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Saipan not the place for protest
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Posted on Jun 23 2005
As stated in your paper this week, the Korean Association of Saipan led by their president, Seung Baeg Kim, is demanding an apology from the Japanese imperial couple for Koreans and other nationalities that suffered under the country’s aggression during World War II.
Although there may be some validity to their claims, Saipan is the wrong place to air these concerns. Saipan should not be used as the grounds to air such concerns. Those issues should be taken up in their own soil and not on Saipan. The CNMI will be host to over 200 media representatives and will definitely be under the careful scrutiny of all throughout the world. We do not want the entire Japan to remember Saipan as the place where the Koreans staged their demonstrations to seek an apology from Japan. We do not want our hospitality to be negated by rude protesters. Here we are trying to entice Japanese tourists to visit the CNMI and, at the same time, these special interest groups are trying to jeopardize it for us all here in the CNMI.
I have one proposal: Every single person who stages a protest should be declared persona non grata and all concerned individuals on the island should (by every legal means) make life as tough as possible for these individuals. Businesses should not make any contracts or dealings with these individuals. Photos to identify and tag these individuals should be circulated and made known through the local media.
Sure, they might make a statement and have the world media think once again about the acts of the past; however, that is the past and by protesting, they will destroy the future for all of the CNMI. When it gets even tougher on island these “protesters” will get back on the next plane out to South Korea and move on and leave us struggling.
I am a strong advocate of free speech but I do not sympathize with those who utilize free speech to destroy the lives of others.
Jo Agapa
Saipan
