US Congressional Committee Approves Self-Determination Assistance to Territories
Pacific News Center
Guahan (Guam)
19th November 2009
Guam - The House Committee on Natural Resources has approved a bill that would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to extend technical assistance grants and other assistance to facilitate a political status public education program on Guam. It will now go onto the full house for approval. The bill was sponsored by Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo.
In a release, Bordallo says the full committee approved her amended bill that would allow for Interior to also extend assistance to American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands for their own political status education programs.
The amended version of H.R. 3940 was voted on by unanimous consent.
The mark up of H.R. 3940 comes two weeks after Congresswoman Bordallo chaired a hearing on the bill in the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans, and Wildlife.
H.R. 3940 may be taken up for consideration in the near future.
In a release, “The full committee’s approval of H.R. 3940 signals that political status education for non-self-governing territories is a priority for the committee that has jurisdiction over the territories."
"The amended bill now includes authorization for political status education grants for Guam, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands at the request of Congressman Eni Faleomavaega of American Samoa and Congresswoman Donna Christensen of the U.S. Virgin Islands."
"While each territory may approach this issue in a manner appropriate to their circumstances, we can all agree that there is a federal responsibility to assist the territories in self-determination, and that this process cannot be successful without a robust political status education component."
"I also appreciate the testimony of our local leaders including Governor Felix Camacho, who testified in person at the hearing, and Speaker Judith Won Pat and Senator Ben Pangelinan who provided written testimonies. This bill was also supported by a coalition of ten organizations on Guam that support decolonization. The testimonies provided by our local leaders and our indigenous rights community representatives helped to make the case of the importance of a path to decolonization for the people of the U.S. territories that are still listed by the United Nations as non-self-governing." (emphasis added)
"The Obama Administration’s support for this political status education bill was also encouraging, and I will be requesting Assistant Secretary Tony Babauta’s leadership to help Guam and the other non-self-governing territories with this process. I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress on the issue of political development for our community, and I am hopeful that this bill will help to provide resources to Guam and the other non-self-governing territories for political status education.”
Editor's Note: The Bordallo legislation was also supported by organisations of civil society in Guahan (Guam) which forwarded collective testimony to the US Congress in favour of the measure. Their presentation in support of the bill provides important context to this initiative, and should serve as a guide to the implementation of the measure.
It is to be noted that a number of their recommended amendments have been included in the final version of the bill adopted by consensus in the House Natural Resources Committee, such as the expression of support for the inclusion of the other two US-administered territories presently on the United Nations List of Non Self-Governing Territories, namely American Samoa and the US Virgin Islands. This broader focus is highly commendable, and also has the effect of heightening its importance as the measure proceeds further through the legislative process in Washington. Congress may now recognise that Puerto Rico is not the only US-administered territory in need of a self-determination process.
The active participation of civil society sector in the territories is critical to the successful implementation of this measure to ensure an unbiased and fair process of self-determination based on the legitimate status options of political equality confirmed year after year by the United Nations with United States concurrence. The recent forum held in St. Croix by the United Nations Association of the Virgin Islands last month (October) initiated an important public dialogue in that Caribbean territory - for the first time in over a decade - on the political future of that US-administered territory, and American Samoa's political status commission report completed several years ago and the subsequent initiatives being undertaken by the Governor of that territory, are further illustration.
OTR will shortly publish the relevant excerpts of the United Nations Fourth Committee resolutions concerning the self-determination of the territories adopted as recently as last month (October).
The joint testimony of the Guahan (Guam) civil society follows:
Joint Testimony in Support of H.R. 3940
November 11, 2009On behalf of the following organizations:
Chamorro Studies Association
Chamoru Cultural Development and Research Institute
Commission on Decolonization: Independence Task Force
Famoksaiyan
Guahån Coalition for Peace and Justice
The Guahån Youth
Guam Community College's Center for Civic Engagement
I Nasion Chamoru
National Association of Social Workers: Guam Chapter
Taotaomo’na Native Rights Group
The political and social climate of Guam is changing rapidly, yet the island’s people have yet to determine whether or not this change is the future they desire. With an unresolved political status, the people of Guam have been denied the human right to determine their future. This human right to self-determination can no longer be ignored. Therefore, our non-governmental organizations have come together to support H.R. 3940, which “authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to extend grants and other assistance to facilitate a political status public education program for the people of Guam.” We support this bill for the following reasons:
• As noted by Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo in her remarks introducing this bill, the political status of Guam remains unresolved. Over the course of Guam’s 111-year relationship with the United States, only few significant changes have been made with regards to the island’s political status. These changes, however, have not been sufficient, as Guam remains in an ambiguous political position, without a path to self-determination. Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory – it belongs to the United States, but it is not a part of the nation.
• The people of Guam have expressed their desire for a new political status in the past; however, our aspirations have not been realized despite efforts by Guam’s representatives, the administration and Congress. H.R. 3940 could provide an important catalyst in terms of reinvigorating the process of self-determination on Guam; first by helping to educate its people about the options available to them in their political evolution, and secondly by placing the issue of self-determination itself back on the Federal agenda in Washington D.C.
• To our knowledge this is the first time that a Guam Delegate has sought to clarify the role and responsibility of the Department of Interior to ensure the economic, social and political development of Guam. As Bordallo notes, federal funding for political status education is not without precedent. We support this bill because federal assistance for political status education has never been provided to Guam despite the legal and moral responsibility of the United States, as a signatory to the United Nation’s charter, to support the movement of its non-self-governing territories towards full self-government via a referendum consistent with international standards for decolonization.
• In recent years the United States Federal government has drifted towards disengagement and silence as to its position on territorial self-determination, and has both metaphorically and physically removed itself from its seat of obligation in the United Nations. This bill can be an important step towards helping the United States towards charting a clear and transparent course of action in order to fulfill its legal and moral responsibility as the administering power of a number of non-self-governing territories as mandated by the United Nations.
• To this end, we recommend that the bill be revised so that the Department of Interior may extend such funding and assistance to American Samoa and the US Virgin Islands, whose political status also remains unresolved.
• At present, the Guam initiated Commission on Decolonization for the Implementation and Exercise of Chamorro Self-Determination (1GCA Chapter 21) has yet to undertake its mission due to a lack of funding for a public information program.
• We believe that the unprecedented military buildup which has been initiated in Guam poses a serious threat to the realization of political self-determination. The plans contained in the bilateral agreement signed by the United States and Japan to relocate US Marines from Okinawa to Guam by 2014 makes the need for political status education funding necessary for this purpose, and a realistic time table for a self-determination plebiscite more critical than ever.
• We believe that the exercise of our human right to self-determination can only be achieved through the concerted and coordinated efforts of the people of Guam, our elected leaders, the federal government and the United Nations. To this end, we are mobilized and committed as non-governmental organizations to seek and support such multilevel action.
• While it is the obligation of the United States, as the administering power that placed Guam in its current political status, to fund a political status education program, it is important to note that the materials and parameters of the program must be made and decided by the people of Guam. The U.S. is mandated under international law to monetarily support and respect the self-determination of the peoples of its non-self governing territories; however, the U.S. must not impose its desired path on the people. Instead, we recommend that Congress make funding for this program available to an unbiased institution like the University of Guam, which can design and carry out an effective and relevant education program.
We commend Congresswoman Bordallo for placing this issue on the Congressional agenda at this critical moment in the shared history of the United States and our island.
We also urge Congresswoman Bordallo and all members of the Committee on Natural Resources to take every opportunity to impress upon all members of Congress the essential links between any plan for increased militarization of our island and the unresolved issue of political status.
In his 2008 campaign, President Barack Obama committed to supporting “full self-government and self-determination for the people of Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands, and their right to decide their future status.” While we believe that this bill can be a crucial first step towards realizing this commitment, as the United States moves to increase its military presence in this region of the world, it is imperative that the issue of self-determination and political status remain front and center, not an afterthought.
We believe the success of any plan to position Guam as “The Tip of the Spear” for US forward defense in the region must follow, not precede, resolution of Guam’s political status, and the fulfillment of the United States’ legal and moral obligation to promote the inalienable right to self-determination of the people of Guam. This will ensure that any militarization which takes place in Guam or other territories will be based on the principles of genuine security, and on respect for human needs and rights.
Si Yu’us Ma’åse
Showing posts with label Nasion Chamoru. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nasion Chamoru. Show all posts
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Democrazy Now!: Guam Residents Organize Against US Plans for $15B Military Buildup on Pacific Island
Democracy Now!: Guam Residents Organize Against US Plans for $15B Military Buildup on Pacific Island
Part 1
Part 2
Guam Residents Organize Against US Plans for $15B Military Buildup on Pacific Island
The United States is planning an enormous $15 billion military buildup on the Pacific island of Guam. The project would turn the thirty-mile-long island into a major hub for US military operations in the Pacific in what has been described as the largest military buildup in recent history. We speak with Julian Aguon, a civil rights attorney from the Chamoru nation in Guam.
Part 1
Part 2
Guam Residents Organize Against US Plans for $15B Military Buildup on Pacific Island
The United States is planning an enormous $15 billion military buildup on the Pacific island of Guam. The project would turn the thirty-mile-long island into a major hub for US military operations in the Pacific in what has been described as the largest military buildup in recent history. We speak with Julian Aguon, a civil rights attorney from the Chamoru nation in Guam.
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Guam Delegation To UN Sparks Up Self Determination Question
Guam Delegation To UN Sparks Up Self Determination Question
Written by Guam News Factor Staff Writer
Friday, 09 October 2009 02:43
Chamoru Nation: 'We Need UN Intervention'
This news announcement has been repurposed from an official United Nations General Assembly press release posted at the UN website on October 7, 2009.
(Edited for use by Guam News Factor)
GUAM / New York City / 7 October 2009 - The United Nations Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its consideration of decolonization items on Wednesday afternoon, October 7, hearing 22 petitioners on the questions of Gibraltar, Guam and Western Sahara.
On the question of Guam, several petitioners expressed concern about the United States planned military expansion on the island and stressed that their pleas for assistance had essentially fallen on deaf ears. Calling the United States pledge made in 1946 to ensure the decolonization of Guam "politically empty and spiritually murderous" words, a representative of the Chamoru Nation said his group came to New York year after year to, in effect, "throw ourselves on the funeral pyre that is the United Nations decolonization apparatus".
Speaking on Wednesday on the question of Guam's political status were Michael Tuncap, of the Pacific Islands Study Group of the University of California, Berkeley; Hope Alvarez Cristobal, Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice; David Roberts, PhD candidate in the Department of Geography of the University of Toronto; Megan Roberto, of the University of California Berkeley Pacific Islander Alumni; Josette Marie Quinata, Southern California Chapter of Famoksaiyan; and Destiny Tedtaotao, a Graduate Student at the University of Southern California School of Social Work.Petitioners on Question of Guam
MICHAEL TUNCAP, of the Pacific Islands Study Group of the University of California, Berkeley, said that as a descendant of a 4,000 year civilization that had existed before the nations of Germany, France, Great Britain and the United States, he requested that the United Nations recognize the inalienable right to self-determination of Guam. The continued occupation of United States military forces in Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands was rooted in a system of racial inequality between European Americans, Asian and Pacific settlers and the indigenous Chamorro people.
He said that since initial contact with the United States in 1898, massive pacification and military occupation had prevented the people of Guam from exercising their inalienable right to self-determination. Colonial ideas of racial and gender superiority had shaped a long history of military violence and United States economic security. As such, the United States currently asserted that its citizens -- military personnel -- had a "constitutional" right to vote in the people's decolonization plebiscite.
However, he said, the indigenous Chamorro people in the Marianas and the other island residents were denied the right to vote in United States elections. The United States also continued to deprive the people of Guam their right to land, even as they caused the toxic pollution that was irreparably damaging the environment. The United States military also threatened the integrity of the land through economic colonization, and colonialism had also caused irreparable harm to bodies of land and water. For those and other reasons, the Fourth Committee must immediately enact the process of decolonization for Guam in lieu of the severe, irreversible impacts of United States militarization. The process must include the maximum funding allowed to achieve a far-reaching education campaign informing all Chamorus from Guam of their right to self-determination and decolonization options, he said.
HOPE ALVAREZ CRISTOBAL, Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice, said the Chamorro people of Guam had a long history as a free and independent people, interrupted by over 450 years of colonization by outside nations beginning in the sixteenth century. She said that earlier United Nations resolutions had addressed military issues in the operative clause calling on the administering Power "to ensure that the presence of military bases and installations would not constitute an obstacle to decolonization". However, she said the United Nations today seemed satisfied with obscure reference to the military -- the single most serious impediment to decolonization. Those types of changes undermined the intent and purpose of the United Nations Charter, especially Chapter 11, devoted to the "territories whose people had not attained a full measure of self-government".
The administering Power of Guam had in the past cited the issue of its military activities as one of the reasons why that Power would no longer cooperate with the Committee. She noted the "positive light" used to describe the massive militarization of Guam in the working paper, which said its inhabitants "generally welcomed the build-up", and she said nothing could be further from the truth. The militarization of the Chamorro people through the militarization of Guam, combined with over a century of United States immigration policies, was a flagrant violation by the administering Power of accepted standards in its fiduciary responsibilities, and must be addressed.
JULIAN AGUON, speaking on behalf of the Chamoru Nation, said instead of advancing the decolonization mandate of Guam, the United States was engaged in the largest military build-up in recent history, with plans that would bring, among other things, 50,000 people and six nuclear submarines. The United States pledge in 1946 to ensure its decolonization mandate on Guam had, half a century later, become "politically empty and spiritually murderous" words, and the Chamorro people continued to live in colonial conditions. That was why his delegation had come to New York, year after year to, in effect, "throw ourselves on the funeral pyre that is the United Nations decolonization apparatus".
Self-determination, as outlined in the United Nations Charter and international conventions, was an inalienable right, he said. As a Member State, the United States was bound to protect and advance the human rights articulated within the United Nations system. "We need United Nations intervention into the increasingly desperate human rights situation in Guam," he said. "The hyper-militarization of Guam is no doubt illegal under any principled construction of international law."
DAVID ROBERTS, PhD candidate in the Department of Geography of the University of Toronto, said that the United Nations must work for a just solution in Guam, based on the understanding that Guam's status as a non-self-governing entity effected the ability of the Chamorro people to make crucial decisions about their lives and where they lived. He maintained that Guam's virtual status as a colony should be abhorrent to those who champion democracy around the world.
He urged the Committee to give top priority to the fulfilment of the right of Chamorro to self-determination through a decolonization process that included a fully-funded campaign informing all Chamorro from Guam of their rights and options. The Committee, with United Nations funding, must investigate the administering Power's non-compliance with its international obligation to promote the economic, social and cultural well-being of Guam, and must send a team within the next six months to assess the effects of the past and future militarization of the island. Finally, he said the Committee must comply with the Indigenous Forum's request for an expert seminar to examine the impact of the United Nations decolonization process on indigenous peoples.
MEGAN ROBERTO, of the University of California Berkeley Pacific Islander Alumni, said that, having been educated by one of the best universities in the world, she spoke English with no recollection of her mother tongue. She was a success story of the United States colonization of Guam. However, she questioned that success, wondering if leaving the island had been the best option for her family.
Continuing, she said the physical and emotional consequences that colonization had had on the remaining Chamorro who lived on Guahan pointed to a positive answer. Among other things, Chamorro people had been exposed to radiation, Agent Orange and Agent Purple as a result of the island being a decontamination site for the United States in the 1970s. The community was also robbed of its cultural resources. The effects of colonialism on the Chamorro people had travelled along with them in the forced migration and assimilation. However, forced migration was not self-determination.
She said that the Committee should give top priority to the fulfilment of her people's inalienable right to self-determination and immediately enact the process of decolonization of Guahan in lieu of severe, irreversible impacts of United States militarization. The process must include a fully-funded and far-reaching education campaign informing all Chamorro from Guahan of their right to self-determination and decolonization options.
The Committee must send United Nations representatives to the island within the next six months to assess the implications of United States militarization plans on the decolonization of Guahan and the human rights implications of the United States military presence. And finally, the Committee must comply with the recommendations of other United Nations agencies, especially the Permanent Forum in Indigenous Issues, which had recently requested an expert seminar to examine the impact of the United Nations decolonization process on indigenous peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories.
JOSETTE MARIE QUINATA, Southern California Chapter of Famoksaiyan, said her homeland was threatened by the impending United States military build-up on Guam that was scheduled to begin in 2010. Yet Guam continued to be excluded from decisions that would affect the very people whose environment would be destroyed, and whose concerns were "second to militarization and colonialism". The question of Guam was not solely based on political turmoil and chaos among those who claimed Guam as a United States "possession", but also a reflection of Guam's identity, which continued to suffer from political hegemony and an administering Power that failed to recognize and respect political rights.
She recounted a dream in which she saw her ancestors, and spoke about revitalizing the Chamorro people and preserving their language and culture. She said that a "powerful calling" had kept her passion alive in understanding Guam's heritage and struggle for self-determination. She looked forward to creating a future "moved by heart, strength, and courage" to reaffirm that the question of Guam was a question of decolonization and the eradication of militarism and colonialism.
DESTINY TEDTAOTAO, a Graduate Student at the University of Southern California School of Social Work, speaking on behalf of the Chamorro grass-roots organization "I Nasion Chamoru", said that as the end Second Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism neared, Guam unfortunately still remained a Non-Self-Governing Territory under the United States. Guam continued to be a possession of its colonizers, and the Chamorro people were still being denied their rights to land and political destiny.
She said the devastation wrought on the island and its people created an uphill climb for self-determination. Yet, with the impending military build-up on Guam that was to start in 2010, she asked that the United Nations uphold the promise and "sacred trust" set forth in General Assembly resolutions 1514 and 1542, and ultimately hold accountable Guam's administering Power in recognizing and respecting its quest for self-determination.
The people of Guam were strong, and had a resilient culture that had continued to prevail amidst agonies of political disarray, militarism and colonial dominance. Yet, the people's voices for choosing their own political destiny had been silenced, ignored and misunderstood. Guam's administering Power had neglected the people's right as an indigenous people, and the people had long suffered at the hands of outside influences and decisions that neglected their voices and interests. As a daughter of Guam, self-determination was not only a word that encompassed and exuded empowerment, but also a struggle, she said.
Read the original United Nations General Assembly news release in its entirety, Hearing Petitioners on Questions of Gibraltar, Guam, Western Sahara, Fourth Committee Continues Decolonization Debate: Weary of ‘Empty Words', Speakers Urge Administering Powers to Live Up To International Obligations, Set Self-Determination Processes in Motion", October 7, 2009.
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/gaspd424.doc.htm
Read the WebNEWSWIRE post in its entirety: "Hearing Petitioners on Questions of Gibraltar, Guam, Western Sahara, Fourth Committee Continues Decolonization Debate:UN", Submitted by Navneet Singh on October 8, 2009 - 20:43
http://www.webnewswire.com/node/470097
Written by Guam News Factor Staff Writer
Friday, 09 October 2009 02:43
Chamoru Nation: 'We Need UN Intervention'
This news announcement has been repurposed from an official United Nations General Assembly press release posted at the UN website on October 7, 2009.
(Edited for use by Guam News Factor)
GUAM / New York City / 7 October 2009 - The United Nations Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its consideration of decolonization items on Wednesday afternoon, October 7, hearing 22 petitioners on the questions of Gibraltar, Guam and Western Sahara.
On the question of Guam, several petitioners expressed concern about the United States planned military expansion on the island and stressed that their pleas for assistance had essentially fallen on deaf ears. Calling the United States pledge made in 1946 to ensure the decolonization of Guam "politically empty and spiritually murderous" words, a representative of the Chamoru Nation said his group came to New York year after year to, in effect, "throw ourselves on the funeral pyre that is the United Nations decolonization apparatus".
Speaking on Wednesday on the question of Guam's political status were Michael Tuncap, of the Pacific Islands Study Group of the University of California, Berkeley; Hope Alvarez Cristobal, Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice; David Roberts, PhD candidate in the Department of Geography of the University of Toronto; Megan Roberto, of the University of California Berkeley Pacific Islander Alumni; Josette Marie Quinata, Southern California Chapter of Famoksaiyan; and Destiny Tedtaotao, a Graduate Student at the University of Southern California School of Social Work.Petitioners on Question of Guam
MICHAEL TUNCAP, of the Pacific Islands Study Group of the University of California, Berkeley, said that as a descendant of a 4,000 year civilization that had existed before the nations of Germany, France, Great Britain and the United States, he requested that the United Nations recognize the inalienable right to self-determination of Guam. The continued occupation of United States military forces in Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands was rooted in a system of racial inequality between European Americans, Asian and Pacific settlers and the indigenous Chamorro people.
He said that since initial contact with the United States in 1898, massive pacification and military occupation had prevented the people of Guam from exercising their inalienable right to self-determination. Colonial ideas of racial and gender superiority had shaped a long history of military violence and United States economic security. As such, the United States currently asserted that its citizens -- military personnel -- had a "constitutional" right to vote in the people's decolonization plebiscite.
However, he said, the indigenous Chamorro people in the Marianas and the other island residents were denied the right to vote in United States elections. The United States also continued to deprive the people of Guam their right to land, even as they caused the toxic pollution that was irreparably damaging the environment. The United States military also threatened the integrity of the land through economic colonization, and colonialism had also caused irreparable harm to bodies of land and water. For those and other reasons, the Fourth Committee must immediately enact the process of decolonization for Guam in lieu of the severe, irreversible impacts of United States militarization. The process must include the maximum funding allowed to achieve a far-reaching education campaign informing all Chamorus from Guam of their right to self-determination and decolonization options, he said.
HOPE ALVAREZ CRISTOBAL, Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice, said the Chamorro people of Guam had a long history as a free and independent people, interrupted by over 450 years of colonization by outside nations beginning in the sixteenth century. She said that earlier United Nations resolutions had addressed military issues in the operative clause calling on the administering Power "to ensure that the presence of military bases and installations would not constitute an obstacle to decolonization". However, she said the United Nations today seemed satisfied with obscure reference to the military -- the single most serious impediment to decolonization. Those types of changes undermined the intent and purpose of the United Nations Charter, especially Chapter 11, devoted to the "territories whose people had not attained a full measure of self-government".
The administering Power of Guam had in the past cited the issue of its military activities as one of the reasons why that Power would no longer cooperate with the Committee. She noted the "positive light" used to describe the massive militarization of Guam in the working paper, which said its inhabitants "generally welcomed the build-up", and she said nothing could be further from the truth. The militarization of the Chamorro people through the militarization of Guam, combined with over a century of United States immigration policies, was a flagrant violation by the administering Power of accepted standards in its fiduciary responsibilities, and must be addressed.
JULIAN AGUON, speaking on behalf of the Chamoru Nation, said instead of advancing the decolonization mandate of Guam, the United States was engaged in the largest military build-up in recent history, with plans that would bring, among other things, 50,000 people and six nuclear submarines. The United States pledge in 1946 to ensure its decolonization mandate on Guam had, half a century later, become "politically empty and spiritually murderous" words, and the Chamorro people continued to live in colonial conditions. That was why his delegation had come to New York, year after year to, in effect, "throw ourselves on the funeral pyre that is the United Nations decolonization apparatus".
Self-determination, as outlined in the United Nations Charter and international conventions, was an inalienable right, he said. As a Member State, the United States was bound to protect and advance the human rights articulated within the United Nations system. "We need United Nations intervention into the increasingly desperate human rights situation in Guam," he said. "The hyper-militarization of Guam is no doubt illegal under any principled construction of international law."
DAVID ROBERTS, PhD candidate in the Department of Geography of the University of Toronto, said that the United Nations must work for a just solution in Guam, based on the understanding that Guam's status as a non-self-governing entity effected the ability of the Chamorro people to make crucial decisions about their lives and where they lived. He maintained that Guam's virtual status as a colony should be abhorrent to those who champion democracy around the world.
He urged the Committee to give top priority to the fulfilment of the right of Chamorro to self-determination through a decolonization process that included a fully-funded campaign informing all Chamorro from Guam of their rights and options. The Committee, with United Nations funding, must investigate the administering Power's non-compliance with its international obligation to promote the economic, social and cultural well-being of Guam, and must send a team within the next six months to assess the effects of the past and future militarization of the island. Finally, he said the Committee must comply with the Indigenous Forum's request for an expert seminar to examine the impact of the United Nations decolonization process on indigenous peoples.
MEGAN ROBERTO, of the University of California Berkeley Pacific Islander Alumni, said that, having been educated by one of the best universities in the world, she spoke English with no recollection of her mother tongue. She was a success story of the United States colonization of Guam. However, she questioned that success, wondering if leaving the island had been the best option for her family.
Continuing, she said the physical and emotional consequences that colonization had had on the remaining Chamorro who lived on Guahan pointed to a positive answer. Among other things, Chamorro people had been exposed to radiation, Agent Orange and Agent Purple as a result of the island being a decontamination site for the United States in the 1970s. The community was also robbed of its cultural resources. The effects of colonialism on the Chamorro people had travelled along with them in the forced migration and assimilation. However, forced migration was not self-determination.
She said that the Committee should give top priority to the fulfilment of her people's inalienable right to self-determination and immediately enact the process of decolonization of Guahan in lieu of severe, irreversible impacts of United States militarization. The process must include a fully-funded and far-reaching education campaign informing all Chamorro from Guahan of their right to self-determination and decolonization options.
The Committee must send United Nations representatives to the island within the next six months to assess the implications of United States militarization plans on the decolonization of Guahan and the human rights implications of the United States military presence. And finally, the Committee must comply with the recommendations of other United Nations agencies, especially the Permanent Forum in Indigenous Issues, which had recently requested an expert seminar to examine the impact of the United Nations decolonization process on indigenous peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories.
JOSETTE MARIE QUINATA, Southern California Chapter of Famoksaiyan, said her homeland was threatened by the impending United States military build-up on Guam that was scheduled to begin in 2010. Yet Guam continued to be excluded from decisions that would affect the very people whose environment would be destroyed, and whose concerns were "second to militarization and colonialism". The question of Guam was not solely based on political turmoil and chaos among those who claimed Guam as a United States "possession", but also a reflection of Guam's identity, which continued to suffer from political hegemony and an administering Power that failed to recognize and respect political rights.
She recounted a dream in which she saw her ancestors, and spoke about revitalizing the Chamorro people and preserving their language and culture. She said that a "powerful calling" had kept her passion alive in understanding Guam's heritage and struggle for self-determination. She looked forward to creating a future "moved by heart, strength, and courage" to reaffirm that the question of Guam was a question of decolonization and the eradication of militarism and colonialism.
DESTINY TEDTAOTAO, a Graduate Student at the University of Southern California School of Social Work, speaking on behalf of the Chamorro grass-roots organization "I Nasion Chamoru", said that as the end Second Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism neared, Guam unfortunately still remained a Non-Self-Governing Territory under the United States. Guam continued to be a possession of its colonizers, and the Chamorro people were still being denied their rights to land and political destiny.
She said the devastation wrought on the island and its people created an uphill climb for self-determination. Yet, with the impending military build-up on Guam that was to start in 2010, she asked that the United Nations uphold the promise and "sacred trust" set forth in General Assembly resolutions 1514 and 1542, and ultimately hold accountable Guam's administering Power in recognizing and respecting its quest for self-determination.
The people of Guam were strong, and had a resilient culture that had continued to prevail amidst agonies of political disarray, militarism and colonial dominance. Yet, the people's voices for choosing their own political destiny had been silenced, ignored and misunderstood. Guam's administering Power had neglected the people's right as an indigenous people, and the people had long suffered at the hands of outside influences and decisions that neglected their voices and interests. As a daughter of Guam, self-determination was not only a word that encompassed and exuded empowerment, but also a struggle, she said.
Read the original United Nations General Assembly news release in its entirety, Hearing Petitioners on Questions of Gibraltar, Guam, Western Sahara, Fourth Committee Continues Decolonization Debate: Weary of ‘Empty Words', Speakers Urge Administering Powers to Live Up To International Obligations, Set Self-Determination Processes in Motion", October 7, 2009.
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/gaspd424.doc.htm
Read the WebNEWSWIRE post in its entirety: "Hearing Petitioners on Questions of Gibraltar, Guam, Western Sahara, Fourth Committee Continues Decolonization Debate:UN", Submitted by Navneet Singh on October 8, 2009 - 20:43
http://www.webnewswire.com/node/470097
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Reclaim Guahan Rally Gathers Strength
"Reclaim Guahan Rally" Gathers Strength
By Jude Lizama
Marianas Variety
May 11th, 2009
THE Guåhan Youth, an umbrella group for the island’s youth and grassroots organizations, will hold a rally that will amplify their collective voice that has been muffled amid rapid changes resulting from the ongoing military buildup and what some people consider “federal interference.” The rally, billed “Reclaim Guåhan: Chule' Tatte Guåhan,” will be a venue for education, expression and empowerment, featuring honored speakers, poetry, art, film showings and local music among others.
The overall goal to teach those in attendance about the island’s critical issues and the ability to express various opinions will be highlighted throughout.
The rally is scheduled to be held from 2 to 8 p.m. on May 23 at Skinner’s Plaza in Hagåtña.
“It stems from the $1 million a week put forth by Judge [Frances] Tydingco-Gatewood, which we saw as federal interference on local governance,” stated primary event coordinator Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero.
She cited such factors as the military buildup, land grabbing and lack of self determination as central reasons that prompted the Guåhan Youth to initiate a rally that centralizes on indigenous people’s self determination and other fundamental freedoms.
“It’s amazing that a lot of it is coming from the youth. People shouldn’t have to resign to hopelessness. The rally is intended to empower future generations to take leadership,” said Leon Guerrero, adding that the Guåhan Youth will show what they are “capable of as a community.”
“It’s frustrating to know that no one has spoken out,” said Leon Guerrero. “We need to focus on our language and culture in order to help stop all of this, and keep it as the land of the Chamorros. We don’t have power as a nation, but it is something that we are entitled to.”
I Nasion Chamoru’s Maga’ Håga, Debbie Quinata, said I Nasion Chamoru is a supporter and that in no way should I Nasion Chamoru take any credit for the upcoming Chule' Tatte Guåhan rally, which has been materialized and bolstered by the island’s youth movement.
“It’s important for young people to take responsibility for what will be their future. I will not take credit for this ingenious movement,” Quinata said. “It’s a great way to get information out to the community.”
By Jude Lizama
Marianas Variety
May 11th, 2009
THE Guåhan Youth, an umbrella group for the island’s youth and grassroots organizations, will hold a rally that will amplify their collective voice that has been muffled amid rapid changes resulting from the ongoing military buildup and what some people consider “federal interference.” The rally, billed “Reclaim Guåhan: Chule' Tatte Guåhan,” will be a venue for education, expression and empowerment, featuring honored speakers, poetry, art, film showings and local music among others.
The overall goal to teach those in attendance about the island’s critical issues and the ability to express various opinions will be highlighted throughout.
The rally is scheduled to be held from 2 to 8 p.m. on May 23 at Skinner’s Plaza in Hagåtña.
“It stems from the $1 million a week put forth by Judge [Frances] Tydingco-Gatewood, which we saw as federal interference on local governance,” stated primary event coordinator Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero.
She cited such factors as the military buildup, land grabbing and lack of self determination as central reasons that prompted the Guåhan Youth to initiate a rally that centralizes on indigenous people’s self determination and other fundamental freedoms.
“It’s amazing that a lot of it is coming from the youth. People shouldn’t have to resign to hopelessness. The rally is intended to empower future generations to take leadership,” said Leon Guerrero, adding that the Guåhan Youth will show what they are “capable of as a community.”
“It’s frustrating to know that no one has spoken out,” said Leon Guerrero. “We need to focus on our language and culture in order to help stop all of this, and keep it as the land of the Chamorros. We don’t have power as a nation, but it is something that we are entitled to.”
I Nasion Chamoru’s Maga’ Håga, Debbie Quinata, said I Nasion Chamoru is a supporter and that in no way should I Nasion Chamoru take any credit for the upcoming Chule' Tatte Guåhan rally, which has been materialized and bolstered by the island’s youth movement.
“It’s important for young people to take responsibility for what will be their future. I will not take credit for this ingenious movement,” Quinata said. “It’s a great way to get information out to the community.”
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Remembering Angel Santos
Remembering Angel Santos
Thursday, 16 April 2009 03:16 by Zita Y. Taitano | Variety News Staff
THERE may be no official ceremony to mark the 50th birthday of the late senator Angel Santos, but those who remember his contributions to Guam lit candles to honor the man who fought for the Chamorro people’s rights.The late stone park in Hagatna was named in honor of the late senator Angel Santos, who was known as an advocate of Chamorro rights and credited for the creation of the Chamorro Land Trust Commission.photos by Zita Y. Taitano
Surviving family members, relatives, friends, supporters and activists gathered at the Angel Santos Latte Stone Park in Hagatna on Tuesday night to pay tribute to the late senator, who passed away in July 2003 at the age of 44.
Among the coordinators of the ceremony was Jonathan Diaz, of Nasion Chamorro, who said that the main people responsible for the event were the Santos family.
Diaz said the family traditionally held a ceremony to commemorate Diaz’s death, but this year they decided to pay homage to him on his birthday, April 14.
Tuesday night’s vigil attracted more than 200 people, most of whom knew Santos not only as a leader, but as a friend.
“People are still mourning their leader’s death. When we look back, we realize that he was radical in a sense,” said Diaz.
Paraphrasing a speech that Santos delivered years ago, Diaz said the community “cannot be passive nor silent and that the government should stand in defense of its people.”
“Let’s help our people. Please stand and make it work. Nobody’s Angel Santos. I think he would stand for the plight of our people,” Diaz said.
Santos was credited for the creation of the Chamorro Land Trust Commission, which is currently facing challenges.
Activist Debbie Quinata said if “Anghet were alive, the situation with Chamorro land trust would not have taken place.”Family members light candles at the Angel Santos Latte Stone Park in Hagatna on Tuesday night to pay tribute to the late senator.photos by Zita Y. Taitano
“He would’ve watched it closely and would’ve been in compliance with the law,” said Quinata. “I think that when we lost Angel we lost a man of compassion and a man of integrity and its’ a very big loss for the Chamorro people of Guam.”
She recalled that Santos was not easily intimated and that he questioned authority in the proper manner.
“We lost a great leader and its’ sad for the upcoming generation,” Quinata said. “But I think his contributions will never be forgotten. He taught the responsibility of standing for what’s right.”
She said Santos stood out from the rest because of his honesty and integrity.
Thursday, 16 April 2009 03:16 by Zita Y. Taitano | Variety News Staff
THERE may be no official ceremony to mark the 50th birthday of the late senator Angel Santos, but those who remember his contributions to Guam lit candles to honor the man who fought for the Chamorro people’s rights.The late stone park in Hagatna was named in honor of the late senator Angel Santos, who was known as an advocate of Chamorro rights and credited for the creation of the Chamorro Land Trust Commission.photos by Zita Y. Taitano
Surviving family members, relatives, friends, supporters and activists gathered at the Angel Santos Latte Stone Park in Hagatna on Tuesday night to pay tribute to the late senator, who passed away in July 2003 at the age of 44.
Among the coordinators of the ceremony was Jonathan Diaz, of Nasion Chamorro, who said that the main people responsible for the event were the Santos family.
Diaz said the family traditionally held a ceremony to commemorate Diaz’s death, but this year they decided to pay homage to him on his birthday, April 14.
Tuesday night’s vigil attracted more than 200 people, most of whom knew Santos not only as a leader, but as a friend.
“People are still mourning their leader’s death. When we look back, we realize that he was radical in a sense,” said Diaz.
Paraphrasing a speech that Santos delivered years ago, Diaz said the community “cannot be passive nor silent and that the government should stand in defense of its people.”
“Let’s help our people. Please stand and make it work. Nobody’s Angel Santos. I think he would stand for the plight of our people,” Diaz said.
Santos was credited for the creation of the Chamorro Land Trust Commission, which is currently facing challenges.
Activist Debbie Quinata said if “Anghet were alive, the situation with Chamorro land trust would not have taken place.”Family members light candles at the Angel Santos Latte Stone Park in Hagatna on Tuesday night to pay tribute to the late senator.photos by Zita Y. Taitano
“He would’ve watched it closely and would’ve been in compliance with the law,” said Quinata. “I think that when we lost Angel we lost a man of compassion and a man of integrity and its’ a very big loss for the Chamorro people of Guam.”
She recalled that Santos was not easily intimated and that he questioned authority in the proper manner.
“We lost a great leader and its’ sad for the upcoming generation,” Quinata said. “But I think his contributions will never be forgotten. He taught the responsibility of standing for what’s right.”
She said Santos stood out from the rest because of his honesty and integrity.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Guam Struggles to Find Its Roots From Beneath Growing Piles of Spam
WALL STREET JOURNAL
March 28, 2000
Guam Struggles to Find Its Roots Beneath Growing Piles of Spam
By ROBERT FRANK
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
HAGATNA, Guam -- The brochures for this breezy Pacific outpost boast of a "small island containing a world of cultures." On the main drag in downtown Hagatna, Japanese noodle shops thrive amid Dairy Queens, cha-cha clubs, Spanish-style Catholic churches and American strip clubs. There's even a Wild West-style shooting gallery that doubles as a wedding chapel for visiting South Koreans.
And what about the native culture of Guam? "Oh, gee. I'm not sure where to even look," says a Japanese concierge at the Guam Hyatt Regency. "Maybe the mall?"
Cold War Castaway
Forgive Guam its confusion. Officially, this small volcanic island in the middle of the Pacific, which has been colonized three times, is an "unincorporated territory of the U.S." Unofficially, it's a Cold War castaway looking for a purpose. For decades, it was supported by the Navy, and more recently, by Japanese tourists looking for a nearby beach and duty-free Chanel bags. Through it all, people here have patiently adopted the language, food, clothing and religion of their invaders in hopes of being accepted.
Yet now, with self-determination all the rage around the world, Guam is looking for its inner Guamanian. Local residents are scheduled to vote in July on whether to remain part of the U.S. or become independent, setting the stage for a new round of talks with Congress on the island's status. Guam's indigenous Chamorros are banding together to fight for Chamorro rights, Chamorro businesses and, most of all, Chamorro culture.
Leading the charge is the Chamorro Nation, a group of tattooed youths and tribal activists who seek to reclaim the country. Their methods are mild -- aside from staging the occasional sit-in, they give beach tours and fauna lessons.
The group has gained widespread popularity on an island searching for its precolonial roots. "We've had some tough times since Magellan landed" in 1521, says Eddie L.G. Benavente, leader of the Chamorro Nation, and a teacher at Guam's John F. Kennedy High School. "But now it's time to take control of our country and our culture."
Trouble is, after all those invasions, no one is quite sure what Chamorro culture is. On a steamy evening along the coast, the lights flicker on at Chamorro Village. A Spanish-style plaza of stalls and shops, Chamorro Village was born in the early 1990s to promote Chamorro arts and crafts and raise the profile of Chamorro culture. Tonight, only a few stalls are open -- and they're far from Chamorro.
Most sell kimonos and T-shirts. Carmen's Mexican Restaurant is dark, and the Jamaican Grille is empty. The only visitors are two Koreans sitting in the food court eating Szechuan food.
"You have to come on Wednesday nights," says Tien Bin Wu, a 67-year-old owner of a Cantonese food stall. "Wednesday night is Chamorro night."
At the far corner of the village, Jose Rosario proudly shows off his small collection of "genuine Chamorro artifacts." His store, called Che lu -- which means "brother" or "sister" in the rarely spoken language of Chamorro -- offers old-fashioned fishhooks and a collection of egg-shaped rocks that were once used in Chamorro slingshots. His biggest seller is the Che lu baseball hat.
Mr. Rosario concedes that four centuries of colonial rule have taken their toll on the Chamorro identity. Less than 40% of the island's 160,000 people are now considered "Chamorro," and most of them have Philippine or Mexican ancestors, dating from Guam's 18th- and 19th-century trading days. Most of the island's original settlers -- of Malay and Indonesian descent -- were wiped out by either disease or war with the various colonizers, which included the Spanish, Americans and Japanese. Filipinos, who are pouring into Guam for jobs, are expected to outnumber Chamorros in the next decade.
Still, Mr. Rosario says he sees a "renaissance" in Chamorro pride, based on legends and history passed down from generation to generation. A 1671 speech by a tribal chief named Hurao, who gored a Spanish missionary with a lance, has become a rallying cry for nationalists.
"Before [the Spaniards] arrived ... did we know rats, flies, mosquitoes and all the other little animals which constantly torment us?" Chief Hurao said, in a speech recounted by a French Jesuit. "These are the beautiful presents they have made us."
Spam Capital
Later came the gift of Spam. Guam's culinary past, buried under Spanish rice, Philippine noodles and American burgers, has been difficult to uncover. The island's two most celebrated dishes -- red rice, and pancit, a fried-noodle dish -- are both Filipino. Spam is the true national mainstay, thanks to the Americans. Guam consumes more Spam per capita than any country in the world, according to its maker, Hormel Foods Corp. Guam hosts a Spam Olympics to honor new Spam recipes.
Even the celebrated Chamorro Chip Cookie turns out to be tainted. At the small cookie factory, dozens of locals mix a secret blend of nuts, dough and chocolate chips to create one of the island's best-known delicacies. The labeling on the folksy-looking boxes, written in Chamorro, says "made exclusively on Guam." But Chamorro Chip is owned by a Bostonian, Bob McLaughlin, who also owns the Boston Pizza Co. on Guam.
Dozens of Chamorros interviewed struggled to name a food that is distinctly Chamorro.
"I've got one!" says Tony Lamorena, a local senator. "Barbecued fruit bat. My grandmother used to make it." The local fruit bat, however, is a threatened species and can't be eaten. The same is true of Mr. Lamorena's other suggestion, sea turtle. "I guess we'll stick to Spam," he says with a sigh.
Seen in the Ocean
High on Guam's tallest sea cliff, two bronze figures embrace in the sunset. The statues honor the legend of the Two Lovers, a key part of the Chamorro culture. During early Spanish rule, the story goes, a fair Chamorro maiden was ordered by her father to marry a Spanish army captain. She refused, having fallen in love with a handsome Chamorro warrior. After the two tried to escape, they were chased by the Spanish army to the edge of the cliff. Rather than surrender, the two tied their long black braids together and plunged into the dark waters. On a moonlit night, locals say they can see the spirits of the two lovers frolicking in the ocean below.
They're more likely to see ice-cream cups. At the top of the cliff, a tourist lookout is perched at the edge of the Lovers Point, flanked by a Haagen-Dazs stand and postcard booth. While it's billed as a sacred Chamorro site, few Chamorros ever visit. The only visitors these days are the occasional Japanese couple who use the site for weddings.
"Who's a Chamorro, and who's not?" asks 18-year-old Menchie Canlas, a Filipino ticket-taker at the cliff. "I don't think anybody knows anymore."
March 28, 2000
Guam Struggles to Find Its Roots Beneath Growing Piles of Spam
By ROBERT FRANK
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
HAGATNA, Guam -- The brochures for this breezy Pacific outpost boast of a "small island containing a world of cultures." On the main drag in downtown Hagatna, Japanese noodle shops thrive amid Dairy Queens, cha-cha clubs, Spanish-style Catholic churches and American strip clubs. There's even a Wild West-style shooting gallery that doubles as a wedding chapel for visiting South Koreans.
And what about the native culture of Guam? "Oh, gee. I'm not sure where to even look," says a Japanese concierge at the Guam Hyatt Regency. "Maybe the mall?"
Cold War Castaway
Forgive Guam its confusion. Officially, this small volcanic island in the middle of the Pacific, which has been colonized three times, is an "unincorporated territory of the U.S." Unofficially, it's a Cold War castaway looking for a purpose. For decades, it was supported by the Navy, and more recently, by Japanese tourists looking for a nearby beach and duty-free Chanel bags. Through it all, people here have patiently adopted the language, food, clothing and religion of their invaders in hopes of being accepted.
Yet now, with self-determination all the rage around the world, Guam is looking for its inner Guamanian. Local residents are scheduled to vote in July on whether to remain part of the U.S. or become independent, setting the stage for a new round of talks with Congress on the island's status. Guam's indigenous Chamorros are banding together to fight for Chamorro rights, Chamorro businesses and, most of all, Chamorro culture.
Leading the charge is the Chamorro Nation, a group of tattooed youths and tribal activists who seek to reclaim the country. Their methods are mild -- aside from staging the occasional sit-in, they give beach tours and fauna lessons.
The group has gained widespread popularity on an island searching for its precolonial roots. "We've had some tough times since Magellan landed" in 1521, says Eddie L.G. Benavente, leader of the Chamorro Nation, and a teacher at Guam's John F. Kennedy High School. "But now it's time to take control of our country and our culture."
Trouble is, after all those invasions, no one is quite sure what Chamorro culture is. On a steamy evening along the coast, the lights flicker on at Chamorro Village. A Spanish-style plaza of stalls and shops, Chamorro Village was born in the early 1990s to promote Chamorro arts and crafts and raise the profile of Chamorro culture. Tonight, only a few stalls are open -- and they're far from Chamorro.
Most sell kimonos and T-shirts. Carmen's Mexican Restaurant is dark, and the Jamaican Grille is empty. The only visitors are two Koreans sitting in the food court eating Szechuan food.
"You have to come on Wednesday nights," says Tien Bin Wu, a 67-year-old owner of a Cantonese food stall. "Wednesday night is Chamorro night."
At the far corner of the village, Jose Rosario proudly shows off his small collection of "genuine Chamorro artifacts." His store, called Che lu -- which means "brother" or "sister" in the rarely spoken language of Chamorro -- offers old-fashioned fishhooks and a collection of egg-shaped rocks that were once used in Chamorro slingshots. His biggest seller is the Che lu baseball hat.
Mr. Rosario concedes that four centuries of colonial rule have taken their toll on the Chamorro identity. Less than 40% of the island's 160,000 people are now considered "Chamorro," and most of them have Philippine or Mexican ancestors, dating from Guam's 18th- and 19th-century trading days. Most of the island's original settlers -- of Malay and Indonesian descent -- were wiped out by either disease or war with the various colonizers, which included the Spanish, Americans and Japanese. Filipinos, who are pouring into Guam for jobs, are expected to outnumber Chamorros in the next decade.
Still, Mr. Rosario says he sees a "renaissance" in Chamorro pride, based on legends and history passed down from generation to generation. A 1671 speech by a tribal chief named Hurao, who gored a Spanish missionary with a lance, has become a rallying cry for nationalists.
"Before [the Spaniards] arrived ... did we know rats, flies, mosquitoes and all the other little animals which constantly torment us?" Chief Hurao said, in a speech recounted by a French Jesuit. "These are the beautiful presents they have made us."
Spam Capital
Later came the gift of Spam. Guam's culinary past, buried under Spanish rice, Philippine noodles and American burgers, has been difficult to uncover. The island's two most celebrated dishes -- red rice, and pancit, a fried-noodle dish -- are both Filipino. Spam is the true national mainstay, thanks to the Americans. Guam consumes more Spam per capita than any country in the world, according to its maker, Hormel Foods Corp. Guam hosts a Spam Olympics to honor new Spam recipes.
Even the celebrated Chamorro Chip Cookie turns out to be tainted. At the small cookie factory, dozens of locals mix a secret blend of nuts, dough and chocolate chips to create one of the island's best-known delicacies. The labeling on the folksy-looking boxes, written in Chamorro, says "made exclusively on Guam." But Chamorro Chip is owned by a Bostonian, Bob McLaughlin, who also owns the Boston Pizza Co. on Guam.
Dozens of Chamorros interviewed struggled to name a food that is distinctly Chamorro.
"I've got one!" says Tony Lamorena, a local senator. "Barbecued fruit bat. My grandmother used to make it." The local fruit bat, however, is a threatened species and can't be eaten. The same is true of Mr. Lamorena's other suggestion, sea turtle. "I guess we'll stick to Spam," he says with a sigh.
Seen in the Ocean
High on Guam's tallest sea cliff, two bronze figures embrace in the sunset. The statues honor the legend of the Two Lovers, a key part of the Chamorro culture. During early Spanish rule, the story goes, a fair Chamorro maiden was ordered by her father to marry a Spanish army captain. She refused, having fallen in love with a handsome Chamorro warrior. After the two tried to escape, they were chased by the Spanish army to the edge of the cliff. Rather than surrender, the two tied their long black braids together and plunged into the dark waters. On a moonlit night, locals say they can see the spirits of the two lovers frolicking in the ocean below.
They're more likely to see ice-cream cups. At the top of the cliff, a tourist lookout is perched at the edge of the Lovers Point, flanked by a Haagen-Dazs stand and postcard booth. While it's billed as a sacred Chamorro site, few Chamorros ever visit. The only visitors these days are the occasional Japanese couple who use the site for weddings.
"Who's a Chamorro, and who's not?" asks 18-year-old Menchie Canlas, a Filipino ticket-taker at the cliff. "I don't think anybody knows anymore."
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Better Poor Than Dead
'It's better being poor than dead'
THE Congressional hearing on August 13 on the military buildup on Guam was intentionally planned as to who should be allowed (now "invited") to testify. That's why there was no mention in our local media about the deadline to submit your name and testimony if you wanted to participate.
I "thank" our delegate, Madeleine Bordallo and this administration for barring certain activists such as Nasion Chamoru, who have been the most vocal and outspoken against this impending catastrophe.
Our Guamanian leaders know very well that they don't want the Virgin Islands delegate, Donna Christensen, and the rest of the "Team U.S.A." Resources Subcommitte members, to see and hear Nasion Chamoru testify that this massive military buildup will ruin Guam. They only want to hear from people who will give their "amen" and "sweet" testimony about how good this military buildup will mean to our island, for the so-called economic boom and opportunities.
Our senators who were "invited" to participate in this field hearing should refuse the invitation since it is not totally open to the community for public participation.
I see this hearing, except for a few individuals, as nothing more than a gathering of the puppets and carpetbaggers to show their commitment to the military and in the interest of their deep pockets.
To my people, we are in a very critical crisis. Whereas, I say that this massive military buildup will ruin Guam, I also say it would be better being poor than dead!
Fan Ma'naitai (pray) yan si Yu'os enfanbinindisi. Biba Chamoru! Biba Taotao Ta'no!
VINCENTE "FA'ET" GARRIDO
Maga'lahi, Nasion Chamoru
The Marianas Variety
August 10, 2007
THE Congressional hearing on August 13 on the military buildup on Guam was intentionally planned as to who should be allowed (now "invited") to testify. That's why there was no mention in our local media about the deadline to submit your name and testimony if you wanted to participate.
I "thank" our delegate, Madeleine Bordallo and this administration for barring certain activists such as Nasion Chamoru, who have been the most vocal and outspoken against this impending catastrophe.
Our Guamanian leaders know very well that they don't want the Virgin Islands delegate, Donna Christensen, and the rest of the "Team U.S.A." Resources Subcommitte members, to see and hear Nasion Chamoru testify that this massive military buildup will ruin Guam. They only want to hear from people who will give their "amen" and "sweet" testimony about how good this military buildup will mean to our island, for the so-called economic boom and opportunities.
Our senators who were "invited" to participate in this field hearing should refuse the invitation since it is not totally open to the community for public participation.
I see this hearing, except for a few individuals, as nothing more than a gathering of the puppets and carpetbaggers to show their commitment to the military and in the interest of their deep pockets.
To my people, we are in a very critical crisis. Whereas, I say that this massive military buildup will ruin Guam, I also say it would be better being poor than dead!
Fan Ma'naitai (pray) yan si Yu'os enfanbinindisi. Biba Chamoru! Biba Taotao Ta'no!
VINCENTE "FA'ET" GARRIDO
Maga'lahi, Nasion Chamoru
The Marianas Variety
August 10, 2007
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Okinawa Mayor Shuns Nasion Chamoru
Mayors shuns Chamorro Nation
By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Variety News Staff
July 16, 2007
GUAM senators yesterday gave the Japanese delegation a rundown of demands that they want from the U.S. government in exchange for hosting the 8,000 troops that will be relocated from Okinawa, while Chamorro activists told the delegation that they don't want the Marines to come to Guam at all.
The delegation, however, declined to give audience to Chamorro Nation.
Funds for infrastructure developments, healthcare, new schools, new hospitals, environmental protection, social stability and peace: these are among the things that senators said they expect the U.S. government to provide to Guam.
All these, plus transparency. There are so many questions left unanswered, Sen. Tony Unpingco, R-Santa Rita, said, adding that Guam has not received enough information about the troops relocation plan.
"You've experienced what it's like to live in a military base. We want to learn from you, so that when they come here, they don't create the same problems," Unpingco told members of the Local Government Mayors Association of Central Okinawa who are on Guam on a fact-finding mission.
"It's important for us to know what it's like to have a big military base on a small island. We're hoping that you can tell us its negative impact," minority leader Judi Won Pat, D-Malojloj said.
Vice Speaker Eddie Calvo, R-Maite, said the business community sees the economic opportunities offered by the military buildup.
"Guam has different views about the relocation. Some people see this movement as a positive development. I'd like to hear the perspectives on your side," Calvo told the delegation.
But Okinawa City Mayor Mitsuko Tohmon, head of the 18-member delegation, said her group is on Guam to gather information pertinent to the military relocation.
"The purpose of our visit is to listen to your opinion," Tohmon said through an interpreter. Japan and the US agreed to relocate 8,000 Marines and their 9,000 dependents to Guam so we want to hear what's going on in Guam. "We are representatives of our citizens. We are here to listen to you."
Among the senators, only Won Pat came on time to meet the delegation members who arrived at the Legislature ahead of the 1:30 p.m. schedule. The rest of the senators walked in 15 to 20 minutes late into the meeting.
While waiting for the rest of the senators, Won Pat allowed members of the Chamorro Nation to join the roundtable and speak to the Okinawa officials.
"We're not invited to this meeting, but we have to say how we feel because two big powers are negotiating our future. Please step in and support us," activist Trini Torres said.
Cathy McCollum said she laments that some people only see the dollar sign without thinking that we want to go home to our own lands that the federal government took away.
"Tell me, if you know, the reason behind this military relocation. Guam is not ready for this massive military buildup," said Ben Garrido, Maga'lahi of Chamorro Nation.
Tohmon said she was confused by the presence of Chamorro Nation at the meeting.
"I thought we were to meet only with the Speaker and the senators. We want to speak to the speaker and senators only, she said. We have heard about what the Chamorro Nation has to say. We want to know your own opinion as senators."
Won Pat gently asked the activists to leave the roundtable. Shortly after, activist Howard Hemsing walked into the session hall bringing a bunch of anti-military placards.
Won Pat said testimonies from Chamorro Nation indicate that Guam does not have a unanimous stance on the military expansion.
"There are those who want the Marines to come here because of the economic benefits that the buildup offers. But not everyone on island wants them here. There's a lot of people with a lot concerns about the impact of increased military population on island," Won Pat said.
The delegation, which arrived Wednesday, leaves Guam today.
By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Variety News Staff
July 16, 2007
GUAM senators yesterday gave the Japanese delegation a rundown of demands that they want from the U.S. government in exchange for hosting the 8,000 troops that will be relocated from Okinawa, while Chamorro activists told the delegation that they don't want the Marines to come to Guam at all.
The delegation, however, declined to give audience to Chamorro Nation.
Funds for infrastructure developments, healthcare, new schools, new hospitals, environmental protection, social stability and peace: these are among the things that senators said they expect the U.S. government to provide to Guam.
All these, plus transparency. There are so many questions left unanswered, Sen. Tony Unpingco, R-Santa Rita, said, adding that Guam has not received enough information about the troops relocation plan.
"You've experienced what it's like to live in a military base. We want to learn from you, so that when they come here, they don't create the same problems," Unpingco told members of the Local Government Mayors Association of Central Okinawa who are on Guam on a fact-finding mission.
"It's important for us to know what it's like to have a big military base on a small island. We're hoping that you can tell us its negative impact," minority leader Judi Won Pat, D-Malojloj said.
Vice Speaker Eddie Calvo, R-Maite, said the business community sees the economic opportunities offered by the military buildup.
"Guam has different views about the relocation. Some people see this movement as a positive development. I'd like to hear the perspectives on your side," Calvo told the delegation.
But Okinawa City Mayor Mitsuko Tohmon, head of the 18-member delegation, said her group is on Guam to gather information pertinent to the military relocation.
"The purpose of our visit is to listen to your opinion," Tohmon said through an interpreter. Japan and the US agreed to relocate 8,000 Marines and their 9,000 dependents to Guam so we want to hear what's going on in Guam. "We are representatives of our citizens. We are here to listen to you."
Among the senators, only Won Pat came on time to meet the delegation members who arrived at the Legislature ahead of the 1:30 p.m. schedule. The rest of the senators walked in 15 to 20 minutes late into the meeting.
While waiting for the rest of the senators, Won Pat allowed members of the Chamorro Nation to join the roundtable and speak to the Okinawa officials.
"We're not invited to this meeting, but we have to say how we feel because two big powers are negotiating our future. Please step in and support us," activist Trini Torres said.
Cathy McCollum said she laments that some people only see the dollar sign without thinking that we want to go home to our own lands that the federal government took away.
"Tell me, if you know, the reason behind this military relocation. Guam is not ready for this massive military buildup," said Ben Garrido, Maga'lahi of Chamorro Nation.
Tohmon said she was confused by the presence of Chamorro Nation at the meeting.
"I thought we were to meet only with the Speaker and the senators. We want to speak to the speaker and senators only, she said. We have heard about what the Chamorro Nation has to say. We want to know your own opinion as senators."
Won Pat gently asked the activists to leave the roundtable. Shortly after, activist Howard Hemsing walked into the session hall bringing a bunch of anti-military placards.
Won Pat said testimonies from Chamorro Nation indicate that Guam does not have a unanimous stance on the military expansion.
"There are those who want the Marines to come here because of the economic benefits that the buildup offers. But not everyone on island wants them here. There's a lot of people with a lot concerns about the impact of increased military population on island," Won Pat said.
The delegation, which arrived Wednesday, leaves Guam today.
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