The military is required by law — the National Historic Preservation Act to hold what are called 106 consultation meetings with the community in an attempt to develop a “programmatic agreement” concerning activities at federal locations that have historic sites.  This statement is about Pohakuloa.  There will be meetings coming up as noted below.  Please email Jim Albertini ja@malu-aina.org if you would like you name added to this statement to be delivered at the Hilo and or Kona meetings.  Attend or call in to the meetings if possible to add your own mana’o and please spread the word about the meetings and encouraging people to add their names to this joint statement.  Mahalo. Jim Albertini

Date: Thursday, May 18, 2017 Time: 5:30-7:30 pm Place: Aupuni Conference Room, 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 1, Hilo Call-in Line: 808-655-9988 Code: 0518# Date: Friday, May 19, 2017 Time: 5:30-7:30 pm Place: West Hawai’i Civic Center, Council Chambers, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Kailua-Kona Call-in line: 808-655-9988 Code: 0519#

 

Aloha ‘Aina – Protect Pohakuloa

 

To Military officials, Julie Taomia, others listed and ccd in her May 11, 2017 email, county, state, and federal officials, news and social media.

Taomia Julie M CIV USARMY IMCOM PACIFIC (US) <julie.m.taomia.civ@mail.mil>

 

Aloha Kakou,

 

1. Mahalo for the invitation to the May 18 Hilo & May 19 Kona meetings but the short advanced notice of 1 week leaves little time for inviting others, arranging schedules, and preparing meaningful input. This is a good faith effort in that direction nevertheless. The last consultation meeting on Pohakuloa was Sept. 30, 2016 at Pohakuloa and no minute notes of that meeting have been posted to date. How Come?
2. At the Sept. 2016 meeting a request was made in writing for religious ceremony access to the ahu built at the base of Pu’u Ka Pele during the coming Makahiki season from Nov. thru Feb. Numerous follow up requests were made as well. No access for religious ceremony was granted. How come?
3. At a Dec. 19, 2016 meeting at PTA which we thought was going to be a day of religious access, we were told that a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) needed to be developed for access. We said whatever SOP was good for the Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce recent site visits should be good for us. At that Dec. meeting those of us who came for religious ceremony signed a statement on the spot and hand delivered it to PTA Commander Lt. Col. Chris Marquez, which said: “Right of Religious Practice. We the undersigned do not recognize the U.S. military’s authority to prohibit religious access to Pohakuloa – the Land of the Night of Long Prayer. It is the right of the people to practice their religion by placing ho’okupu on the ahu at the base of Pu’u K Pele.” It is now 8 months since our written request for religious access and No SOP has been developed to date and access continues to be denied. How come?
4. At the Dec. 19 meeting Julie Taomia said 1200 historic sites on PTA have been identified, since 1995 when the cultural section was established at PTA but less than 1/3 of PTA’s 133,000-acres have been surveyed for cultural and religious sites to date. How come?
5. On several occasions we have asked for a list and map of the known sites, especially the religious sites. To date, nothing has been provided. How come?

 

    In light of the above we call for the following:

 

1. That a timetable be developed for the complete survey of cultural and religious sites for the entire 133,000-acre PTA, and that local Hawaiian authorities, not out of state universities and people be utilized in this effort.
2. The current list and details with maps of the 1200 known sites, including the 7 religious sites, be released immediately.
3. A SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for access to religious sites be developed immediately. It is long overdue.

 

     Without such good faith efforts on behalf of PTA, there can be no moving forward on a possible programmatic agreement at PTA because people do not have the information relevant to consider moving forward.

 

     Furthermore, all PTA expansion plans being considered should be made public. In the email announcing this consultation meeting, the Army stated, “Consultation topics will be limited to relevant issues as time is limited.” Let’s be clear. It is not the role of the Army to silence the community or dictate the topics that are relevant and to be discussed. The purpose of the consultation is to identify potential harm to historic/cultural/religious sites, including broad cultural/religious landscapes that encompass Po-haku-loa – The Land of the Night of Long Prayer.” It is also the job of the Army to identify measures it can take to avoid the identified harms, or at least to minimize the harm. To really be comprehensive, the programmatic agreement needs to have a MILITARY EXIT PLAN, a plan to clean up all toxins, including Depleted Uranium, UXOs, etc. a plan to restore the area to its pre-military use environment, and funding for Native Hawaiian education, health care in perpetuity in partial compensation for the damage done. We need to learn from Kaho’olawe. Pohakuloa’s 133,000 acres is nearly Five Times the size of Kaho’olawe. This time we want a 100% commitment, (not a 10% commitment,) to clean up 100% of your mess.             It will be up to the Hawaiian people to determine when the job is done to their satisfaction not your satisfaction.

 

     Toward the long term goal of a demilitarized Hawaii, and the return of Hawaiian Kingdom Government and Crown lands, we specifically demand the following short-term issues be addressed:

 

1. An assessment of the impact of past military training activities at Pohakuloa on cultural and religious sites – including the rubbish, UXO, and other toxins that have not been cleaned up in areas near identified known sites;
2. That the entire Pohakuloa area –the Land of the Night of Long Prayer, the entire area known as the heavenly realm of unity between the three great mountains –Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, and Hualalai be designated as an historic site of cultural and religious significance. This area to include all cultural and religious sites – including Pu’u, Heiau identified from oral tradition, cultural and religious practice.
3. Identify how the present training activities including, what is it now — 15 million live-rounds fired annually? What are the impacts to historic sites, cultural and religious resources and traditional practices? Also include the impact of 2000 or 3000 pound inert bombs dropped from 30,000 feet by B-52, B-1 and B-2 bombers flying non-stop from Guam, Missouri, Louisiana, and perhaps places unknown.
4. The military needs to recognize the importance of access to cultural and religious sites. The time for lip service is over. Show you recognize the importance by opening access to sites for traditional cultural and religious practice NOW!

 

     Mahalo for your attention to these important concerns.

 

(Signature list in formation)

 

— 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

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