March 10, 2023, Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet — Pohakuloa Toxins!
Experience Pohakuloa
Toxins!
On Thursday, April 20, 2023, school children and the general public are invited to the 133,000-acre heavily contaminated military Pohakuloa Toxic Area (PTA) in the center of Hawaii Island from 9 AM – 1 PM for what’s billed as “Experience Pohakuloa Day.” Open House. Fuel spills at Red Hill, Haleakala, Camp Lehune, etc. should be red flag health warnings of military toxins.
Pohakuloa is a live-fire military base that has been bombed and shelled for more than 75 years, with a wide range of toxins, including Depleted Uranium (DU) radiation, lead, perchlorate, etc., etc.
Millions of live rounds are fired annually at PTA, from small arms to howitzers, to bunker-busting bombs. B-52 and B-2 bombers train for nuclear war with practice bombing runs to Pohakuloa, from Missouri, Louisiana, and Guam. For years the military denied using DU at PTA until they were caught.
On July 2, 2008, the Hawaii County Council passed Resolution 639-08 by a vote of 8-1. That resolution called for 8 actions. Number 1 is “Order a complete halt to B-2 bombing missions and to all live-firing exercises and other activities at the Pohakuloa Training Area that create dust until there is an assessment and clean up of the Depleted Uranium (DU) already present.” The Hawaii County Council wanted action “to assure transparency and community confidence.” Nearly 15 years later, Hawaii county is still waiting for such action. We still need a comprehensive, independent, investigation to determine the full extent of military DU contamination and other toxins present at PTA.
How bizarre for the military to host an “Experience Pohakuloa Day” in light of the above. There can be no greater desecration than bombing and shelling the ‘aina. The continued live fire of high explosives, re-suspends many of the toxins present at PTA. These toxins can then be carried long distances in the high winds that frequently blow through the Saddle Region. Inhaling tiny DU oxide particles can cause several cancers and genetic damage that can be passed to future generations.
Please share the Public Service Announcement (PSA) below with teachers, parents, and students of Hawaii Island. The PSA and additional information is available here https://malu-aina.org/?p=8819
PSA – Parents of young children and pregnant women are warned of the dangers of DU (Depleted Uranium) and other military toxins at the Pohakuloa Training Area! Please view the short video of Dr. Lorrin Pang, M.D., public health officer and retired 24 years in the Army Medical Corps explaining the health dangers of inhaling DU oxide dust particles (See https://vimeo.com/19153948). As Dr. Pang explains, especially vulnerable are young children and pregnant women.
Stop Bombing Pohakuloa! Clean up the Military Mess!
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, anti-Russian, anti-LGBTQ, 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), Hawai’i 96760
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For more information see http://www.malu-aina.org
March 10, 2023, Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet – week 1119– Fridays 3:30-5 PM downtown Post Office
