Proposed armed Military Special Ops planned for Mauna Kea Park violate County Regulations
Proposed armed Military Special Ops planned for Mauna Kea Recreation Area violate County Regulations. Other Military Special Ops planned for shorelines and beaches, etc. on all Hawaiian islands
Press Release Friday, Nov. 23, 2018
Malu 'Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action contact: Jim Albertini 966-7622, email ja@malu-aina.org go to website www.malu-aina.org to click on the links
“The proposed Military Special Ops planned for Mauna Kea Recreation Area violate County Regulations that prohibit “firearms” in Mauna Kea Recreation Area. See regulations #15 below,” said Jim Albertini of Malu Aina. Albertini also said see the Navy document that explains the Special Ops planned for Mauna Kea Recreation Area https://drive.google.com/file/d/12fkkqJOOA8xi1DWUuejfxJBOXiO2mZGc/view?usp=sharing
Th e Navy document on page two says the military mock enemy role players in the Special Ops would have real weapons. The Special Ops role playing is planned for “in and around the Mauna Kea Recreational Area buildings.” Albertini said “this is counter to what was told to me on Friday, Nov. 23, 2018 by Deputy Director Department of Parks & Recreation, Maurice C. Messina who put in writing: “Our cabins will be utilized for lodging purposes only. No military exercises will be conducted at MKRA.” Mr. Messina can be reached at 961-8311, 961-8420 and Maurice Messina@hawaiicounty.gov
Albertini said, “Malu ‘Aina wants these military Special Ops planned for our County Mauna Kea Recreation Area stopped. It is highly inappropriate to be conducting Military special Ops in our county parks. These Special Ops are really assassination training missions and park users would be unsuspecting targets of military reconnaissance/surveillance personnel located in camouflaged positions on the slopes of Mauna Kea above Mauna kea Recreation Area. The military surveillance personnel would be monitoring the mission of military role players mixing with park users.. The Military Special Ops document says “role players would present as a mock enemy conducting security patrols, meetings between role players, and have real weapons, with blanks so the training can be conducted with proper weight. These personnel would remain in position day into night for 24 to 96 hours.”
Albertini is appealing to County/State elected officials to cancel these Military Special Ops missions in our parks and public shoreline and beaches. Military Maps shows Special Ops are also planned also for the North and South Kohala beaches and shorelines. The maps were published in the Hawaii Tribune Herald and West Hawaii Today on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018.
Here is the link to the Navy’s Draft Special Ops Environmental Assessment (EA) on all Hawaii Islands. Deadline for Public comment is Dec. 10, 2018
Albertini said “these Military Special Ops are normalizing military intrusion everywhere. We need to stop this military madness now. There is the potential for panic and unintended violent clashes from frightened locals or tourists if they see someone (Special Ops enemy role player) with a gun at Mauna Kea Recreation Area, or elsewhere. This should not be taken lightly. The military needs to clean up its toxic messes including unexploded ordnance, Depleted Uranium (DU) radiation contamination, etc. all over Hawaii not expand its training into our parks, shorelines, and on the slopes of Sacred Mauna Kea.”
-30-.
-- 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
