March 27, 2015 Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet on Pohakuloa, the Army, NRC, and Hawaii radiation contamination
POHAKULOA
“The Land of the Night of Long Prayer”
Military Bombing – Desecration & Contamination with Radiation
Pohakuloa is translated to mean “The Land of the Night of Long Prayer.” The Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA), is a 133,000-acre military bombing range located in the center of Hawaii Island used by the military since WWII. PTA, located on Hawaiian Kingdom government and crown lands, is now known to be contaminated with a wide range of military toxins, including radiation. After years of denial, the military finally admitted using Depleted Uranium (DU) spotting rounds dating back to 1962 at PTA, and Schofield Barracks on Oahu. It is also possible that DU has been used at Makua Valley, Kaho’olawe, Ka’ula and other sites throughout Hawaii. The evidence suggests more than 2000 radioactive Davy Crockett nuclear weapon spotting rounds were fired at PTA alone. It is also possible that additional DU spotting rounds for other nuclear weapon systems, DU armor piercing rounds, and other forms of DU have been used at PTA. The military has stonewalled citizen efforts calling for comprehensive independent testing and monitoring to determine the full extent of radiation contamination at PTA. What is the military trying to hide?
On Tuesday, March 24th there was a meeting at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) headquarters in Rockville, Maryland about the Davy Crockett DU spotting rounds used in Hawaii and at sites in at least 11 states. The U.S. also used the Davy Crockett DU Spotting rounds in at least 3 other foreign countries –Japan, Germany, and South Korea but the use of the weapons there was not part of the discussion for some unexplained reason. The meeting, which people could hear via telephone conference if they signed up in advance and received a passcode, was originally set to begin at 3AM Hawaii time. It was later changed to 5AM after Hawaii citizens complained how inconsiderate 3AM was for encouraging Hawaii participation in the meeting.
The nuclear regulators – (much like the Bank regulators) are made up of nuclear industry people and have put the Fox (the US Army) in charge of assessing the condition of the hen house (radiation contamination on Army bases). Instead of cleaning up the mess, the Army is possibly spreading the mess by continued bombing. NRC and Army bureaucrats are living off the misery of people under U.S. military occupation and pollution. On July 2, 2008, the Hawaii County Council in a vote of 8-1 passed resolution 639-08 which called for stopping all live fire at PTA and clean up of DU present at PTA. The resolution also called for 7 other actions, none of which have been carried out to date. By their inaction the U.S. Army and NRC are thumbing their nose at the health and safety of the residents and visitors of Hawaii and the democratic process reflected in the vote of the Hawaii County Council. Shame on the Army and the NRC . Bureaucrats often lose sight of who they are suppose to be serving.
Stop the Bombing!
Protect Pohakuloa!
Let a New Day Begin for “The Land of the Night of Long Prayer”
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.
Contact: Malu `Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 Kurtistown, Hawai`i 96760.
Phone (808) 966-7622. Email: ja@malu-aina.org http://www.malu-aina.org
Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (March 27, 2015 – 705th week) – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office
