constituency and friends of the Federation that Koshy Mathew who has been
on the staff of the WSCF Asia/ Pacific has returned to
KOSHY MATHEW
Koshy who served the
region since January 1981 made useful contributions to the life and work of the
Fedeartion. While his presence will be missed, we are
pleased to inform our readers that Koshy is now engaged in the equally
challenging task of establishing the 'Social education' programme in the
Christian Institute for the Study of Religion and. Society,