Malu 'Aina

Jan. 5, 2021

Aloha LTC Cronin,

Happy New Year to you and your family.

In my more than 50 years in Hawaii I’ve seen quite a few military commanders come and go.  I try to reach out in good faith to all in the spirit of Kapu Aloha — non-violence.  I would hope that you would be willing to meet with myself and a few members of our organization in a respectful dialogue.  I would request the following:

1.  a discussion on Hawaii county Resolution 639-08 passed in July 2008  calling for a halt to all live-fire at PTA until there is a complete assessment and clean up of DU at PTA.  There were 7 other actions called for in that resolution.  To date, PTA has done none of the actions called for.  Why?  Of course there are additional toxins at PTA besides DU that concern us.  Things like perchlorate, PFAS, etc. 

2.  We would like to go to the ranges where DU rounds were fired, and would like a tour of the drone fields. We also would like an update on the water wells drilled nearly 9 years ago at PTA that are still not being used.  Why? What toxins are in the water?

3.  Over the years we have asked a multitude of questions to commanders that have gone unanswered.  Basic questions such as the number of live-rounds fired annually at PTA and the various weapons fired. The last figure released during the Stryker EIS process said 14.8 million live-rounds fired annually at PTA.  I am sure PTA files have a record of our questions.

I look forward to your response to this request and these and other questions.  Below is a copy of this week’s Hilo Peace leaflet.

With gratitude and aloha,

Jim Albertini, president of Malu Aina 

-- 
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

Shut Down Red Hill &

Drain the Tanks

     The Hawaii State Dept. of Health has said to the US Navy – Shut down and drain the Red Hill Fuel Tanks where leaks allowed petroleum to contaminate the drinking water of nearly 100,000 people, and puts more than 400,000 people in Honolulu at risk.  Under the order, the Navy has 30 days to submit a plan to “safely defuel” its World War II-era fuel facility.  The military, which considers Red Hill to be a vital national security asset, has strongly protested the demand to drain the fuel entirely.  Twenty massive Navy underground fuel tanks have a total capacity of storing 250 millions gallons of fuel 100 feet above Honolulu’s main aquifer.

     Massive citizen outcries, lead by Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) and military families, have brought pressure to US militarism and its strong hold on political leaders and Hawaii’s economy.  Activists from around the world are now supporting local calls to close the Navy’s Red Hill fuel facility.
“At this very moment, the US government is committing a crime of historic proportions against the people of Hawai’i,” the group said in a public letter.  “Yet the US Navy continues to reject calls by residents and the state government to drain the remaining tanks. The health of hundreds of thousands across Oʻahu is now in jeopardy.”      
   
      The letter draws parallels between the Red Hill crisis and the military’s impacts on other places in the Pacific.  It cites “the Tomb” on Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands, “a nuclear coffin” installed by the U.S. military that is leaking radioactive waste into the ocean and the thousands of Micronesians who still suffer the impacts of 67 atomic and thermonuclear weapons the U.S. military detonated in the Marshall Islands in the 1940s and 50s.  For the complete letter and list of signers see https://www.civilbeat.org/beat/noam-chomsky-cornel-west-call-for-immediate-shutdown-of-red-hill-reparations-for-victims/ 

     The US Military’s  Pohakuloa Toxic Area (PTA), has been contaminating  Hawaii Island for more than 75 years.  Millions of live-rounds have been fired annually at PTA involving a wide range of weapons and toxins, including radioactive Depleted Uranium (DU) oxide dust particles than can be carried long distances in the wind.  In 2008 the Hawaii County Council passed Resolution 639-08 by a vote of 8-1.  That resolution called for a halt to all live fire at PTA until there was a complete assessment of the DU present and it was cleaned up.  7 other actions were called for.  The military did not do any of them.  Now what?
    

     Everyone on the Big Island is downhill and downwind from the 133,000-acre PTA, which is located in the center of the island at 6500 feet elevation. The land, water, air, people, plants and animals surrounding PTA, including the thousands of troops who train there, residents and tourists too, are all part of a Military Sacrifice Zone. Actually the Hawaiian islands are one of the most militarized places on the planet with more than 100 active US military installations and many more abandoned military toxic sites.  Enough!

-- 
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