Pohakuloa & U.S. Shibai! May 7, 2021 Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet
Pohakuloa & U.S. Shibai!
“Bombing Mama for Peace!”
Here’s an example of shibai with recently celebrated “Earth Day” and upcoming “Mother’s Day” in mind. The Military Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) had an April 22, 2021 Earth Day message on its Facebook page. Imagine, a commander of a 133,000-acre base that has been bombed for 75 years with millions of live-rounds annually, and the land contaminated with lead, Depleted Uranium (DU), and a wide range of military toxins, wishing us a “safe and enjoyable Earth Day,” and looking forward to the return of thousands of school children visiting the contaminated toxic base for “Experience Pohakuloa Day.” If that’s not shibai, I don’t know what is. The current commander at PTA, Lt. Colonel Loreto V. Borce, Jr. (better known as JR) will be leaving June 4, 2021 after 3 years. He will be replaced by Lt. Colonel Kevin E. Cronin. When LTC Borce, a local born Filipino from Kalihi on Oahu, first arrived at PTA, he promised “openness, transparency,” and doing things “ohana style.” His promises turned out to be further shibai. Numerous requests and multiple letters with questions for basic factual information about PTA have gone unanswered. No openness, No transparency, and instead of doing things “ohana style” he has tried to divide people in our community. We’ve been through a lot of new commanders at PTA every 2 – 3 years, and it’s all much the same, a reflection of U.S. global military empire policy of control and domination on behalf of corporate interests.
Here’s another example of shibai. President Joe Biden said in his recent prepared address to Congress that “America won’t back away from our commitment to human rights and fundamental freedoms.” This from the President of a country that has hundreds of military bases around the world. Author Catlin Johnstone says the U.S. works “to destroy any nation which disobeys it via invasion, proxy wars, blockades, economic warfare, staged coups, and covert operations. There is no other government on earth whose violence has killed millions of people and displaced tens of millions just since the turn of this century… in order to perpetuate its iron-fisted domination of our planet.” The mass of refugees to Europe and the southern borders of the U.S. are from countries where the U.S. has been overtly or covertly waging war, creating chaos, rubble, and desperation. The U.S. can try and point fingers and blame Russia, China, Iran and others for human rights abuse, but the fact remains as Johnstone puts it: “the US government is the single worst human rights abuser on planet Earth.” If you don’t believe Johnstone, ask Native Americans, families of African Americans whose unarmed loved ones have been killed by police. Ask Native Hawaiians waiting 128 years for an end to the US illegal occupation of their sovereign nation.
Stop the Shibai! Stop Bombing Mama!
On Earth Day, Mother’s Day & Every Day!
1. Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject violence & war as solutions. 3. Defend civil liberties.
4. Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, anti-Hawaiian, anti-Black, anti-Asian, etc.
5. Seek peace through peaceful means and work for justice in Hawai`i and around the world.
Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 Ola’a (Kurtistown), Hawaii 96760
Phone (808) 966-7622 Email ja@malu-aina.org to receive our posts. For more information www.malu-aina.org
May 7, 2021 Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet – week 1023– Fridays 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office
-- Jim Albertini Malu 'Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 Ola'a (Kurtistown) Hawai'i 96760 Phone 808-966-7622 Email ja@malu-aina.org Visit us on the web at www.malu-aina.org
