<nettime> NORTH KOREA NUCLEAR TEST complicity from Irwin Oostindie

[JSalloum@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/9/06 1:44:43 PM, irwin_oostindie@yahoo.com writes:

> Condemn US and Canadian foreign policy for encouraging North Korea.
>
> North Koreaâ??s nuclear test did not surprise anyone who has
> actually been listening to the statements of the Democratic
> Peopleâ??s Republic of Korea (DPRK). In doing my photography work, I
> have traveled to both sides of the Korean DMZ, the line that keeps
> the Korean peninsula artificially divided. I have come to see an
> enormous gap in how Canadaâ??s media reports on North Korea, and the
> damage this causes to advancing peace and security in the region and
> in developing an intelligent Canadian foreign policy.
>
> Sadly, since January 2002, the war-hawks in the Bush administration
> have relied on the North to react from the very corner the west
> has stuck them in.  Without the â??axis of evilâ?? bogey man
> popularized by the US media (and Canadaâ?? s alike) there would
> be less sales of US weapons systems in Asia, and little rationale
> for the Star Wars program. Does Canadaâ??s media report on DPRK
> reaction to joint US/South Korea war games and their routine â??mock
> invasionâ?? of the North? Instead we get sensational and inaccurate
> reports of the 'Dear Leader' living a playboy life, his Hollywood
> fetish and crazed dictator tendencies.
>
> Can someone gently remind Canadians that we are still technically
> at war with Korea? North Korea is doing old fashioned gun-boat
> diplomacy because thatâ??s the only avenue left for them. If
> Canadians genuinely cared for the plight of the Korean people, we
> would promote peace and security of the Korean peninsula. It was
> 53 years ago 45,000 Canadian troops came back from the Korean War,
> and we still have not signed a peace treaty and brought security
> to the region. Ottawa and Washington are complicit in this nucleur
> proliferation. It is time Canada breaks with the US' embargo
> rhetoric and end this cold war deep freeze.  Despite starting
> diplomatic relations with the DPRK in 2003, Canada continues to deny
> their request for an embassy in Ottawa.
>
> The US could have avoided all this by agreeing to North Koreaâ??s
> decades-long request for bilateral talks. The capitalist west should
> stop the double standard of supporting only select developing
> countries, while trying to overthrow ones with a different economic
> system. By advancing development loans the DPRK has requested to
> deal with its severe famines, we would engage them to join the
> global community as a sovereign nation. By following through on
> the 1994 US-DPRK agreement to normalize relations, the DPRK could
> finally redirect itâ??s precious resources from military defenses,
> to the real needs of the Korean people. Â 
>
> Perhaps the silver lining in the DPRK nucleur test is that
> more Americanâ??s will see the dismal failure of the Bush
> administrationâ??s pre-emptive strike policy, and possibly vote him
> out of office.
>
> Irwin Oostindie Vancouver
>
> A Canadian view on North Korea:
>
> My photo work titled â??Axis to Grindâ?? was sponsored by
> Canadaâ??s Department of Foreign Affairs & International Trade and
> toured Canada in 2004-05. AXIS TO GRIND photographs and digital
> works by artist Irwin Oostindie reveals how North Americaâ??s
> misrepresentation of North Korea stands as an obstacle to peace and
> reunification for the Korean peninsula
>
> Irwin Oostindieâ??s North Korea photos on CBC:
> http://archive.cbcradio3.com/issues/2004_01_09/index.cfm?Page=08
> (required Flash)
>
> â??Beyond the Rhetoricâ?? my North Korea work reviewed at:
> http://www.cankor.ca/issues/152.htm#six
>
> Interviewed by CNN journalist on her NKZone site (scroll down):
> http://nkzone.typepad.com/nkzone/2004/02/axis_to_grind_q.html
>
> Occasionally available online at http://www.axistogrind.com/
>
> AXIS TO GRIND was featured on various radio, print and TV
> interviews, including a feature segment on CBCâ??s The Hour with
> George Stromboulopoulos.
>
> A most inspired 3 minute music video looking inside
> North Korea (download video from UK band Faithless):
> http://www.astateofmind.co.uk/upload/movies/faithless320.zip
>
> A Canadian perspective on North Korea: http://www.cankor.ca/
> Â  A North Korean view on nucleur testing:
> http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/HJ06Dg01.html








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