Help Restore Hawaii County’s Historic Nuclear-Free Law!
Restore Hawaii County’s
Historic
Nuclear–Free Law!
Repeal the Military
Exemption!
Support Bill 206
Send an email in support to counciltestimony@hawaiicounty.gov
There is a first hearing on Bill No. 206 at 3 PM on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 3 PM in the Hilo Council chambers before the Policy Committee on Health, Safety and Well-Being. Call the County Clerk’s office 808-961-8255 to ask how you can testify via video from various places around the island.
Hawaii County’s historic Nuclear-Free Law #665 was passed in February 1981. Hawaii County was the first municipality in the U.S. to pass a law declaring itself a Nuclear-Free Zone. Since then, more than 100 or 200 other municipalities have passed similar laws.
Forty years ago, on July 18, 1984, hundreds of people gathered peacefully on the Hilo docks to protest a visiting US Navy Nuclear-armed warship – the USS Ouellet. After 3 years of requesting the US Navy to respect our country’s Nuclear-Free law without success, (leave your nuclear shoes in Pearl Harbor) our organization announced a month in advance that we planned a non-violent peaceful swimming protest of the next Navy Nuclear ship visit. A Navy Nuclear ship visit was planned for the July Hawaii Japanese Chamber of Commerce Festival of the Pacific.
On July 17, 1984, the day before the nuclear warship’s scheduled arrival, the Hawaii County Council, under the leadership of Council chair, Stephen Yamashiro, passed an emergency amendment “exempting the military” from the Nuclear-Free law. Having an amendment to the Nuclear-Free Law to exempt the military is like having an exemption for smokers from the No Smoking laws. It makes no sense.
On July 18, 1984, the day the Navy Nuclear ship arrived, the US Coast Guard established a Federal security zone for the entire Hilo Bay at the request of the Navy. Anyone putting their toe in the water with a protest sign was subject to a felony violation. July 18. 1984 Hilo Bay was like a war zone. Coast Guard Cutters escorted the Navy Nuclear warship. Military helicopters patrolled overhead. Naval Seal teams in zodiacs were in the water. Hundreds offered pule on the docks, sang peace songs, and held signs — Respect County Law! Nuclear-Free Zone! No Nukes! Peace Now! Approximately 100 people were prepared to enter the water in protest. (For more on the Hilo Bay Warship Peace Blockade, see https://malu-aina.org/?p=10305
Make Hawaii Nuclear Free! It’s in YOUR Hands!
1 . Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject violence & war as solutions. 3. Defend civil liberties. 4. Oppose all discrimination: anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, anti-Hawaiian, anti-Black, anti-Asian, anti-Russian, anti-LGBTQ, etc. 5. Seek peace through peaceful means and work for 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 to receive our posts.
For more information see https://www.malu-aina.org
Sept. 27, 2024, Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet – week 1200– Fridays 3:30-5 PM downtown Post Office
Nuclear Never! Hawaii Forever!
Nuclear-Free & Independent Pacific March through Waikiki in 1980. Hawaiian activist Moanikeala Akaka is on the far right, Angel Pilago is above “Hawaii” on the banner, and Lopeti Senatule of Fiji on the left.
The Waikele Nuclear weapon depot (now closed) was located in central Oahu. West Loch of Pearl Harbor is where all Navy ships load, or unload weapons. It is a major weapons depot on Oahu. ASROC nuclear warheads were carried on US surface ships like the USS Ouellet that visited Hilo on July 18, 1984.
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 to receive our posts.
