Category: Press Center

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Hawai’i representatives participate in Demonstrations against Talisman Sabre

June 2007

DMZ Hawai’i/Aloha Aina Head to Australia to Particpate in Solidary Actions Opposing Talisman Sabre 07 – OZ/US Joint Military Exercises

Operation Talisman Sabre is scheduled to taking place over a six week period from the end of May to 2 July 2007. According to the Public Environment Report released October 2006 it will involve approximately 13,700 US personnel and 12,400 Australian personnel. Indigenous Chamoru and Hawaiians arrived in Australia to demonstrate solidarity with Indigenous Darumbal elders and to raise awareness within the Peace Convergence – a week of activities protesting the Australian-US military exercises called Talisman Sabre.

For more information on the actions, visit the following Australia-based websites:

Shoalwater Bay

Peace Convergence

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Declaration: International Conference for the Abolition of Foreign Military Base

March 9, 2007

Declaration: International Conference for the Abolition of Foreign Military Base

Quito and Manta, Ecuador

We come together from 40 countries as grassroots activists from groups that promote women’s rights, indigenous sovereignty, environmental justice, human rights, and social justice. We come from social movements, peace movements, faith-based organizations, youth organizations, trade unions, and indigenous communities. We come from local, national, and international formations.

United by our struggle for justice, peace, self-determination of peoples and ecological sustainability, we have founded a network animated by the principles of solidarity, equality, openness, and respect for diversity.

Foreign military bases and all other infrastructure used for wars of aggression violate human rights; oppress all people, particularly indigenous peoples, African descendants, women and children; and destroy communities and the environment. They exact immeasurable consequences on the spiritual and psychological wellbeing of humankind. They are instruments of war that entrench militarization, colonialism, imperial policy, patriarchy, and racism. The United States-led illegal invasions and ongoing occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan were launched from and enabled by such bases. We call for the immediate withdrawal of all foreign troops from these lands and reject any planned attack against Iran.

We denounce the primary responsibility of the U.S. in the proliferation of foreign military bases, as well as the role of NATO, the European Union and other countries that have or host foreign military bases.

We call for the total abolition of all foreign military bases and all other infrastructure used for wars of aggression, including military operations, maneuvers, trainings, exercises, agreements, weapons in space, military laboratories and other forms of military interventions.

We demand an end to both the construction of new bases and the reinforcement of existing bases; an end to and cleanup of environmental contamination; an end to legal immunity and other privileges of foreign military personnel. We demand integral restauration and full and just compensation for social and environmental damages caused by these bases.

Our first act as an international network is to strengthen Ecuador’s commitment to terminate the agreement that permits the U.S. military to use the base in Manta beyond 2009. We commit to remain vigilant to ensure this victory.

We support and stand in solidarity with those who struggle for the abolition of all foreign military bases worldwide.

Foreign Military Bases Out Now! Manta Si! Bases No!

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Hawai’i participates in the Asia-Pacific Consultation of Movements against U.S. Military Bases, Tokyo

November 25 – 28, 2006

The Asia-Pacific Consultation of Movements against U.S. Military Bases, Tokyo

A significant step toward the creation of regional anti-base movement linkages

On November 25-28, 2006, around fifty peace activists from the Southeast-East Asia and Pacific region in struggle against U.S. military bases gathered in Tokyo in the first subregional encounter ever held on the specific topic of American military bases. Titled the Asia-Pacific Consultation of Movements against U.S. Military Bases, Tokyo, the gathering was called to facilitate exchange of experiences in anti-base struggles and to work out common strategies to resist and defeat the U.S. defense transformation process that is being carried out to further militarize this region violating the interest of the local grassroots people. It was held also as a sub-regional preparatory step toward the inaugural conference of Global Network to Abolish Foreign Military Bases scheduled in March 2007 in Ecuador.

The Consultation was convened jointly by an ad hoc Japanese national organizing committee composed of about 40 groups and individuals, the Stop the War Coalitions Philippines, and the Focus on the Global South. The Japanese committee comprised anti-base groups based in communities affected by the U.S. base reorganization plans as well as national peace networks. Among the organizing committee members are the progressive trade union-based Peace Forum, National Christian Council of Japan, Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, and the Asian Peace Alliance-Japan. The participants were from Australia, Guam, Hawaii, Okinawa, mainland Japan, Korea, the Philippines, and Mindanao, all dedicated activists fighting against the U.S. military presence. The presence of activists fresh from struggle scenes in Pyongtaek (South Korea), Okinawa, Kanagawa prefecture (Camp Zama, Yokosuka), Yokota (Yokota airbase), Hiroshima-Iwakuni (Iwakuni airbase), and Yufuin (Hijudai exercise ground) as well as Mindanao and Australia made the discussion concrete and down to earth.

Read the Report from the Tokyo C onsultation

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Court Rules that Army Stryker Brigade decision was illegal

October 2006

A Win for Hawai’i! – Court Rules that Army Stryker Brigade decision was illegal

A federal appeals court ruled that the Army violated the National Environmental Policy Act by not considering alternative sites for the proposed Stryker Brigade expansion. This should halt all Stryker related projects in Hawai’i until another environmental impact statement can be prepared. This is an important win for the people of Hawai’i and the ‘aina, but the Stryker Brigade threat is not over.

Court of Appeals Rules: Army Violated Law In Bringing Stryker Brigade To
Hawai`i EarthJustice Press Release (October 5, 2006)

Stryker base here is found illegal Honolulu Star Bulletin (October 6, 2006)

Ruling holds up Stryker Brigade Honolulu Advertiser (October 6, 2006)

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Groups call for halt of destructive activities in Lihu’e

Today, DMZ-Hawai’i / Aloha ‘Aina called for an end to the destructive activities in Lihu’e, O’ahu, in particular the activities that threaten Hale’au’au Heiau.

Public Statement
28 July 2006

Army must cease and desist destructive Stryker activities to sacred sites in Lihu‘e plains

In public hearings in 2003, the community overwhelmingly opposed the U.S. Army’s proposed Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) expansion. Many spoke to the fate of cultural sites in the sacred landscape of Lihu‘e and Leilehua, including the birthstones of Kukaniloko and the heiau Hale’au’au.  The Army’s own Environmental Impact Statement for SBCT admitted that its expansion plans would cause “significant impacts” to wahi pana (sacred sites) in Lihu’e and Pohakuloa. A lawsuit by three Kanaka Maoli groups challenging the adequacy of the Army’s environmental impact statement is still on appeal.  Despite the community’s rejection of the Stryker expansion and the irreparable harm it would cause to the environment and to cultural sites and practices, the Army is proceeding with its plans.

DMZ-Hawaii/Aloha ‘Aina has obtained information indicating that the US Army was forced to halt unexploded ordnance clearance activities in Lihu’e, the site of its proposed Battle Area Complex due to alleged violations of the National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 Programmatic Agreement governing the protection of cultural sites.  Cultural monitors reported that workers had bulldozed across a protective site buffer for Hale’au’au Heiau and cited numerous other violations of the Programmatic Agreement.  OHA has threatened a lawsuit for violations of the Programmatic Agreement.

DMZ-Hawai’i / Aloha ‘Aina maintains that the proposed Stryker Brigade expansion wrongfully utilizes Hawaiian national lands (“Ceded Lands”) and is incompatible with Hawaiian values of aloha ‘aina and malama ‘aina.

DMZ-Hawaii/Aloha ‘Aina calls on the US Army to immediately:

  1. Cease and desist all Stryker Brigade expansion activities, especially the destructive activities to the sacred Lihu‘e and Leilehua plains.  It is impossible to “mitigate” desecration.
  2. Conduct a thorough damage assessment of Kanaka Maoli cultural and sacred sites in Stryker project areas.
  3. Conduct cultural surveys of all affected lands, as required by the Programmatic Agreement, under the auspices of qualified Kanaka Maoli cultural experts.
  4. Make public all documents related to the documentation and preservation of na wahi pana and the removal of unexploded ordnance in Stryker project areas.
  5. Provide adequate resources (time and money) for na kia’i (cultural monitors), so that they may perform their important work unhindered.
  6. We demand immediate religious access to the affected sites, to see what has been done, and to perform cleansing rituals.

In spite of the U.S. illegal occupation of our homeland, we still bear the kuleana of maintaining the life of the land.  DMZ Hawaii/Aloha ‘Aina expects a prompt and favorable response to this request.

Jim Albertini, Malu Aina & DMZ Hawaii/Aloha ‘Aina
Brian Bilsky
Kat Brady
Donna Ann Kameaha’iku Camvel
Keli’i Collier, DMZ Hawaii/Aloha ‘Aina
Shannan Collier, DMZ Hawaii/Aloha ‘Aina
Fred Dodge, MD and ‘Ohana, Malama Makua
Cory Harden
Hawai’i Okinawa Alliance
Gail Hunter
Ikaika Hussey, DMZ Hawaii/Aloha ‘Aina
Kyle Kajihiro, American Friends Service Committee Hawai’i
Terri Keko’olani, Ohana Koa / Nuclear Free & Independent Pacific
Colleen Kelly
John Kelly
Marion Kelly
Gwen Kim, Ohana Koa/ Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific
Mauna Kea Anaina Hou
Kala’iokamalino Kim Niheu
Kalamaoka’aina Niheu, MD
Soli Kihei Niheu
Hekili Pae’aina
Sparky Rodrigues, Malama Makua
Puanani Rogers, Hookipa Network
Not In Our Name-Hawai`i
Andre Perez, Hui Pu
Anjali Puri
Cha Smith, KAHEA
Martha Townsend, KAHEA
Veterans for Peace
Leandra Wai, Malama Makua
Imai Winchester, Halau Ku Mana

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Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, stop militarizing Hawaiian communities

August 29 2004

The federally-funded Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) is promoting militarization in Hawaiian Homestead communities through a wholly-owned subsidiary Hawaiian Homestead Technology. In addition, the CNHA is supporting federal recognition of Kanaka Maoli, which will perpetuate the militarization of Hawaii nei. Read DMZ Hawaii/Aloha Aina’s statement on the occasion of CNHA’s annual conference.

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“Aloha aina must continue”

DMZ HAWAII/ALOHA AINA STATEMENT

November 12, 2002

“Aloha aina must continue”

Clean up and return lands – demilitarize Hawaii
Today, as Kahoolawe is turned over to the State of Hawaii, we must remember the history which has led to this moment. President Dwight Eisenhower said in 1953 that Kahoolawe was necessary for military training, but would be returned shortly to the then-Territory of Hawaii, in a habitable state. After forty years of struggle, the people of Hawaii, with the support of people throughout the world, accomplished the cessation of bombings. We lost two dear souls in the struggle, George Helm and Kimo Mitchell, whose voices of aloha aina were silenced.

Iolani Palace is a portentious site for this ceremony. For it was at this place, nearly 111 years ago, that the US military supported an illegal coup against a peaceful, independent, and neutral nation state. Only last week the military held public meetings – at private hotels and resorts, and as they presented their plans to appropriate 25,000 acres of land on Hawai’i and Oahu, peaceful activists were being arrested outside for attempting to voice dissent. From the arrest of our queen in 1895 as she tried to hold her country together, to the arrest of her people today as they carry on her work, the US military has lied, cheated, and misled the people of Hawai’i into believing they are stewards of the land and protectors of life. And there is more: the military wants to expand occupation of Kauai by another 6,000 acres for missile defense.

With one hand the military is returning 28,600 acres on Kahoolawe, which is still in an ailing state; with the other hand, they are attempting to take another 31,000 acres.

The legacy of the US Navy’s treatment of Kahoolawe is an indication of how all these lands will be treated.
8.9 million pounds of metal, mainly ordnance, has been removed from the island, and Kahoolawe is still covered with unexploded ordnance. Only 9% of the island has been cleared down to 4 feet, and only 70% of the surface has been cleared. The ordnance is the result of sustained US Navy and Allied bombings since 1953.

We must not forget Makua, Waikane, Waikoloa, Waimea, Puuloa (Pearl Harbor) as well, to understand more fully the way which the military treats our homeland.

For the US Navy to return the island in such lifeless condition is immoral. The US Navy should renew its commitment to healing the destruction it has caused.

We, the people of Hawaii who stand with a steadfast love for the land, are vigilant, aware, and mobilized. We wear black to honor the work of the past, and to note that the work is not yet complete.

A better world is possible, one where our families are not threatened by the health effects of militarization, where our economy is not stultified by dependency on Inouyue and Abercrombie’s dole, and where Hawaii is no longer the center for warfare and violence. We gather today in memory of all the lands – Kahoolawe, Makua, Waikane, Puuloa, Pohakuloa, Vieques, Okinawa – that must be healed and returned. Aloha aina must continue – the life of the land is perpetuated through our good works.

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