Time to Cancel the Army’s Lease at Pohakuloa over Radiation Contamination
Stop All Live-Fire NOW!
1. The Army repeatedly denied the use of Depleted Uranium (DU) in Hawaii.
2. Now it has been confirmed that in the 1960s the U.S. Army used the Pohakuloa Training Area for firing spotting rounds containing DU for the Davy Crockett nuclear weapon system.
3. The DU spotting rounds have created the presence of radiation contamination at Pohakuloa.
4. DU is a chemically toxic and radioactive heavy metal with a half-life of 4.5 billion years.
5. DU emits radioactive alpha particles than can cause cancer when inhaled (and poses health concerns for troops, residents and visitors in Hawaii).
6. Due to poor military record keeping, there may be more DU contamination at Pohakuloa than just Davy Crockett spotting rounds.
7. On July 2, 2008 the Hawaii County Council passed Resolution 639-08 by a vote of 8-1.
8. Resolution 639-08 called for “a complete halt to B-2 bombing missions and to all live firing exercises and other activities at the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) that creates dust until there is an assessment and clean up of the depleted uranium already present.”
9. Live-fire continues at PTA and the DU has not been cleaned up. Live-fire and high winds at Pohakuloa risk spreading the radiation contamination off-base.
10. While major potions (more than 84,000-acres) of Crown lands at PTA were taken (without compensation) by Executive orders, PTA has a State General Lease No. S-3849 by the State of Hawaii, Board of Land and Natural Resources – U.S. Lease, Contract No. DA-94-626-ENG-80 – August 19, 1964 (expiration date 16 Aug. 2029) consisting of 22,988 acres for $1.00 for 65 years.
11. In the 1960s when the Army leased State land in the Waiakea Forest Reserve (Hilo’s watershed) for what was suppose to be weather testing, but in fact was chemical weapons testing including deadly sarin gas, Hawaii County residents spoke up and the State lease to the Army was canceled; now, therefore,
THE PEOPLE OF HAWAII COUNTY NEED TO SPEAK UP AGAIN TO CANCEL THE ARMY’S LEASE AT THE POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA AND REQUIRE CLEAN UP OF DEPLETED URANIUM (DU) RADIATION CONTAMINATION.
Let Your Voice Be Heard!
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 (April 30, 2010 – 450th week) – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office
