Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action

P.O. Box AB Ola’a (Kurtistown), Hawai`i 96760
Phone 808-966-7622 email ja@interpac.net
Visit us on the web at www.malu-aina.org

February 21, 2010

An open letter to all County, State, Federal officials, and special interests participating in the closed door meeting at the military’s Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) on Feb. 24, 2010.   (To people invited to Pohakuloa  from those who aren’t)

Please be aware that the meeting will be picketed.  We do not believe in “democracy by invitation only.”   The doors are closed to the public who pays the bill.
We are angry that the military continues to conduct bombing missions and live-fire without a complete independent assessment of the Depleted Uranium (DU) radiation present at PTA and without  cleaning up as called for in Hawaii County Council resolution 639-08.  The military has been stonewalling the community’s concerns about health and safety for years. The Davy Crockett DU weapons may just be the tip of far more widespread DU contamination.

We invite you to stop and dialog with us before you enter the base.  Inside, we ask that you be our voice. Ask the following questions and …

PLEASE GET ANSWERS!

1.  Why hasn’t the Army stopped all live-fire and bombing missions until there is a complete independent assessment and clean-up of the DU already present as called for in County of Hawaii resolution 639-08?
The Army denied even having DU in Hawai’i–until citizen groups found out DU had been discovered at Schofield Barracks, Oahu, in 2005. Estimates of the number of DU spotting rounds vary widely–from about 700 statewide to over 2000 at Pohakuloa alone just from one weapon system –Davy Crockett.  (There may have been many more DU weapon systems used at PTA and other Hawaii ranges.)  Concerns about Army searches, reports, and air monitoring have been raised by Dr. Mike Reimer, a geologist, and Dr. Marshall Blann, a consultant to Los Alamos National Laboratory, both from Kona; and Dr. Lorrin Pang from Maui, a former Army doctor who is a consultant to the World Health Organization. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has not yet granted the Army a license to possess DU. Yet the Army has ignored a County resolution calling for a halt to bombing and live-fire that may spread airborne DU from undetected DU munitions.

2.  Are there more forgotten hazards?
The Army claims it was unaware of the Davy Crockett  DU spotting rounds because they were classified.  This should be a wake-up call to investigate for more DU rounds and other forgotten hazards. Remember that the Army tested nerve gas and defoliants on State lands in the Waiakea Forest Reserve (Hilo’s watershed) in 1966 and 1967 while publicly denying such testing.  The Army lied.  It said it was doing “weather” testing.  The State canceled the military lease over the lies and attempted cover-up.  Isn’t it time to cancel the State lease to the military of stolen Hawaiian Kingdom lands now contaminated with radiation from weapons testing?  Military use of Hawai’i Kingdom lands violates the Kingdom’s position of neutrality stated in numerous treaties.

3.  Why is there plenty of money for new military projects, but little to clean up the 50-plus former military sites on Hawai’i Island littered with unexploded ordnance, toxins, and other hazards?  When will all of the 50-plus present and former military sites, totaling more than 250,000-acres on Hawaii Island, be cleared of unexploded ordnance, toxins, and other hazards?  A few examples…
Students dug up a grenade in a school garden in the Waimea/ Waikoloa area.
Old ordnance was found twice in 15 months at Hapuna, some in water as shallow as 30 feet, some only about 100 yards from shore.
A recreational diver found unexploded ordnance in Hilo Bay–searchers then found 300 pieces
Another diver found a 60-millimeter shell at a popular Hilo dive site, about 50 yards offshore in 12 feet of water.

4.   Why won’t the military participate in public forums on community concerns about health and safety over depleted uranium and other military toxins?  What’s the Army afraid of?

5.  The cumulative impacts from numerous military projects in Hawai’i need to be fully addressed.  About 1 acre out of 25 statewide is already military-controlled. Thousands of acres of past and present military sites, Stryker land grab, Hilo National Guard rebuild, University military research, armed “Superferry”/Joint High Speed Vessel—what’s next?  There are rumors the military wants more of Hawai‘i Island.  How much Hawai’i Island land is the military planning to take? Where and when?

6.  When will the Pohakuloa Community Advisory Group (CoAG) meet?
It hasn’t met for seven months. The Army never answered a CoAG member request to restart meetings. Note that the Army only started CoAG a year and a half ago–five years after Sierra Club first asked for such a group.

7.  Why are no public scoping hearings planned for the Army’s Joint High Speed Vessel EIS?
Citizens should be able to publicly raise concerns for the JHSV Environmental Impact Statement–like
Risks to marine animals from vessel strikes, fuel spills, and live-fire
Risks of spreading coquis, fire ants, and other invasive species
Effects of security zones on native Hawaiian cultural practices and subsistence activities, and on fishing, commerce, and recreation
Vagueness about which ports will be used

8.  We want Military Clean-Up NOT Military Build-Up!  If the U.S. stopped spending several $billion/per day on imperial wars there would be more money for county and state budget needs, jobs, and funding human needs.  We urgently request that you–as public officials–speak up on these critical issues of War, Militarism and the Health of our island citizens.

With gratitude and aloha,
Jim Albertini
for  Malu ‘Aina ohana

Protest Democracy by Invitation Only!

Wednesday, Feb. 24th

8:30AM Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA)

Main Gate on Saddle Road

(Car pools leave Hilo bayfront parking lot makai/Hamakua side of Pauahi St. Kamehameha Ave. intersection at 7:30 sharp.  The picket at PTA is expected to last till 10:30)

The Military meeting 9-2 at Pohakuloa is only open to hand-picked officials and special interests.
(The doors are closed to the public, Peace groups, Kanaka Maoli organizations, environmental groups, community associations, etc.)

* What’s the Army afraid of?

* Is it citizen participation in government?

* Is it because we might object to more military land grabs on Hawaii Island, continued live-fire amid DU radiation contamination at PTA, new fast-track military superferry plans?

* Why hasn’t the Army stopped all live-fire, B-2 bombing missions and other activities that create dust until there is a complete assessment and clean-up of the DU already present as called for in County of Hawaii resolution 639-08? The NRC has not signed off on radiation at PTA.

* When will all of the 50-plus present and former military sites, totaling more than 250,000-acres on Hawaii Island, be cleared of unexploded ordnance, toxins, and other hazards?

* Thousands of acres of past and present militaery sites, Stryker land grab, Hilo National Guard rebuild, University military research, armed “Superferry”/Joint High Speed Vessel—what’s next?

We Demand Military Clean-up NOT Build-up!
Stop the Wars!  Fund Human needs!
End all occupations, including the ongoing illegal occupation of the
independent nation of Hawaii.

Contact: Malu `Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box AB Kurtistown, Hawai`i 96760.
Phone (808) 966-7622.  Email ja@interpac.net  http://www.malu-aina.org

Aloha Peace ohana,
Thee will be a special organizing meeting on Monday, Feb. 15th 7-9PM at the Keaau Community Center to plan for a Wed. Feb. 24th protest of a military PR event for politicians at the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA).
The tentative plan is to picket the main gate of PTA from 8:30-l0:30AM (event starts at 9AM).  car pools to leave Hilo at 7:30AM from the bayfront parking lot on the makai/Hamakua side of the Pauahi/Kamehameha intersection.
We got two tips of the military public relations event to woo politicians and business leaders to military build up plans.  Our call is for Military CLEAN UP Not Build Up, especially with DU radiation contamination confirmed at PTA.  There should be a complete stop to all live-fire and other activities that create dust which risks spreading the contamination.  An increasing call is being made to “CANCEL THE LEASE” and executive orders at PTA.  Also in light of recent news about a new military JHSV Superferry
we may want to add the demand “No son of Superferry” to our list.

Join us to put pressure on the military and our local politicians.  We need to do some creative planning to build a peoples movement.
Mahalo.
Jim
for Malu ‘Aina
966-7622
ja@interpac.net
www.malu-aina.org

(Photo of U.S. Supremes with corporate logos)

The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled 5-4 that corporations can spend as much as they want to support or oppose individual candidates for public office.  Now it’s up front. Corporations are going to openly buy elections.  Before they had to be more discrete about it.

Every candidate for office should now be required to wear a NASCAR type jacket with the logos of all their corporate sponsors in proportion to the size of their donations.  What candidate or current office holder will step forward to propose such legislation?

Break the Silence!  Speak Out!

Oppose Special Interests!

Stop the Wars & End Occupations!

1. Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject war as a solution. 3. Defend civil liberties. 4. Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, etc. 5. Seek peace through justice in Hawai`i and around the world.
Contact: Malu `Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box AB Kurtistown, Hawai`i 96760.
Phone (808) 966-7622.  Email ja@interpac.net  http://www.malu-aina.org

Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (Feb. 12, 2010 – 439th week) – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office

Hilo Federal Building public pot to pee-in to appear forthwith

A voice mail was left for me on Feb. 3, 2010 from Alan Yamamoto of Sen. Inouye’s office that signage will be posted today with directions to a public men’s room at he Hilo downtown Federal Building.
Finally, finally, finally –government in action. See below for background.

Press Release February 2, 2010
Re: No pot to pee in at Hilo’s downtown Federal Building
further contact: Jim Albertini 966-7622
ja@interpac.net

Hilo’s downtown Federal Building that houses the Post office and numerous other Federal offices has been without a public men’s room for several months.    The Building is undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation but remains open.

Local Peace activist, Jim Albertini, who on behalf of Malu ‘Aina, has been conducting a weekly peace vigil fronting the building for 437 weeks (going on 9 years) every Friday from 3:30-5PM said he’s “peeved.”  Albertini said, “it is a disgrace that a port-a-toilet hasn’t been provided. It shows a lack of consideration, even contempt, for the public.  The government can spend trillions of tax dollars on wars for empire, and bailing out wall street bankers, but can’t even provide a toilet for it’s citizens in a major government building.” Albertini said he called the Congressional offices of Dan Inouye and Mazie Hirono to demand action.  Albertini said he voiced his concern to the security guard at the Hilo Federal Building and was told that the public “women’s rest room” would also be closing soon.  When the security guard was asked who was in charge of the building, he said GSA in Honolulu.

Albertini wonders why the construction contractor hasn’t provided a port-a-toilet for the public, or if federal employees in the building have spoken up for the public.  Albertini said “the security guard told me that the construction company workers use a private restroom in the building.  When asked why that restroom couldn’t be opened for the public, the security guard said he didn’t know.”

Albertini said “the no-rest-room is a minor issue compared to the slaughter of war, but it becomes a major concern when someone needs a rest room.  Congress certainly takes good care of themselves with federal spending.   You can be sure they will never be without.  In fact, Congress recently voted themselves a pay raise but announced a 2 year freeze in social security cost of living increases for ordinary senior citizens.  So much for “sharing the pain.”  The arrogance of those in government can be astounding.”