indigenous people of guam angry

Politics: MARINES' RELOCATION ANGERS THE INDIGENOUSThey say it could mean the death of their raceElenoa BaselalaIn a desperate attempt to save their race, identity and culture, theindigenous people of Guam—the Chamorus—are strongly opposing therelocation of US Marines from Okinawa, Japan, to their country..Fronting the opposition is the Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice,which is trying to bring the world's attention to their plight.Already, the organisation has made presentations to the UnitedNations. Currently, it is seeking signatures for a petition againstthe relocation, expected to be completed by 2012.Recently, American President George Bush announced his budget proposalwhich includes a US$345 million plan to carry out militaryconstruction projects on Guam during 2008. The proposed militaryconstruction budget includes seven projects—Naval Base Guam:Kilo Wharf Extension: $102 millionHardening of Naval Base Electrical Systems: $59 millionNavy Family Housing: $57 millionNavy Fitness Center: $45 millionWastewater Treatment Plant Repairs and Upgrade: $41 millionPotable Water Distribution System (Phase I): $31 million.Andersen Air Force Base:Northwest Field Infrastructure Upgrade: $10 million.THE PRICE: The relocation of the Marines is expected to cost aroundUS$10 billion with Japan footing US$6 billion.While the news of the relocation is good news to Guam's businesscommunity, for the Chamorus, the billions of dollars may just be theprice of death of their race, culture and identity.The population of Guam is estimated at around 154,805, with 37 percent(about 63,270) being the indigenous population.Lisalinda Nativdad, of the Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice,says the relocation of Marines is expected push Guam's population upby 55,000."The local population has increased considerably since then becausethe military population has been increasing on bases."The current population of Marines is unknown. While their physicalpresence on the island is seen, the actual relocation from Okinawa hasnot occurred."Initially it was quoted at 7000. Then 8000. Now possibly 16,000. Whendependents and ancillary support personnel are also factored in, therelocation may increase the population by up to 55,000. This is anapproximately 36 percent population increase," Nativdad says.Nativdad and her organisation are fiercely opposing the relocation.In October last year, a group of Chamorus, which included Nativdad'sassociation, testified at the United Nations that the relocation planscould bring about the irreversible decline of the indigenous cultureand further undermine their political rights.According to the petition for Justice and Peace for Guam and thePacific blogspot, the strength of their testimonies prompted the UNunder-secretary general for political affairs, Ibrahim Gambari, tolater meet with the coalition members.While Gambari believed Guam had a right to self-determination, he didnot believe a resolution would be passed because the United Stateswould veto it. But there was a recommendation for a UN representativeto visit Guam and report on the situation to take the country off"that status of being an invisible colony".The relocation of the Marines is part of the changes America and Japanare making to their alliances, which include the realignment of USbases in Japan.It is also to return "very valuable land on Okinawa to the Japanese"and ease the burden on Japanese people who are paying for thestationing of US forces in Okinawa.Guam is also close enough for the defence of Japan, should the need arise.PROBLEMS: For the Chamorus, the move will only create a host ofsocial, economic, health and environmental problems."These range from noise pollution that has been found to affect thebirth weight of babies in other highly militarised areas, an increasein traffic, an overtaxing of our already strained infrastructure (suchas utility systems) and an increase in the rental market, therebycrowding out the local population from land and home ownership intheir own homeland."There is also the threat to the opportunity for the Chamoru toexercise self-determination rights as defined by the United Nations."As a first strike zone location in military tactics, the safety ofthe island from military attack is compromised as in the case of WorldWar II, in which the island was invaded by the Japanese before beingreoccupied by the United States," says Nativdad.She claims the American government has continued to disregard theirconcerns for the environmental contamination left by the military.Examples of this include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) found inGuam's harbours, Agents Orange and Purple found in illegal dumpingsites by the military throughout the island, the island's continuedstruggle with radiation exposure as a result of ships being sunk inGuam's harbours in the 1970s as well as down winds bringing radiationto Guam as a result of US nuclear testing in Micronesia in the 1950s.Manufactures of PCBs, Agent Orange and Agent Purple have long beenbanned by America because of their harmful effects on human health."These environmental concerns have resulted in extremely high rates ofcancer and other diseases among the Chamoru population as indicated inthe 5.2 percent of the island's population being elderly compared withthe US national average of about 12 percent."The US military presence on Guam has resulted in poor health outcomesfor the Chamoru people."The local government is primarily motivated by the promise of therelocation of the Marines being an economic panacea, therebyrevitalising the local economy."However, true economists know that militarisation does not lead toeconomic stability. Rather, it reinforces the economic dependency ofthe host jurisdiction (in this case Guam) on the administering power(in this case the United States)."The only panacea to Guam's economic woes is the development ofalternative industries to militarisation and tourism," Nativdad says.According to the Chamorus, there has also been no study done on thesocial and economic impacts of the military presence in Guam. TheAmerican occupation of Okinawa has not been a good record either.In 1995, three marines were charged with the rape of a 12-year-oldschoolgirl and in 2000 another marine was charged with molesting a14-year-old high school student.One of the Chamoru activists, Julian Aguon, in his testimony to the UNsaid Guam could also suffer the same fate.In an interview with ABC News in 2003, soon after the news of therelocation was known, Hideo Asato from the Okinawa Peace MovementCentre said Okinawa had been suffering from American military presencefor decades."The report suggests the Marines will move to Australia but theyshould move back to America, otherwise Australia will suffer like us,"he told ABC news.According to the Marianas Variety, over the next 10 years Guam willsee an increase of Air Force personnel to about 4500 and navypersonnel from 4000 to 8000. This is apart from the 17,000 marines andtheir dependents who will would be relocated to Guam.At the Andersen Air Force base, military installation was preparingfor 3100 more active duty personnel and their dependants to bedeployed in the next few years—in addition to the 8500 officers andtheir dependants already at the base.CAMPAIGN: Nativdad says they will campaign for as long as it takes tohave their concerns heard.Their fight is particularly difficult because though they are UScitizens, they are citizens without the right to vote, therebyweakening their ability to determine local policies that are set bythe federal government.Guam's congressional representative does not have a vote and can onlylobby—Guam is an unincorporated US territory with limitedconstitutional rights."We are currently working very closely with alliances in the AsiaPacific region," Nativdad says."In addition, we have launched a stick campaign stating "8000? Howwill it change our lives" to help stir the debate amongst ourpopulation. There are also efforts to bring Okinawan activists toshare the truth of their experiences in hosting the marines over thesepast years."Most importantly, we are challenging people to ponder the criticalquestion: "If the presence of the Marines is such a good thing forGuam, then why is Japan willing to pay US$6 billion to get them out?