Malu 'Aina

Mauna Kea Park &

Hawaii Island

Contaminated with Military Radiation?

      The March 17, 2014 lead front-page story in the Hawaii Tribune-Herald said that Hawaii County Mayor, Billy Kenoi, wants Hawaii County to take over management of what is presently Mauna Kea State park. Does that mean Hawaii County will take over the liability if it is determined that the park is contaminated with Depleted Uranium (DU) radiation and people using the park are harmed? The park is adjacent to the 133,000-acre military Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) that has been the target of more than 60 years of military bombing involving millions of live rounds fired annually.

      In August of 2007, after years of denial, the military confirmed it had fired hundreds (possibly thousands) of DU spotting rounds on PTA ranges approximately 1 mile south of Mauna Kea Park. On May 29, 2007, three months before the military’s official confirmation of DU use at PTA, a citizen radiation monitor at Mauna Kea park detected radiation spikes well above background radiation with strong winds coming from PTA to the south toward Mauna Kea park with dust devils clearly visible.  Since that time citizen radiation monitors have picked up more above background radiation spikes on several occasions in Mauna Kea park and the vicinity.

      Despite these off base radiation readings, no comprehensive testing and monitoring has been done at PTA, Mauna Kea park, or elsewhere to determine the extent of radiation contamination, and if, and how far, it has spread. In fact, less than 1% of PTA has been surveyed for DU, and that with questionable methodology.

      Our organization is aware of three MDs and a Naturopathic doctor in Hilo who have patients that tested high for uranium in 24 hour heavy metal urine tests.  There appears to be a need for further testing and research to determine the cause of such uranium in urine and if it is related to PTA. In March of 2013 our organization requested PTA to offer 24 hour urine tests to some of its long term workers to see if uranium was showing up in their urine but the PTA commander, Lt. Col. Eric Shwedo, declined our request.

      It should also be noted that on July 2, 2008 the Hawaii County Council, by a vote of 8-1, passed Resolution 639-08 calling for a halt to all live-fire at PTA due to the presence of DU radiation  The resolution also called for clean up of the DU along with several other action points.  The Army has ignored the Council’s call despite Army regulation 700-48 which says the Army must follow such requests by local governments.

      Regardless of who is liable –federal, state, and/or county governments, there are potentially serious health and safety concerns for residents and visitors with the increased use of Saddle Road, frequent strong winds and occasional flash flooding in the area, and military bombing of a base known to be contaminated with DU and other military toxins. When will public officials take responsible action to address these concerns? For now the answer is “Blowing in the Wind.”

Malama Pono! Seek & You Shall Find!

1.Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject war as a solution. 3. Defend civil liberties. 4. Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, anti-Hawaiian, etc.  5. Seek peace through justice in Hawai`i and around the world.
Malu `Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 Ola’a (Kurtistown), Hawai`i 96760.
Phone (808) 966-7622.  Email ja@malu-aina.org  http://www.malu-aina.org

Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (March 21, 2014 –652nd week) – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office

Aloha Peace Ohana,

There will be an informal meeting, and opportunity to talk story, share insights, Q&A on activism, etc. with Martha Hennessy — on Thursday, March 27th 6:30PM at the Keaau Community Center.  This is a follow up to her public talk at UHH UCB 100 on Thursday, March 20th 6:30PM. Martha has been recently jailed for peaceful protest against U.S. Killer Drones at Hancock Air Force Base near Syracuse, N,Y.

Martha is the seventh of nine grandchildren to Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement and is carrying on the work of her grandmother. The Catholic Worker provides hospitality, clothing and meals to the homeless, prints the paper – The Catholic Worker, (in circulation since 1933), holds round table discussions with a variety of speakers, and attempts to practice the Works of Mercy as taught by Jesus in the New Testament. The Catholic Worker celebrated the 80th anniversary of the movement in 2013.

Martha grew up in Vermont. She was trained as an occupational therapist, working for 25 years with children in the public schools and with the elderly. She is the mother of three and grandmother of six. Her husband works as a carpenter and they grow much of their food on 7 acres of the family farm.

Martha has traveled extensively including peace delegation trips to Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Egypt, and Russia. She has participated in nonviolent direct actions and has been arrested in Washington DC to protest torture and indefinite detention at Guantanamo, and in Feb. 2014 spent a week in a N.Y. Jail for a peaceful protest of U.S. Killer Drones. Martha will speak about her jail experience, her travels for peace, as well as the Catholic Worker history and the importance of bearing witness for peace, justice, and the environment.

Please pass the word to fellow activist.  This gathering should provide for valuable discussion to deepen analysis and strengthen our commitment as activists.

Mahalo.

Jim Albertini

Martha

Hennessy

University of Hawaii

at Hilo UCB 100

6:30PM

Thursday,

March 20, 2014

Recently Jailed for

Peaceful Protest

Against U.S. Killer Drones

(at Hancock Air Force Base near Syracuse, N,Y.

     Martha is the seventh of nine grandchildren to Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement and is carrying on the work of her grandmother. The Catholic Worker provides hospitality, clothing and meals to the homeless, prints the paper – The Catholic Worker, (in circulation since 1933), holds round table discussions with a variety of speakers, and attempts to practice the Works of Mercy as taught by Jesus in the New Testament. The Catholic Worker celebrated the 80th anniversary of the movement in 2013.

Martha grew up in Vermont. She was trained as an occupational therapist, working for 25 years with children in the public schools and with the elderly. She is the mother of three and grandmother of six. Her husband works as a carpenter and they grow much of their food on 7 acres of the family farm.

Martha has traveled extensively including peace delegation trips to Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Egypt, and Russia. She has participated in nonviolent direct actions and has been arrested in Washington DC to protest torture and indefinite detention at Guantanamo, and in Feb. 2014 spent a week in a N.Y. Jail for a peaceful protest of U.S. Killer Drones. Martha will speak about her jail experience, her travels for peace, as well as the Catholic Worker history and the importance of bearing witness for peace, justice, and the environment.

Sponsors: Global H.O.P.E and Malu ‘Aina. Further contact: Jim Albertini 966-7622 ja@mau-aina.org

http://westhawaiitoday.com/news/local-news/council-gets-lesson-free-speech

The same article appeared in the Hawaii Tribune-Herald today on GMOs and Free Speech Rights when testifying

Jim Albertini

Remembering

Fukushima!

     March 11, 2014 marked the 3rd anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami at Fukushima, Japan, that resulted in 3 nuclear power plant melt downs and the immediate deaths of eighteen thousand people. A small group in Hilo held an informal gathering at the Hilo Tsunami memorial in Wailoa Park to remember the victims and to say No Nukes. (See photo above.) The horror of Fukushima is far from over.  Radiation continues to be released and the potential consequences of accidents in the removal of fuel pool rods are monumental and catastrophic.  Many people are asking – why isn’t there more reporting on this important global issue?

The story below is very disturbing about the the US aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan, and crew being irradiated after the Fukushima earthquake and Tsunami on March 11, 2011 Did the USS Reagan bring radiation contamination to Hawaii on its August 31, 2011 port visit?http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/02/27/1280845/-Stunning-New-Report-on-USS-Reagan-Radiation?detail=email# –

For Information on exposures to individuals in and around the Fukushima area seehttps://registry.csd.disa.mil/registryWeb/Registry/OperationTomodachi/DisplayAbout.do

For more news on Fukushima see http://enenews.com/ap-radioactive-material-spews-air-sea-fukushima-asahi-exposure-levels-spike-nuclear-expert-dont-3-melted-reactor-cores-arestill-getting-worse-years-later-audio

Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Fukushima –

Never Again!

1.Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject war as a solution. 3. Defend civil liberties. 4. Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, anti-Hawaiian, etc.  5. Seek peace through justice in Hawai`i and around the world.
Malu `Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 Ola’a (Kurtistown), Hawai`i 96760.
Phone (808) 966-7622.  Email ja@malu-aina.org   http://www.malu-aina.org

Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (March 14, 2014 –651st week) – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office