제주4·3에 대한 미국과 유엔의 책임 있는 조치를 촉구한다

“원인에는 흥미 없다. 나의 사명은 진압뿐” (4·3 당시 제주지구 미군사령관 브라운 대령)

“한국 국방경비대의 작전통제권은 여전히 주한미군사령관에게 있으며, 경비대의 작전에 관한 모든 명령은 발표되기 전에 해당 미 고문관을 통과해야 된다는 사실은 매우 중요하다” (1948년 9월 29일 주한미군사고문단장 로버츠 준장이 이범석 국무총리 겸 국방부 장관에게 보낸 서한)

“당시 미군정은 작전통제권을 행사하며 4·3과 같은 폭력사태를 알고 있었으면서도 이에 적절한 조치를 취하지

않았다. 그만큼 미국의 책임은 막중하다” (브루스 커밍스 미국 시카고대 석좌교수-제2회 4·3평화상 수상자)

제주4·3은 미군정이 통치하던 시기에 발생한 민간인 대량학살 사건입니다. 미군정 시기와 미국 군사고문단이 한국군에 대해 작전통제권을 행사하던 시기에 3만 명이 넘는 제주도민이 억울하게 희생됐습니다. 그런데 70년이란 긴 세월이 흐르도록 미국 정부는 아직까지 아무런 말이 없습니다.

미군정은 해방 직후 38선 이남지역에 존재한 실질적인 통치기구였습니다. 1948년 4·3 직후 미군정은 브라운 대령을 제주지구 미군사령관으로 파견해 제주 현지의 모든 진압작전을 지휘·통솔했습니다. “원인에는 흥미가 없다. 나의 사명은 진압뿐이다”라는 브라운 대령의 발언은 미군정이 제주4·3이 대량학살로 비화되는 데 중요한 역할을 했음을 보여주는 단적인 사례입니다. 2003년 정부가 발간한 「제주4·3사건진상조사보고서」에도 4·3사건의 발발과 진압 과정에서 미군정과 주한미군고문단의 책임을 분명히 명시하고 있습니다.

이제 미국은 4·3의 진실을 말해야 합니다. 4·3 학살에 대한 책임을 인정, 공식 사과하고 그에 상응하는 조치를 취해야 합니다. 한·미 양국 정부는 4·3 당시 미군정과 군사고문단의 역할에 대한 진상 조사와 책임 있는 조치를 위한 협의에 착수해야 합니다. 국제연합(UN)도 2005년 UN 총회에서 채택한 “국제인권법의 중대한 위반행위와 국제인도법의 심각한 위반행위의 피해자의 구제와 배상에 대한 권리에 관한 기본원칙과 가이드라인”에 근거하여 당시 미국과 한국 정부의 민간인 학살에 대해 조사하고 적절한 조치를 취하도록 촉구해야 합니다.

▣ 우리의 요구

- 미국은 제주4·3 민간인 학살에 대해 책임을 인정하고 공식 사과하라!

- 미국과 한국정부는 4·3 당시 미군정과 군사고문단의 역할에 대해 공동조사에 나서라!

- 국제연합(UN)은 4·3 학살의 진상을 조사하고 미국과 한국정부에 책임 있는 조치를 요구하라!

제주4·3희생자유족회/제주4·3 제70주년 범국민위원회/제주4·3 70주년 기념사업위원회

Association for the Bereaved Families of the 4.3 Victims

Memorial Committee for the 70th anniversary of the Jeju April 3rd Massacre

Pan National Committee to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Jeju April 3rd Massacre

Campaign for the U.S. government to take responsible actions for their role in the Jeju April 3rd Massacre

"I am not interested in the cause of the uprising. My mission is to crack down only."

- Colonel Rothwell H. Brown, Top Commander of Jeju in 1948

“Operational control of the Korean Constabulary still rests with the Commanding General, USAFIK, and it is of paramount importance, therefore, that all orders pertaining to operational control of the Constabulary be cleared with the appropriate American Advisor,

prior to publication”

- Letter from Brigadier General Roberts to Lee Beom-seok, the Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense, on 29 September 1948

It now is clear that a merciless, wholesale assault on the people of Jeju Island occurred under the direct leadership on the American military government. ... it was on this hauntingly beautiful against indigenous peoples fighting for self-determination and social justice. ... I also hope that someday my government will take responsibility for its role in these events.

- Bruce Cumings, Winner of the 2nd Jeju 4·3 Peace Prize, Univ. of Chicago

“The Jeju April 3rd Massacre” is a tragic event that occurred in Jeju Island, South Korea between 1947 and 1954. This was a period when Korea was ruled by the US military government(United States Army Military Government in Korea, USAMGIK), and the US Military Advisory Group to Korea was exercising the operational control over the Korean army. Even though around 30,000 Jeju civilians lost their lives during this period, the US government have made no comments on this tragic incident for the last 70 years.

It was a chaotic period right after the independence from Japan, and the Korean peninsula was affected directly by the rising tension of the Cold War. On 1 March 1947, during the commemoration ceremony of the March 1st Declaration for Independence, the police fired shots and 6 people died and 8 were wounded. As a result of this incident, everyone on Jeju Island went on a general strike on 10 March, calling for an end to impunity and asking for a thorough investigation into the incident. However, instead of presenting an official apology, the Government began severely cracking down on Jeju islanders .

The authorities and the US military government’s crackdown on the 1st of March 1947 resulted in Jeju islanders’ holding a deep distrust of the Government. During this turbulent environment, part of the population, along with the first President of South Korea and the US government, wanted to establish a separate government in South Korea while others wanted to establish a unified country with the North. Jeju islanders stood up against the division of the Korean peninsula and protested against the first election that happened only in South Korea in May 10th, 1948. On April 3rd, 1948, Jeju islanders rose against the suppression of people and the South Korean election leading to the division of Korea. In response, military and police officers severely cracked down on Jeju islanders and around 30,000 people (10% of Jeju's total population) lost their lives during this period.

The US military government was a de facto government in South Korea, after Korea’s independence from Japan. Right after the April 3rd uprising in 1948, the US military government deployed Colonel Brown as the commander in charge of Jeju for the US Army. Colonel Brown commanded and led all crackdowns in Jeju. ‘The Jeju 4.3 Incident Investigation Report’ which was published in 2003 by The National Committee for Investigation of the Truth about the Jeju April 3 Incident, clearly mentions the responsibility of the US military government and the US Military Advisory Group to Korea. The US government should not avoid its responsibility on the Jeju April 3rd Massacre.

It is time to disclose the truth of the Jeju April 3rd Massacre and to end impunity. We call for:

- The US government to acknowledge its responsibility for this tragic past, apologize and take responsible actions accordingly.

- Both the South Korean and the US governments to open an official investigation on the role of both the US military government and the US Military Advisory Group to Korea during the Jeju April 3rd Massacre period(1947-1954).

- The United Nations to call on both the South Korean and the US governments to conduct a thorough investigation on the April 3rd Massacre and to end impunity.