Commission on Decolonization Meets this Week

By Nick Delgado from KUAM.com

Guam - It was established 15 years ago and for the first time in several years the Commission on Decolonization will be meeting. The 24th Guam Legislature created the Commission to examine the various political status options for Guam, which included status quo, statehood and commonwealth.

The meeting will be held at Adelup Friday, September 23 at 9 in the morning. Island leaders have long argued Guam must settle the question of its political status.

Rahall Backs Guam Self-Determination

Rahall backs Guam self-rule
Thursday, 13 August 2009 01:01 by Jude Lizama
Marianas Variety News Staff .

CONGRESSMAN Nick Rahall of West Virginia said yesterday he would support the choice of the island community “to decide and unite among yourselves as to what you want” in reference to Guam’s political status.

“Certainly, we’re not going to address the issue if we see division and different sides fighting each other on the issue,” Rahall said. “The people at the grassroots level have to get it together first. That’s what democracy is all about.”

Guam has three options to choose from—statehood, free association or independence. However, the self-determination plebiscite has been suspended indefinitely due to the Guam Elections Commission’s inability to meet the required percentage of voters to fill the Native Inhabitants Registry.

Rahall made known his position on Guam’s quest for self-rule in response to Sen. Eddie B. Calvo’s question during the Chamber of Commerce meeting at the Hyatt Regency Guam yesterday.

“When we choose our political status, would you be in favor of that choice and fight for this cause?” Calvo asked Rahall, to which the congressman replied, “Yes, we would.”

Rahall added that the community is “going to have to get out and work among themselves.”

As chairman of the powerful U.S. House Natural Resources Committee, Rahall oversees federal insular areas including Guam. The island’s political status is the longest standing local political issue ever faced.

Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo noted efforts by her office to identify and fund an educational program for a plebiscite emphasizing her commitment to see the island community hold a plebiscite and achieve self-determination once and for all.

“It’s really up to the people,” she said. “Whatever you decide, I’ll carry the water.”

Unique
Rahall added that Congress recognizes the uniqueness of what is being asked of the island, which he stated is a “big factor in your favor.” But that regardless of such factors, he said, the island community still needs to “work together.”

“It’s not us from Washington imposing our will down upon the people, but the people expressing from the grassroots level up to us what they want to see,” Rahall said. “Not only with political status, but that affects the military buildup, as well.”

He advised the local community to not “sit back and expect the federal government to shower dollars down upon every problem that comes up.”

Rahall determined that because of prevailing budgetary conditions, island leaders should seek private help and private-public partnerships with the recognition that there are less federal dollars available for a plebiscite.

Voice of the people
“Many of our people feel their voice won’t count even if we choose a political status in a plebiscite. We should take every opportunity to secure commitments from U.S. leaders that they will respect and stand by the self-determination of the people of Guam,” said Calvo. “Guam is important to U.S. interests, now more than ever. This is the time to expect action from the U.S. government on an issue that has languished for far too long.”

Summit Will Tackle Self-Determination Issue

Chamoru Summit II tackles self-determination options
Friday, 24 October 2008
By Beau Hodai
Variety News Staff

AN event to educate and get young Chamorros involved with issues of self determination will be held tomorrow at the University of Guam. Hope Cristobal

The Chamoru Summit II will be held at the UOG College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences lecture hall from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. this Saturday.
Lisa Natividad, an organizer of the event and an assistant professor at the university in the division of social work, said the event will be divided into two tracks, the first track focusing on options for Chamorro self-determination.

She said the first track will be divided into four sections.

The first section will be a presentation by former Senator Hope Cristobal on a framework for self-determination as outlined by the United Nations. The second section will be a presentation on the option of statehood. The third section will focus on the option of free association and the fourth option will discuss the option of all-out independence.

"The whole idea is that at some point, we have to exercise the right," said Natividad. "And exercising the right basically means getting out there, having a vote, and the people deciding on which avenue to pursue -- and then developing that particular political agreement with the U.S.," she said.

"We would then move into developing a compact or some sort of political relationship with the U.S. to move away from the unincorporated territory status that we have now-- which really is equivalent to that of a colony," she added.

Natividad said that track two of the event will focus on different strategies toward gaining self-determination, and will be broken down into five separate committee meetings.

One committee will deal with legal strategies, another with issues of economic development.

Two committees will deal with educational strategies and aspects of Chamorro education and one will deal with registering Chamorros to the Chamorro Registry.

Cristobal, who established the registry and the Decolonization Commission while in the Legislature, said she hopes the summit will serve not only to educate young Chamorros on the right to self determination but also serve as a forum for discussion on the subject and encourage a new generation to register as Chamorros.

She said it is important for people to register so that they can asses their numbers and work better as a whole towards the goal of self-determination.

"I feel there has been no progress toward this by our public officials," said Cristobal. She went on to say that, on an international scale, there are many people in the global community who don't realize that there are people living under the United States who are struggling to maintain their identities.

Natividad said that in light of the approaching military buildup, the issue of self-determination is especially pressing.

"The military presence is a real big concern when you're talking about Chamorro self-determination issues," said Natividad. "One of the main reasons why it's a big concern is because when you talk about increasing the population of Guam with the military, it waters down the population of the people who are able to vote for this. Their increased presence here is a real threat to Chamorros having the right and opportunity to exercise self-determination."