Open letter to Trump administration, Women Cross DMZ

President Donald Trump
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson
Secretary of Defense James Mattis
H.R. McMaster, National Security Council

Dear President Trump:

We are women leaders from over 40 countries, including the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), and many from nations that fought in the Korean War. We are from academia, business, civil society and the military, and represent a diversity of ethnicities, nationalities, religions, and political views. We are united by our belief that diplomacy is the only way to resolve the nuclear crisis and threat of war now facing the Korean peninsula.

On July 27, 1953, leaders from the United States, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and China signed the Armistice Agreement to halt the Korean War. They promised to re-convene within three months to replace the ceasefire with a binding peace agreement. This never occurred and an entrenched state of war has ever since defined inter-Korean and U.S.-D.P.R.K. relations. This war must end.

Korea is the only nation to remain divided as a result of WWII. For three generations, millions of families have been separated by the world’s most militarized border. We urge you to do the following to avert war in Korea and bring about a long-desired peace on the peninsula:

1. Negotiate a freeze of North Korea’s nuclear and long-range ballistic program in exchange for a U.S. security guarantee that would include suspending U.S.-South Korea military exercises.

2. Initiate a peace process with North Korea, South Korea and China to replace the 1953 Armistice Agreement with a binding peace treaty to end the Korean War. Women must be significantly represented in the peace process in accordance with the spirit of UNSCR 1325.

3. Support citizen diplomacy to heal the legacies of the Korean War by establishing a liaison office in Washington and Pyongyang to facilitate retrieval of U.S. Korean War servicemen’s remains and Korean-American family reunions.

Since 1950, the Korean peninsula has been threatened with nuclear weapons, missile tests, and military exercises that have only served to make 75 million Korean people less secure. In the United States and on both sides of the Korean De-Militarized Zone, the absence of a binding peace accord fuels fear and economic deprivation caused by diverting public resources in preparation for war, including deploying the controversial THAAD missile defense system in South Korea. This endless militarization must stop.

Peace is the most powerful deterrent of all. We urge you to take steps now to help formally end the Korean War with a peace treaty. Doing so would lead to greater peace and security for the Korean peninsula and region and halt the proliferation of nuclear weapons. We look to you to accomplish what successive U.S. Presidents have failed to do for seven decades: establish peace on the Korean peninsula.

Sincerely Yours,

1. Abigail Disney, USA, Filmmaker and Philanthropist

2. Aimee Alison, USA, President Democracy in Color

3. Aiyoung Choi, USA, Steering Committee Member, Women Cross DMZ

4. Alana Price, USA, Editor of Truthout

5. Alice Slater, USA, Coordinating Committee Member, World Beyond War

6. Alice Walker, USA, Author and Activist

7. Alicia Garza, USA, National Domestic Workers Alliance and Black Lives Matter

8. Amina Mama, Nigeria/USA, Professor, University of California, Davis

9. Amira Ali, Ethiopia, Author and Activist

10. Ana Oliveira, USA, Philanthropist

11. Anasuya Sengupta, India, Feminist author and activist, co-founder Whose Voices?

12. Angela Chung, USA, Attorney and Human Rights Activist

13. Angela Davis, USA, Professor, University of California, Santa Cruz

14. Ani DiFranco, USA, Singer, Songwriter, Poet, Multi-instrumentalist & Businesswoman

15. Annabel Park, USA, Filmmaker

16. Ann Frisch, USA, Professor Emerita University of Wisconsin Rotary Club of White Bear Lake, 5960

17. Anne Delaney, USA, Artist and Philanthropist

18. Anuradha Mittal, USA, Executive Director, Oakland Institute

19. Ann Patterson, Northern Ireland, Peace People

20. Ann Wright, USA, Retired US Army Colonel & Diplomat

21. Anne Beldo, Norway, Lawyer and Partner of Hegg & Co. Law Firm

22. Annette Groth, Germany, Member of Bundestag

23. Annie Isabel Fukushima, USA, Professor, University of Utah

24. Audrey McLaughlin, Canada, Former President, Socialist International Women

25. Becky Rafter, USA, Executive Director, Georgia Women’s Action for New Directions (WAND)

26. Betty Burkes, USA, Cambridge Insight Meditation Center

27. Betty Reardon, USA, Founding Director of the International Institute on Peace Education

28. Bridget Burns, Co-Director, Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO)

29. Brinton Lykes, USA, Professor, Boston College

30. Caitlin Kee, USA, Attorney, Thomson-Reuters

31. Carrie Menkel-Meadow, USA, Chancellor’s Professor of Law, University of California Irvine Law School

32. Catherine Christie, Canada, United Church Canada

33. Catherine Hoffman, USA, Coordinator, Cambridge Restorative Justice Working Group

34. Carter McKenzie, USA, Springfield-Eugene Chapter of Showing Up for Racial Justice

35. Charlotte Wiktorsson, Sweden, Swedish Physicians Against War

36. Christine Ahn, USA, International Coordinator, Women Cross DMZ

37. Christine Cordero, USA, Center for Story-based Strategy

38. Chung-Wha Hong, USA, Executive Director, Grassroots International

39. Cindy Wiesner, USA, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance National Coordinator

40. Clare Bayard, USA, Catalyst Project

41. Coleen Baik, USA, Twitter @Design Alumna

42. Cora Weiss, USA, President, Hague Appeal for Peace

43. Corazon Valdez Fabros, Philippines, Co-Vice President, International Peace Bureau

44. Cynda Collins Arsenault, USA, Philanthropist, Secure World Foundation

45. Cynthia Enloe, USA, Professor, Clark University

46. Darakshan Raja, USA, Executive Director, Washington Peace Center

47. Deann Borshay Liem, USA, Filmmaker

48. Don Mee Choi, USA, Poet & Translator, International Women’s Network Against Militarism

49. Dorchen A. Leidholdt, USA, Attorney, Professor, Feminist

50. Dorothy Ogle, USA, National Council of Churches

51. Dorothy J. Solinger, USA, Professor Emerita, University of California, Irvine

52. Ekaterina Zagladina, Russia, Permanent Secretariat, Nobel Peace Summit

53. Elaine H. Kim, USA, Professor, University of California, Berkeley

54. Eleana J. Kim, Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of California, Irvine

55. Eleanor Blomstrom, Co-Director, Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO)

56. Ellen Carol DuBois, Professor, History and Gender Studies, University of California, Los Angeles

57. Ellen-Rae Cachola, USA, Women’s Voices Women Speak

58. Emilia Castro, Canada, Co-Representative of Intl. Committee, Americas Region, World March of Women

59. Eunice How, USA, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO, Seattle chapter

60. Eve Ensler, USA, Playwright

61. Ewa Eriksson Fortier, Sweden, Humanitarian Aid Worker

62. Faye Leone, USA, Writer and Editor, International Institute for Sustainable Development

63. Fenna ten Berge, Netherlands, Director of Muslims for Progressive Values

64. Fiona Dove, Netherlands, Executive Director, Transnational Institute

65. Fragkiska Megaloudi, Greece, Journalist

66. Frances Kissling, USA, University of Pennsylvania; former President, Catholics for Choice

67. Francisca de Haan, Netherlands, Professor, Central European University

68. Gabriela Zapata Alvarez, Mexico, Consultative Group to Assist the Poor

69. Gay Dillingham, USA, Filmmaker, Former Advisor to Governor Bill Richardson

70. Gayle Wells, USA, Business owner

71. Glenda Paige, USA, Secretary, Governing Council, Center for Global Nonkilling

72. Gloria Steinem, USA, Writer and Activist, Presidential Medal of Freedom Awardee

73. Grace Cho, USA, Professor, College of Staten Island, City University of New York

74. Gwen Kim, USA, Ohana Koa, Nuclear Free and Independent Hawaii

75. Gwyn Kirk, USA, Women for Genuine Security

76. Haeyoung Yoon, USA, human rights lawyer

77. Hazel Smith, United Kingdom, Professor, University of Central Lancashire

78. Helen Caldicott, Australia, Founding President of Physicians for Social Responsibility

79. Helena Wong, USA, U.S. National Organizer, World March of Women

80. Hope A. Cristobal, Guam, Former Senator

81. Hye-Jung Park, USA, Filmmaker, Community Media Activist

82. Hyaeweol Choi, Australia, Professor, Australian National University

83. Hyunju Bae, Republic of Korea, Central and Executive Committee, World Council of Churches

84. Ingeborg Breines, Norway, Co-President, International Peace Bureau; former Director UNESCO

85. Isabella Sargsyan, Armenia, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly

86. Isabelle Geukens, Netherlands, Executive Director, Women Peacemakers Program

87. Jaana Rehnstrom, Finland, President, KOTA Alliance

88. Jackie Cabasso, USA, U.S. Mayors for Peace

89. Jacquelyn Wells, USA, Women Cross DMZ

90. Jacqui True, Australia, Professor, Monash University

91. Jane Chung-Do, Professor, University of Hawaii Manoa

92. Jane Jin Kaisen, Denmark, Artist and Filmmaker

93. Janis Alton, Canada, Co-Chair, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace

94. Jasmine Galace, Philippines, The Center for Peace Education, Miriam College

95. Jean Chung, Republic of Korea/USA, Founder, Action for One Korea

96. Jennifer Kwon-Dobbs, USA, Professor, St. Olaf College

97. Ji-yeon Yuh, USA, Associate Professor of History, Northwestern University

98. Joanne Yoon Fukumoto, USA, Trinity United Methodist Church

99. Jodie Evans, USA, Co-founder, Code Pink

100. Joy Dunsheath, New Zealand, President, United Nations Association New Zealand

101. Judith LeBlanc, USA, Director, Native Organizers Alliance

102. Judy Hatcher, USA, Executive Director, Pesticide Action Network North America

103. Judy Rebick, Canada, Former President, National Action Committee on the Status of Women

104. Julie Young, USA, Board Chair, Korean American Story

105. Justine Kwachu Kumche, Cameroon, Executive Director, Women in Alternative Action—WAA

106. Kate Dewes, New Zealand, Former Member of United Nations Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters; Co-Director of the Disarmament and Security Centre

107. Kate Hudson, United Kingdom, General Secretary, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

108. Kathy Crandall Robinson, USA, Women in International Security

109. Kathy Kelly, USA, Voices for Creative Nonviolence

110. Kavita Ramdas, USA, Ford Foundation

111. Khin Ohmar, Burma/Myanmar, Coordinator, Burma Partnership

112. Kim Ku’ulei Birnie, Hawaii/USA, Women’s Voices, Women Speak

113. Kim Phuc, Canada/Vietnam, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador

114. Koohan Paik, USA, Journalist and Activist

115. Kozue Akibayashi, Japan, Intl. President, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

116. Krassimira Daskalova, Bulgaria, Professor, University of Sofia

117. Krishanti Dharmaraj, USA, Executive Director, Center for Women’s Global Leadership

118. Kyeong-Hee Choi, USA, Professor, University of Chicago

119. Kyung-Hee Ha, Japan, Assistant Professor, Meiji University

120. Laura Dawn, USA, filmmaker & Founder, ART NOT WAR

121. Laura Hein, USA, Professor, Northwestern University

122. Laurie Ross, New Zealand, The Peace Foundation of New Zealand Aotearoa, International Affairs and Disarmament Committee

123. Lekkie Hopkins, Australia, Professor, Edith Cowan University

124. Leymah Gbowee, Liberia, 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate

125. Linda Burnham, USA, National Domestic Workers Alliance

126. Lindsey German, United Kingdom, National Convener, Stop the War Coalition

127. Lisa Natividad, Guam, President, Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice

128. Liza Maza, Philippines, former Parliamentarian; Gabriella Network

129. Lourdes Leon Guerrero, Guam, Fuetsan Famalao’an

130. Luisa Morgantini, Italy, Member, European Parliament

131. Lydia Alpizar, Mexico, Executive Director, AWID (Association of Women’s Rights in Development)

132. Madeline Rees, United Kingdom, Secretary General, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

133. Madelyn Hoffman, USA, Executive Director, New Jersey Peace Action

134. Maggie Martin, USA, Iraq Veterans Against the War

135. Mairead Maguire, Northern Ireland, 1976 Nobel Peace Laureate

136. Maja Vitas Majstorovic, Serbia, Gender Coordinator, Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict

137. Marevic Parcon, Philippines, Asia Regional Coordinator, Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights

138. Margaret Gerhardt, USA, University of Pennsylvania

139. Margo Okazawa-Rey, USA, Professor Emerita, San Francisco State University

140. Marilyn Waring, New Zealand, Professor of Public Policy, Auckland University of Technology

141. Marta Benavides, El Salvador, Siglo XXIII

142. Mary C. Murphree, USA, Sociologist

143. Mavic Cabrera-Balleza, Philippines, International Coordinator, Global Network of Women Peacebuilders

144. Maya Schenwar, USA, Truthout Editor

145. Medea Benjamin, USA, Co-founder, Code Pink

146. Meenakshi Gopinath, India, Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace (WISCOMP)

147. Megan Amundson, USA, Executive Director, Women’s Action for New Direction (WAND)

148. Megan Burke, USA, Director, International Campaign to Ban Landmines-Cluster Munitions Coalition

149. Melissa Giovale, USA, Founder and Board Member, Bell Garden Buddhist Center

150. Meredith Woo, USA, Open Society Foundations

151. Meri Joyce, Australia, Regional Coordinator, Global Partnership for Prevention of Armed Conflict

152. Mimi Han, Republic of Korea/USA, International Vice President, YWCA

153. Mimi Kim, USA, Professor, Cal State University, Long Beach

154. Mina Watanabe, Japan, Secretary General, Women’s Active Museum on War and Peace

155. Miranda Cahn, New Zealand, Head of Programme Development and Quality, Save the Children New Zealand

156. Musimbi Kanyoro, Kenya/USA, Executive Director of Global Fund for Women

157. Nada Drobnjak, Montenegro, Member of Parliament

158. Namhee Lee, USA, Professor, University of California, Los Angeles

159. Nan Kim, USA, Professor, University of Wisconsin

160. Nancy Ruth, Canada, Senator

161. Naomi Klein, Canada, Journalist and Activist

162. Nathalie Margie, USA, Urgent Action Fund

163. Netsai Mushonga, Zimbabwe, Commissioner, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission; African Women Active Nonviolence Initiative for Social Change

164. Nighat Said Khan, Pakistan, Executive Chair, DidiBahini

165. Nina Tsikhistavi-Khutsishvili, Georgia, Board Chair, International Center on Conflict and Negotiation

166. Noura Erakat, USA, Human Rights Attorney

167. Nunu Kidane, USA, Board Member, Priority Africa Network

168. Orysia Sushko, Ukraine, President, World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations

169. Ouypourn Khuankaew, Thailand, Founder, International Women’s Partnership for Peace and Justice

170. Pam McMichael, USA, Director of Highlander Research and Education Center

171. Pamela Brubaker, USA, Professor Emerita, California Lutheran University

172. Patricia Thane, United Kingdom, Professor, Kings College

173. Paula Garb, USA, Co-Director, Center for Citizen Peacebuilding, University of California, Irvine

174. Penny Rosenwasser, USA, Founding Board Member, Jewish Voice for Peace

175. Phyllis Bennis, USA, Director, New Internationalism Project, Institute for Policy Studies

176. Regina Munoz, Sweden, Peace Activist

177. Robina Marie Winbush, USA, Minister, Member of World Council of Churches Exec and Central Committee

178. Rose Othieno, Uganda, Executive Director, Center for Conflict Resolution

179. Saloni Singh, Nepal, Executive Chair, DidiBahini

180. Samanthi Gunwardana, Australia, Monash University

181. Sandra Moran, Guatemala, Co-Representative of Intl. Committee, Americas Region, World March of Women

182. Setsuko Thurlow, Canada, International Educator, Hibakusha/A-Bomb Survivor

183. Sharon Bhagwan Rolls, Fiji, Executive Producer, FemLINKpacific; Board Chair, Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict

184. Shirley Douglas, Canada, Actor and Activist

185. Simone Chun, USA, Journalist and Activist

186. Sophia Close, Australia, Australia National University, Canberra

187. Sophie Toupin, Canada, Women Peace and Security Network Canada

188. Soya Jung, USA, Writer and Activist

189. Sue Wareham OAM, Australia, Vice-President, Medical Association for Prevention of War

190. Sung-ok Lee, USA, Assistant General Secretary, United Methodist Women

191. Susan Cundiff, USA, Oregon Women’s Action for New Directions (WAND)

192. Susan Smith, USA, Muslim Peace Fellowship

193. Su Yon Pak, USA, Professor, Union Theological Seminary

194. Suzuyo Takazato, Japan, Okinawa Women Act Against Military Violence

195. Suzy Kim, USA, Professor, Rutgers University

196. Taina Bien-Aime, USA, Executive Director, International Coalition Against Trafficking in Women

197. Tani Barlow, USA, Professor, Rice University

198. Tanya Selvaratnam, USA, Senior Producer, Art Not War

199. Terrilee Kekoolani, Ko Pae’Aina Hawai’i, Kanaka Maoli

200. Terry Greenblatt, Israel/USA, The Ploughshares Fund

201. Una Kim, USA, Researcher

202. Unzu Lee, USA, Presbyterian Minister, Women for Genuine Security

203. Valerie Plame, USA, Former Covert CIA Operations Officer

204. Vana Kim, USA, Spiritual Teacher

205. Visaka Dharmadasa, Sri Lanka, Founder, Association of War Affected Women

206. Wei Zhang, USA, Folk Art Researcher

207. Wendi Deetz, USA, Global Fund for Women

208. Winnie Wang, USA, Center for Global Nonkilling

209. Wonhee Anne Joh, USA, Professor of Theology, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

210. Yayoi Tsuchida, Japan, General Secretary, Japan Council Against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs

211. Yifat Susskind, USA, Executive Director, MADRE

212. Yoonkyung Lee, Canada, Professor, University of Toronto

213. Youngju Ryu, USA, Professor, University of Michigan

(List in formation & Note: Organizations/Affiliations Listed Only for Identification Purposes )

International Women’s Organizations

• Church Women United
• CODE PINK
• International Women’s Network Against Militarism
• MADRE
• Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, UK Section
• North Korean Women’s Organization
• Korea Socialist Women’s Union

South Korean Women’s and Peace Organizations

1. Women Making Peace (평화여성회)

2. Korea Women’s Association United (한국여성단체연합/7개 지부, 30개 회원단체)

3. Korean Association of Women Theologians (한국여신학자협의회)

4. The Council of Churches in Korea, Women’s Committee (한국기독교교회협의회 여성위원회)

5. The Association of Major Superiors of Women Religious in Korea (한국천주교여자수도회 장상연합회)

6. The Righteous People for Korean Unification (새로운 백년을 여는 통일의병)

7. The Gongju Women Human Rights Center (공주 여성인권)

8. The World Council of Churches (세계교회협의회)

9. The Christian Network for Peace and Unification (평화와통일을위한기독인연대)

10. beyondit (너머서)

11. Okedongmu Children in Korea (어린이 어깨동무)

12. Women History Forum (여성역사포럼)

13. Peace Mother (평화어머니회)

14. Kyunggi Women’s Association United (경기여성연합)

15. Kyunggi Goyang-Paju Women Link (경기 고양파주 민우회)

16. Kyunggi Women’s Network (경기여성네트워크)

17. The Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan (한국정신대문제대책협의회)

18. Korea Women’s Political Solidarity (여세연)

19. Korean Sharing Movement (우리민족서로돕기운동)

20. People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (참여연대)

21. Iftopia (문화세상 이프토피아)

22. Ewha Women’s Alumni Meeting for Democracy (이화민주동우회)

23. Kyunggi Jinbo Women United (경기여성자주연대)

24. Kyunggi Council of Women (경기여성단체협의회)

25. Chungchung-namdo Education Center for Equality (충청남도 성평등교육문화센타)

26. 21st Century Seoul Women’s Union (21세기 서울여성회)

27. Common Nourishing and Education (공동육아와 공동체 교육)

28. Ecumenical Youth Network (에큐메니칼 청년 네트워크)

29. Women Ministers Association of Presbyterian Churches Korea (대한예수교장로회 전국여교역자연합회)

30. Women Ministers’ Association of Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea

(한국기독교장로회여교역자협의회)

31. Korea Association Methodist Women in Ministry (기독교대한감리회 여교역자회)

32. Korea Methodist Women’s Leadership Institute (감리교여성지도력개발원)

33. Korea Church Women United (한국교회여성연합회)

34. Duraebang (두레방)

35. Sunlit Sisters’ Center (햇살사회복지회)

36. United for Women’s Rights Against US Military Bases’ Crime (기지촌여성인권연대)

37. United Voice for the Eradication of Prostitution: Hansori (성매매근절을위한 한소리회)

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Women Cross DMZ (www.womencrossdmz.org)

Women Cross DMZ is an organization led by women working globally for peace in Korea. In May 2015, on the 70th anniversary of the division of Korea, Women Cross DMZ led a historic women’s peace walk across the De-Militarized Zone from North to South Korea to draw global attention to the urgent need to end the Korean War with a peace treaty, reunite divided families, and ensure women’s leadership in peacebuilding. Representing 15 countries, our 30-member international delegation walked with 10,000 Korean women on both sides of the DMZ.

Our mission is to:

1. Promote women’s leadership in the peacebuilding process in Korea;
2. Raise awareness about the urgent need for peace in Korea; and
3. Expand and deepen relationships with women leaders and organizations in South Korea, North Korea, and around the world.

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