April 25, 2008 Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (BIP)

MILITARY: Clean Up Your Radiation Opala!

Below is a statement from Malu `Aina in response to the military saying they are not going to clean up their depleted uranium contamination at Schofield Barracks, with Pohakuloa and Makua Valley likely to follow.

     The military needs to practice what all of our mothers taught us and what Mother Earth is demanding of all humanity today: "Clean up your mess!" There is no safe level of radiation. The radiation contamination on the mountain will sooner or later run down hill and blow down wind. We are all down hill and down wind of the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) here on Hawaii Island.

     The military acknowledges there is Depleted Uranium (DU) radiation contamination at PTA. However, the military says that it does not yet know the full extent of the radiation contamination at PTA. In the meantime the military is not going to halt live-fire that could spread the contamination. That is totally irresponsible and all of our elected officials should be calling for an immediate halt to live-fire and other actions such as B-2 bombing at PTA that could spread the radiation An independent assessment of the contamination needs to be the top priority. The military has rejected community involvement of Dr. Lorrin Pang, M.D., Jim Albertini and others in the assessment process to assure transparency and the confidence of the community. Why is the military stonewalling the community and what are they trying to cover up?"

     All that it takes is one breath of invisible DU oxide to cause an increased risk of serious health problems including cancer. That's why measuring radiation spikes is important. At a Malu Aina sponsored protest of the Saddle Road official opening on May 29, 2007, citizen radiation monitors detected several spikes of radiation at Mauna Kea State Park which is adjacent to PTA. That day the Kona winds were blowing directly off the PTA 50,000-acre impact area located less than 2 miles from Mauna Kea State Park. The northeast corner of the Impact Area closest to the park is where radiation contamination from Davy Crockett nuclear weapon spotting rounds was confirmed by the military. The highest reading on May 29th was 75 counts per minute (cpm) which is several times the background readings of 5-20 cpm.

     It is likely that there is far more radiation contamination at PTA than just the Davy Crockett spotting rounds which the military was forced to admit. There have been more than 60 different nuclear weapons in the U.S. arsenal. Have hundreds of spotting rounds been used just for the Davy Crockett and not for any other weapon system? I don't think so! In addition, today the U.S. has millions of rounds in a wide variety of depleted uranium (DU) penetrator munitions used to pierce armor. DU is also used in bunker busters bombs and cruise missiles as well. The military only says that it does not train in Hawaii with DU, not that it HAS NOT trained in Hawaii with DU. The military can not be trusted to tell the truth. They have lied to us before. Here on the Hawaii Island the Army got a lease of state land in the Hilo watershed back in the 1960s, around the same time they were testing Davy Crockett at PTA. They told the state they wanted to do "weather testing" in the Waiakea forest area near Hilo. The Army lied. They were doing secret deadly nerve gas testing in the Hilo watershed with with chemicals so deadly that 1/100th of drop will kill you.

     At Pohakuloa today, the military is paying a total of only $1 for 65 years for 109,000-acres of ceded land that it is contaminating with unexploded ordnance, radioactivity and other toxic chemicals. Some of that ceded land was simply seized again from Kanaka Maoli by a 1964 presidential executive order at no cost. But tens of thousands of acres was leased in 1964 for 65 years by the State of HawaII BLNR to the military for $1 . If any person was leasing his/her house to someone and the lessee was trashing the house, the owner would cancel the lease. It's time the state, on behalf of the people of Hawaii, issue an eviction order to the military, cancel the lease,.and demand the military clean up its mess, pay for damages and return the land to its rightful owners -- the Kanaka Maoli. Where are the voices of our elected officials to protect the `aina and the people? And where is the outrage from the general population? The silence is deafening!"

Protect the `Aina!  Military Clean-Up NOT Build-UP!

No Strykers!   No C-17s!   No DU!

1. Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject war as a solution. 3. Defend civil liberties. 4. Oppose all discrimination: anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, etc. 5. Seek peace through justice in Hawai`i and around the world.

Contact: Malu `Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box AB Ola`a (Kurtistown),

Hawai`i 96760. Phone (808) 966-7622 Email ja@interpac.net http://www.malu-aina.org

Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (April 25, 2008 - 345th week) - Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office