Letter sent to Hawaii Tribune-Herald newspaper
Letter to the Editor –Hawaii Tribune Herald
Pohakuloa: Clean up your DU DU
Penelope Blair’s letter of 4/8 was critical of our efforts to Protect Pohakuloa.
The 133,000-acre military Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA), which is 4-5 times the size of Kaho’olawe, is known to be contaminated with radioactive Depleted Uranium (DU), as well as other military toxins. My particular concern is the inhalation of DU oxide alpha particles. Dr. Lorrin Pang, MD, with 25 years experience in the Army Medical Corps, says inhalation of radiation alpha particles is “the most deadly form of radiation.”
In 2008, the Hawaii County Council by a vote of 8-1 passed resolution 639-08 which called for stopping all live-fire at Pohakuloa and clean up of the DU present. Yet Military live-fire, involving millions of live rounds annually, continues and the DU has not been cleaned up. In fact no comprehensive independent testing and monitoring has been done to determine the full extent of DU contamination. Continued bombing can resuspend DU oxide dust particles which can be carried long distances by the winds.
Our organization has detected numerous elevated radiation readings around Pohakuloa, including Mauna Kea Park and the Saddle Road area. Readings have been 3-4 times background levels. On April 20th Pohakuloa is hosting an “Earth Day” event 9AM-2PM. The public , including school children, are being invited to attend. Our organization would discourage pregnant women and young children from visiting Pohakuloa. I and others will be at the Pohakuloa main gate to say Earth Day is Every Day –Stop Bombing the Earth. We invite Penelope Blair to join us to do radiation monitoring and hold a sign for Aloha ‘Aina and for the military to clean up its DU DU.
-- Jim Albertini Malu 'Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 Kurtistown, Hawaii 96760 Phone 808-966-7622 email ja@malu-aina.org visit us on the web at www.malu-aina.org sign up on our website to automatically receive our posts
