"Development, disability, discrimination, stop."
Parents of children with developmental disabilities in Gyeongnam gathered in front of the Gyeongnam Office of Education, shouting for the protection of the rights of people with developmental disabilities and began a full-body prostration march.
The Gyeongnam Parents' Solidarity for the Disabled and the National Parents' Solidarity for the Disabled held a rally on the road in front of the provincial Office of Education on the 17th, urging the guarantee of the rights to independent living, inclusive education, and labor for people with developmental disabilities.
Parents of children with developmental disabilities in Gyeongnam are performing a full-body prostration march on the asphalt. [Photo by Lee Seryeong]
The Parents' Solidarity stated, "Even if I am no longer in this world, I hope my child can live safely," and insisted, "We must create an inclusive society where people with developmental disabilities can live with dignity without discrimination in all areas such as education, welfare, labor, housing, and income security."
They continued, "We demand a complete inclusive society, not unilateral benevolence or tolerance," and said, "Starting with this resolution rally, we throw our bodies onto the cold asphalt to urge the formulation of policies related to an inclusive society for people with developmental disabilities."
Parents of children with developmental disabilities in Gyeongnam are performing a full-body prostration march on the asphalt. [Photo by Lee Seryeong]
On that day, the Solidarity began the full-body prostration march from the road near the provincial Office of Education with the slogan "Stop Discrimination Against Developmental Disabilities," marching about 1.8 km from in front of the General Choi Yoon-deok statue at Changwon Square to the Nakdong River Basin Environmental Office.
Yoon Jong-sul, chairman of the Gyeongnam Parents' Solidarity for the Disabled, said, "According to official data from the Seoul Station homeless facility, 36% of the homeless at Seoul Station are people with developmental disabilities," and added, "Following last year, families of people with developmental disabilities are making extreme choices again this year."
"This means that it is difficult for children with developmental disabilities to live in a world without parents," he emphasized, "and housing and living services for people with disabilities who cannot live without family are necessary."
He lamented, "If only 1.075 billion won is allocated from the government budget exceeding 600 trillion won for a pilot project on housing and living services for people with developmental disabilities, we will see the future of our children," and pleaded, "Please allow our children to live as citizens even after their parents pass away."
Gyeongnam Parents of Disabled Persons Association and National Parents of Disabled Persons Association held a rally to urge the protection of the rights of people with developmental disabilities. [Photo by Lee Seryeong]
The rally was attended by the chairman of the Changwon Buddhist Federation, Kim Eun-jung, senior deputy head of the Gyeongnam branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, Jeong Hye-kyung, chairperson of the Progressive Party's Uichang District, Noh Kyung-seok, head of the Gyeongnam branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union, and Choi Jin-ki, chairman of the Gyeongnam Disabled Independent Living Center Council.
Former Changwon Mayor Heo Seong-mu also spoke in solidarity, raising his voice to guarantee the rights of people with developmental disabilities.
About 800 families of people with developmental disabilities participated in the march, according to police estimates, with around 200 participating in the full-body prostration.
To manage the rally site and surrounding vehicle traffic, about 100 officers, including one company of the Gyeongnam Police Agency riot squad and officers from the Changwon Jungbu Police Station, were deployed.
The National Parents' Solidarity for the Disabled plans to continue the nationwide full-body prostration schedule, starting from Jeju on the 15th, then Gyeongnam on this day, followed by Busan, Ulsan, Gyeongbuk, and Daegu.
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