Malu 'Aina

Press Release: Pohakuloa sponsored meetings in Kona and Hilo  this week ban the press and general public.  Peeople and government representatives are urged to show up anyway.  Let the people speak!

from: Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action

further contact: Jim Albertini 966-7622 or email ja@malu-aina.org

The Military Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) is sponsoring Programmatic Consultation meetings this week in both Kona and Hilo but the media and the general public are being told they are not welcome.  The meeting is by invitation only.  The Kona meeting is Tuesday May 14, 2019 from 5:30 – 7:30 at the Hawaii County Council Chambers 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway.  The Hilo meeting is Thursday, May 16, 2019 from 5:30 – 7:30 at the Aupuni Center County of Hawaii Conference Room 101 Pauahi St., Suite 1.  The notice sent out by Dr. Julie Taomia of PTA says You may dial in to either meeting 808-438-2663 Passcode: 9709.  The Notice says “Please RSVP to Dr. Julie Taomia at julie.m.taomia.civ@mail.mil by May 10, 2019.  Jim Albertini of Malu ‘Aina received an invitation to attend the meeting and responded by email mail on May 10 that he and others from Malu ‘Aina would be attending.

In response I received a message from Dr. Taomia that said in part:

“We remind you that these are meetings in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act and the terms of the Training Programmatic Agreement, and are designated for consulting parties and are not open to the public at large, or media.” Dr. Taomia can be reached here — Dr. Julie M. Taomia Cultural Resources Manager US Army Garrison – Pohakuloa Hawaii julie.m.taomia.civ@mail.mil Desk: (808) 969-2536 Cell: (808) 436-4280

“At last year’s similar annual meetings, the public and the press were blocked from attending in Hilo but allowed into the Kona meeting the following night.  This year the meeting is first in Kona and 2 days later in Hilo so we will see what happens,” says Jim Albertini of Malu Aina.  Albertini says “I know there is interest from the general public and other organizations not on the consulting parties list to attend the meetings and I think the meetings should be open to all interested, including the press.  We need to be able to sit face to face with the military officials of PTA and raise our questions and concerns.  Afterall, what goes on at PTA effects us all. The military is bombing the very center of our island that likely includes cultural and religious sites,  and the military has contaminated the aina  with a wide range of military toxins including lead, Depleted Uranium radiation,  and possibly our water with perchlorate, PFAS, etc.  A shallow water well was drilled at PTA in 2013 but the water test results for contaminants have never been released.  How come?”

Albertini says “the military spends $32 million dollars per minute on war but since the National Historic Preservation Act was passed in the 1970s until today less than 1/3 of the 133,000-acre PTA base has been surveyed for cultural, religious and historic sites.  And the military can’t find money to do comprehensive, independent testing and monitoring to determine the full extent of Depleted Uranium (DU) radiation contamination. Lots of money for war but not to protect Hawaiian sites, the ‘aina and our water.   In July 2008, the Hawaii County Council passed resolution 639-08 by a vote of 8-1 that called for stopping all live-fire at PTA until there is a complete assessment and clean up of the DU at PTA along with 7 other actions, but the military has ignored the County’s call.” Albertini said “i urge our county, state and Federal elected representatives to attend the meetings in Kona and Hilo too.  Together, lets hold the military accountable to the people.”

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