Picket line planned at Pohakuloa Earth Day, Thursday, April 20, 2017
Press Release for immediate release Monday, April 17, 2017
Re: Picket line planned at Pohakuloa Earth Day, Thursday, April 20, 2017
further contact: Jim Albertini 966-7622 email ja@malu-aina.org
There will be a picket line beginning at 8:30AM fronting the Pohakuloa Training Area main gate on Thursday, April 20, 2017.
“Can you believe it? The military Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) where millions of live rounds are fired annually is having an “Earth Day” celebration on Thursday, April 20, 2017 from 9AM-3PM. “Such hypocrisy is hard to top. It is an insult of the highest caliber and the military fires a lot of high caliber rounds annually at PTA –over 14 million live-rounds annually at last report” said Jim Albertini of Malu ‘Aina. “And that’s on top of decades of bombing and shelling at the 133,000-acre base loaded with a thick stew of military toxins, including lead, Depleted Uranium (DU), etc.” Albertini said, “Who knows what’s blowing in the wind from Pohakuloa around our island home and making it’s way into our island’s water.”
Albertini said, “Our organization advises that pregnant women and young children should not set foot on Pohakuloa due to the risk of inhaling DU oxide dust. According to Hawaii resident, Dr. Lorrin Pang, MD with 25 years in the Army Medical Corps and listed in who’s who best doctors, inhaled DU oxide is “the most deadly form of radiation.” The fact is that proper air monitoring has not been done to determine the full extent of DU oxide contamination at Pohakuloa.
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Pohakuloa DU Threat
The front page, Sunday, April 16, 2017 Hawaii Tribune-Herald headline about “No DU Threat” is a classic example of Fake News. The truth is that inhalation of Depleted Uranium (DU) oxide dust particles are “the most deadly form of radiation.” This is according to Hawaii resident, Dr. Lorrin Pang, MD, 25 years retired from the Army medical Corps and listed in the who’s who best doctors.
Let’s be clear. DU metal on the ground at Pohakuloa does not pose a serious health threat. But if that metal has been hit with high explosives it burns and turns the metal into DU oxide dust particles which can be carried long distances in the wind. If anyone inhails DU oxide particles those particles can remain in your body for decades causing a wide range of problems including cancer, and genetic damage to future generations.
DU was first used by the military at Pohakuloa in the early 1960s fired into the 50,000 plus acre impact area. That impact area has been subjected to decades of high explosives firing ever since. The military disclosed in an Environmental study in the early 2000s that over 14 million live-rounds are fired annually at Pohakuloa. A current figure is not available. I suspect it is even higher now.
There are dozens of various DU weapons in the US arsenal since the 1960s used by the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. Modern DU weapons are known as “penetrators.” They are made of solid DU metal. When fired, the DU metal begins to burn and when it hits a hard target –tank, armored vehicle, etc. it slices right through the armor, like a hot knief through butter, and explodes at 3000degrees. There is no documentation that DU penetrators have been fired at Pohakuloa but for decades there was no documentation that Davy Crockett DU spotting rounds were used either. But given the fact that all sorts of weapons have been used at Pohakuloa, it seems reasonable to conclude that DU penetrators, along with other DU spotting rounds, etc may have been used. That’s why it is extremely important that independent comprehensive testing and monitoring be done to determine the full extent of DU contamination and what’s coming off PTA blowing in the wind. If the military has nothing to hide they would welcome such an independent study to assure the confidence of the community. But the military has been stonewalling efforts by the community.
In the Sunday April 16, 2017 Hawaii Tribune-Herald lengthy article, there wasn’t a single mention of the threat posed by inhalation of DU oxide dust particles. How come? Is it to keep troops, residents, and the tourist industry in the dark? Don’t we all have a right to know?
Are we Inhaling DU Oxide Dust?
- 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 peaceful means and work for 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
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Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet April 21, 2017– 813th week – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office
— 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