Life at the Tip of the Spear

Life at the Tip of the Spear

by Michael Lujan Bevacqua

The Guam Daily Post

December 2, 2015

This week I am giving my students at UOG a questionnaire about risk, threats, fear and safety. The survey is simple, and asks students to consider how often they worry about certain potential man-made or natural disasters. The purpose of this study is to understand the way people on Guam (starting with a sample of UOG students) perceive Guam’s relation to the world and how they see our position in relation to various potential threats and dangers.

Earthquakes and typhoons are common, looming problems, always lurking to the East or in the waters beneath us. Given Guam’s history we also experience recurring worries about war. Although the Spanish-Chamorro Wars have largely faded from conscious memory, I Tiempon Chapones or World War II hasn’t. Rumors of war, saber-rattling between nations still evoke, sometimes very strongly and traumatically memories and images of brutality and occupation. This is so, even if we have come to accept a very different image of the average Japanese person today. They are not taiase’ and malamaña conquerors and would be world rulers, now they are banana boat riding, ABC store shopping economic drivers.

One major concern, which is always there, but often disappears in regularly occurring patriotic hazes, is the inherent dangers in being “the tip of America’s spear.” Or what our status as an unincorporated, but strategically important territory on the edge of Asia means in terms of potential dangers in our lives. The tip of the spear is kept close to the warrior in battle. It can be wielded for defense and offense. It can be a prized and cherished item, which leads to victories, which leads to security, but for whom? In battle, the spear is usually the first thing to get bloodied. It can be broken. It can be used to mow down enemies, slaughter foes left and right. A good spear can keep a warrior safe in battle, but what about the spear itself? Does the warrior or the battle keep the spear safe? When the warrior fights, even if the spear may seem strategically important to him in that moment, it may be something his father passed down to him, possibly won from an earlier opponent in another battle, does he love the spear? Is he fighting to protect the spear itself or his family? His nation? His own interests?

When China dubs a missile the Guam Killer or North Korea boasts of its ability to hit Guam with their missiles, we should ask ourselves these questions. How aware are we of the risks involved with being America’s spear tip in the Western Pacific?

Historian Pedro Sanchez wrote that the World War II shouldn’t have really been a surprise for the Chamorros of Guam. By 1941, Europe was at war. Japan had conquering new colonies in Asia for years by that point. Anyone who know anything about what was happening in the rest of Micronesia would have seen Japan increasing its military presence and preparing for war. Sanchez argued that Chamorros had “blind faith” in the power of the United States, and that as long as Uncle Sam was defending Guam nothing could or would happen to it. Sanchez was in some ways overstating things in order to enhance the idea of Chamorros as helpless victims in order to set up their suffering during the war. But there is an element of truth in his statements, which still rings true today. What does blind faith or blind patriotism achieve for us in today’s world? How does an unrealistic idea of war or of American power keep us safe? How does seeing the United States in an uncritical light, as a crusading liberator for justice and democracy potentially put us in the same position of our ancestors on the even of the Japanese invasion?

One issue that I am interested in studying is the fear or lack of fear around potential dangers in Guam due to our significant military presence. Much attention is given to countries such as China or North Korea or Russia as threats, but how much to we understand or ignore the threats that simply having so much military power and machinery concentrated on this small island might represent? How much attention do we give to the dangers to the environment? The dangers that come with frequent training? The dangers that are involved with the storing of weapons of war, in particular, weapons of mass destruction?

It is this last question that I plan to address this Thursday, December 3^rd at 2 pm in the Dean’s Professional Development in the HSS Building at UOG. I’ll be giving a colloquium presentation as part of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Dean’s Colloquium Series. My presentation is titled “Confronting Nuclear Legacies and Realities in Guam.” If you are able, come and join the conversation. I’ve included below the abstract for more talk if you’d like to know more:

“The 3/11/2001 tragedy in Japan and the meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi Genpatsu was the latest reminder of the potential dangers of nuclear energy. Radioactive fallout was carried by wind and water throughout the Tohoku region of Japan, south to Tokyo and even reached the shores of Guam in the Marianas. Although Guam has no nuclear power plants, the use of the island by the United States military has ensured that the risks involved with the weaponization of nuclear energy are always present. This presentation will provide an overview of Guam’s historical relationship to nuclear weapons and also recommendations for how these issues can be more prominently incorporated into public school social studies curriculum. “

Cut and Paste Report

Portions of DEIS plagiarized, says UOG prof
Wednesday, 28 April 2010 05:58
by Jennifer Naylor Gesick
Marianas Variety News Staff

SOME portions of the draft environmental impact statement for the Guam military buildup revealed a case of “blatant plagiarism,” according to an assistant professor at the University of Guam.

Dr. Jason Biggs, assistant professor of biology, said the discovery was “serendipitous.”

“I did not agree with that paragraph, so I wanted to look up who wrote it,” Biggs said, pointing to volume IV of the draft report that refers to the aircraft carrier berthing and the proposed dredging of Apra Harbor.

The draft study, which according to the Joint Guam Program Office cost $87 million, was written by TEC Inc., a contractor for the U.S. military.

Biggs said the Navy Coral Assessment Methodology section of the military draft report was a cut-and-paste material from the conclusion of a 2009 scientific report titled, “Coral Reef Metrics and Habitat Equivalency Analysis” by Shay Veihman, Steven M. Thur, and Gregory A. Piniak.

A representative from TEC, who requested that he be identified only as “director of administration,” admitted that the portion in question was lifted from the scientific document.

“We did not adequately give that guy attribution,” the TEC representative told Variety. “Long story short, we put the section in quotes and footnoted it further and the final version will reflect that.”

Several paragraphs pasted by TEC into the draft study were taken verbatim from the study without proper attribution. “We have made sure to make it clear that we properly give him attribution for his academic work,” the TEC representative added.

Lies and more lies

Biggs said the plagiarism makes the credibility of the draft report suspect. “When you review any scientific document, just like in a court of law, if you find one lie in it, you can not believe any of it,” he said.

“Plagiarism is sort of a lie,” Biggs said. “If they openly plagiarize right there in the first couple of paragraphs of their calculations for the global ecological impact of what they are doing, then you can not believe any of the rest of it. So, all credibility was lost as soon as they plagiarized.”

Biggs added that just as bad as the plagiarism was that the purpose of using that material in the draft report was intended to support the creation of a new habitat equivalency quantification method.

“They used it to justify creating their own method of analysis,” Biggs said, “but the basis for all economic impacts is discounted service acreage years.”

He said TEC’s analysis “has errors in that it does not calculate the age of coral correctly and does not take into account the three dimensional nature of the coral reef.”

“So, they are basically dropping the ecological value right from the get go just because their technique is not robust enough,” Biggs said. “This would work to the military’s advantage because it would save them money.”

Quantification

In his comments on the draft study, Biggs stated that the new quantification method “grossly underestimates the rugosity of the inner Apra Harbor shoal system and the age classes of corals within them, and does not account for rare and endangered animals that are not directly observed at the time of the assessment.”

According to Biggs’ estimate, using a simplified ecological equivalency calculation to just what is known of the history of Apra Harbor, the expected result is a loss of approximately 2,460 DSAYs of coral habitat due to direct impacts alone, “which is over double that estimated within this [draft study].”

Biggs recommended that the Navy either proceed with the “no action alternative” or consider a re-evaluation of Kilo Wharf as the aircraft carrier berthing location and a subsequent relocation of smaller vessel munitions operations within inner Apra Harbor.

Survey Shows Guam Sees Buildup as Good for Economy, Bad for Culture

Good for economy, bad for local culture .
Monday, 26 April 2010 03:57 by Tiffany Sukola
Marianas Variety News Staff

ALTHOUGH concerns have been raised over the long-term social, economic and environmental effects of the impending military buildup, a recent study done by University of Guam students shows that a majority of the general population is in favor of the plan to relocate nearly 8,000 Marines and their dependents from Okinawa to Guam.

University assistant professor Amy Owen and her students recently completed a research project on the perception of local residents regarding the U.S. buildup and related immigration issues. According to their data, a majority of island residents polled believe the buildup will be good for Guam’s economy.

Out of 403 poll-takers, 53 percent view the buildup as positive while 41 percent said otherwise. According to the survey, 71 percent of responders perceive the buildup as good for the economy while 74 percent perceive the buildup as bad for culture.

Owen, who specializes in cultural geography, said the goal of the study was to objectively gather an accurate representation of local views regarding the buildup and related immigration issues.

“Our research also shows that Guam’s culture, though very diverse, is unified and very tolerant of other ethnicities,” said Owen. “There is remarkable uniformity across ethnicities in viewpoints and opinions on a variety of topics as they relate to the buildup.”

Owen said the research indicated that the concern of local residents regarding immigrants is not ethnic; rather it is economic at base. Local residents are concerned that non-residents will take resources like jobs and healthcare.

Of the 403 respondents, Owen said 58 percent identified themselves as Chamorro, 28 percent as Filipino, six percent as other Pacific Islander, four percent as Asian and another 4 percent as Caucasian.

Out of the 403 respondents, 78 percent identified themselves as military or military families.

According to the data, middle age respondents were the most positive about the buildup while younger and older poll-takers viewed the buildup less positively.

Youth are concerned about jobs, land takings and cultural and identity loss according to the study.
Owen said the research indicated that higher incomes and lowest incomes viewed the buildup most positively while middle income groups perceived the military buildup least positive.

The research project, which was submitted to journal Asia Pacific Viewpoint earlier this year, will be officially presented later this week.

Residents air buidup concerns: Health care, land issues raised at UOG field house

Residents air buidup concerns: Health care, land issues raised at UOG field house

By Laura Matthews • Pacific Sunday News • January 10, 2010

The University of Guam's field house teemed with varying emotions yesterday when more than 500 people gathered to publicly comment on the draft Environmental Impact Statement.

Die-hard activists, determined landowners, concerned citizens and officials paced the floor of the field house, reading all the information on display. They talked with military officials about the buildup, in order to learn all they could before the public comment session.

Signs that read: "Only independent nations control immigration" and "Yankee go home!" showed military officials where they stood with some residents.

Then, the conch shells were blown, the Guam national anthem was sung and the proceedings for the second public hearing on the draft Environmental Impact Statement got underway.

The first speaker on the day was Vice Speaker Benjamin Cruz, who expressed public health concerns as Guam prepares to get about 20 years of growth over the next five years because of the military buildup.

Approximately 8,000 Marines and their 9,000 dependents will be brought to the island. In total, the buildup is projected to bring about 80,000 people to Guam by 2014, which will increase Guam's population by almost half its current size.

"My main concern is that the hospital is the choke point," Cruz said. "We just don't have enough beds to take care of the people coming."

The vice speaker told Department of Defense officials that he would like for the final Environmental Impact Statement to be "very specific" about how it is going to address the need for more hospital beds on island.

"The hospital is unable to take care of us at this time. We are short of doctors," he said.

The draft Environmental Impact Statement notes that the island's health-care system will need a personnel increase of 26 percent in order to deal with the growth. It also states that at the peak of the construction phase in 2014, an additional 15 doctors and 91 nurses will be needed.

Land concerns

Some residents expressed worry they might lose their land.

Juan Martinez Unpingco, an 85-year-old Sasayan Valley landowner, said he worked two jobs throughout his lifetime in order to feed his eight children and save enough money to buy property. That piece of property, he said, sustaines his livelihood.

"This has obviously paid off since it has been helping me to pay all my medical bills," Unpingco said. "Thus, the property I own in Marbo Cave has indeed sustained my livelihood and I plan to deed it to my children upon my death. I anticipate that my children would do likewise and deed the property onto the next generation."

He said he fears the military will take his land through condemnation and asked them not to.

"I am in support of the military buildup, provided there is no land condemnation," he said. "It was my bread and butter. I worked very hard for it. I will sell it or rent it."

Joint Guam Program Office Executive Director David Bice, a retired Marine major general whose office oversees the buildup, has said that residents whose lands are used for military projects will get a fair price. The Defense Department follows strict procedures to pay landowners the fair market value, he said, also noting that congressional defense committees would first have to approve any major land acquisitions by the military.

Juan Unpingco's son, Superior Court of Guam Judge Steven S. Unpingco, also a private landowner, said the draft Environmental Impact Statement fails to address "the contentious issue" of land condemnation. Moreover, the Sasayan Valley area is a proposed alternative for a live firing range -- an idea he said should be dismissed.

"Equally important to the public is the impact that explosive grenade and demolition ranges may have on the environment," he said. "Is there any specific study on any potential environmental degradation or possible lead contamination from these activities on soil?"

Speaking out

Melvin Won Pat-Borja, a 28-year-old teacher and member of the We Are Guahan group, said his generation should know that it is important to let their voices be heard. They don't need to be "a scientist or an expert to comment on the EIS," he said.

The group is a combination of residents who seek to disseminate the information from the lengthy draft Environmental Impact Statement to ordinary citizens in a way that is easily understood.

"This problem will not affect the people who are making the decisions. It will ultimately be our youth," he said. "I have students who will be graduating this year and will possibly be graduating college in four years. And when they want to come back home and raise their families here and make a living here, things will not be the same as they were when they left. This island will not be the same as it was when they left."

Residents have until Feb. 17 to submit their comments on the draft Environmental Impact Statement, which will reshape nearly all aspects of life on Guam.

The public meetings are a way the military officials garner the concerns of the citizens, which will be evaluated and taken into consideration to make better decisions as the military moves forward with the final EIS, Bice said.

PNC :: Guam & Territorial Issues In Focus At National AG Meeting

PNC :: Guam & Territorial Issues In Focus At National AG Meeting

Tuesday, 29 December 2009

Guam - Multiple issues that affect the U.S. territories in the Pacific region were addressed by Attorney General Alicia Limtiaco,

Assistant Secretary Anthony Babauta, U.S. Department of Interior, Office of Insular Affairs, and UOG President Dr. Robert A. Underwood during a recent national meeting held by the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG).

The Plenary Session titled “Issues Facing the United States Territories – Their Unique Status” was chaired by Attorney General Limtiaco and included, in addition to Babauta and Underwood, U.S. Virgin Islands Attorney General Vincent Frazer, and Peter Hiebert, Legal Counsel, U.S. Virgin Islands Government.

The meeting marked the first time in NAAG’s history that a panel on Pacific Island issues was included in a NAAG national meeting. It was made possible after a request was made by Attorney General Limtiaco to NAAG and the Planning Committee of the 2009 Winter Meeting.

Assisting Attorney General Limtiaco in the planning and organization of the panel discussion were U.S. Virgin Islands Attorney General Vincent Frazer and American Samoa Attorney General Fepulea’i Afa (Arthur) Ripley, Jr.

“The issues that Assistant Secretary Babauta, Dr. Underwood and I, along with General Frazer and Attorney Hiebert, discussed will go a long way in helping other jurisdictions better understand the unique status of Guam and other Pacific Island territories and the issues that affect them,” Attorney General Limtiaco said.

Some of the issues that were discussed by the panel included national security, the impact of the military buildup in Guam, island resources and infrastructures, the economy, trade, labor, and immigration.

The meeting served as a venue to provide information and insight to Attorney General members of NAAG on key issues that impact Pacific Island territories, which may differ from or have no application to the states.

The participation of Assistant Secretary Babauta, via video, and Dr. Underwood, via teleconference, provided other Attorneys General from all over the United States with a comprehensive overview of the challenges Guam faces in different areas, Attorney General Limtiaco said.

Assistant Secretary Babauta also spoke about matters relative to all U.S. possessions in the Pacific region, which are under the purview of the Department of Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs.

“I believe that it is through this networking and comprehension of each jurisdiction’s legal and socio-economic-related concerns that progress will continue to be made in the various areas that were discussed,” Attorney General Limtiaco said.

The National Association of Attorneys General is comprised of the Attorneys General of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the territories of Guam, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands, and the commonwealths of the Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico.

Part of NAAG’s mission is to improve the quality of legal services provided to the states and territories, as well as to facilitate communication between the states’ chief legal officers and all levels of government.

Attorney General Limtiaco is a co-chair of the NAAG Criminal Law and Youth Access to Alcohol and Drugs Committees.

AG Dr Underwood: Guam Attorney General Alicia Limtiaco, standing, and Attorneys General from various states listen to UOG President Dr. Robert Underwood via teleconference during the National Association of Attorneys General 2009 Winter Meeting. Underwood's powerpoint presentation is seen on the screen at right. The meeting marked the first time that issues affecting Guam and other pacific islands were included in the national meetings.

NAAG Winter Meeting: Guam Attorney General Alicia Limtiaco, right, Virgin Islands Attorney General Vincent Frazer, middle, and Peter Hiebert, Legal Counsel, U.S. Virgin Islands, listen as Assistant Secretary Anthony Babauta, U.S. Department of Interior, Office of Insular Affairs, speaks via video during the National Association of Attorneys General 2009 Winter Meeting. Babauta, along with UOG President Dr. Robert Underwood, were members of the "Issues Facing the United States Territories - Their Unique Status" panel, which General Limtiaco chaired. It was the first time that issues affecting pacific islands were included in the national meetings.

Written by : News Release

Six more schools needed

Six more schools needed

Draft EIS estimates 6,268 new students by 2014

By Brett Kelman • Pacific Daily News • December 24, 2009



The coming military buildup could require the local government to spend almost $100 million to build as many as six new schools.

Yesterday, Guam Department of Education Superintendent Nerissa Bretania Underwood said military growth estimates are lower than expected. When DOE performed its own estimates in November, buildup growth was expected to be more dramatic and more expensive, she said.

"What I was reading today from the draft (Environmental Impact Statement) the impact was a bit less than what we had anticipated," Underwood said yesterday morning.
According to population estimates in the draft EIS, public schools should be ready to absorb about 6,268 new students by the peak of the buildup in 2014.

These will be the children of workers who come to Guam for jobs in the expanding civilian economy. Military dependents and most civilians who work for the Department of Defense can send their children to military schools, the draft EIS states.

The new public school students include:

•About 3,173 elementary school students, which is enough to fill four schools;

•About 1,331 middle school students, which could fill one large middle school or be split between two schools; and

•About 1,764 high school students, which will fill one medium-to large-sized high school.

Underwood said she needs more information about what region on the island these children will live in to plan for the future. Although most of the buildup activity will take place in northern and central Guam, these families will not necessarily live in those areas.

Housing shortages may force workers to commute from the southern half of the island. And because some of Guam's southern schools have empty space, this could lessen the amount of growth needed, Underwood said.

Southern High School is only half full, she said.

"The island is small enough. We have to determine where these school are needed," Underwood said. "... Depending on the more accurate data we will get, the south may be able to absorb some of the need for additional schools."

Also, the draft EIS doesn't factor the capacity of local private schools to absorb students, so some of this growth may fall outside of DOE, Underwood said.

Construction

Even if there were no military buildup on the horizon, DOE would still need to build.
More schools are already needed in northern Guam today, Underwood said. The growth required by the coming military buildup stack on an existing demand for new schools to serve the existing student population.

DOE already needs a new northern middle and high school, but the land where these were going to be built will be absorbed by a proposed military firing range, Underwood said.

The new high school might be moved to the Ysengsong Road area and a new middle school might be built behind J.M Guerrero Elementary School, Underwood said.
New northern elementary schools are filling up quickly, too.

Guam already needs another elementary school, and Machananao Elementary, one of the most northern schools, might need to expand also, Underwood said.

Teachers

With more students and more schools, public schools will need more teachers.
Guam DOE will need about 420 new teachers by 2014, the draft EIS states. That need doesn't include existing teacher shortages, which plague the school system almost every year.

Since a nationwide teacher shortage is forcing school districts to compete for limited manpower, Guam's best hope for teachers is to grow its own, Underwood said.
"I attended the graduation at the University of Guam. And they aren't going to be able to meet this unless we do our part to start engaging our students (who want to be teachers)," Underwood said.

Underwood said students who have a good experience in public schools are more likely to return as teachers.

Underwood said she was formerly worried that the school system would lose its teachers to the expanding Department of Defense Education Activity school system, which pays higher salaries and has newer facilities.

On Tuesday, DODEA leaders said they would recruit from a large off-island applicant pool instead of pilfering from local schools. Underwood said she is no longer worried about the teacher work force shrinking.

The draft EIS said military dependents who move to Guam because of the buildup could become teachers in local public schools. They could also work in military schools.

UOG Can Help Guam Benefit From The Buildup

UOG Can Help Guam Benefit From The Buildup

Will The University's New Environmental Law Course Hit The Ground Running?

Will It Get Traction In Time To Make A Meaningful Difference?

Written by Jeff Marchesseault, Guam News Factor Staff Writer
Tuesday, 08 December 2009 14:13

GUAM -The introduction of a new environmental law course taught by practicing attorneys at the University of Guam may come just in time to make a difference. Depending on the willingness of the course's real-world instructors to roll up their sleeves and delve right into the thick of the single most pressing environmental issue of the day, these down-in-the-dirt lawyers cum ad hoc professors and their graduate-level students have a chance to add substantive weight to concerns posed by the Department of Defense's Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS/OEIS) supporting Guam's region wide military buildup.

This 8,000-page document is now widely available for perusal online, at mayors' offices, at public libraries and at the Legislature building in Hagatna, and it is wide open for public comment. The Pentagon's Joint Guam Program Office has been accepting demonstrably serious written concerns since November 20th (the day DOD published the document) and will continue doing so until February 17th. This is a three-month window of opportunity for anyone concerned about the buildup and its effects to sort through what's most important to them within the nine or ten indexed volumes available online or inside bound volumes at the various assigned public reading rooms.

Timing = Everything

As a Spring 2010 course, the environmental law program presumably launches somewhere around the third week of January, just less than a month before the DEIS comment period closes. This is perfect timing for a hit-the-ground-running class project that could have meaningful and lasting effect on various aspects of the Final Environmental Impact Statement in ways that would reward students and their instructors while benefiting the community. The Defense Department acknowledges that no working DEIS/OEIS can exist in a vacuum -- and that no such document can be perfect -- but that it can be improved upon in ways that help the host community and the military simultaneously if the host community is willing to participate in a meaningful way.

'Ready-Made' For Impact Improvement

UOG's environmental law course requires students to have at least a bachelor's degree before registering and requires the price of enrollment. Chances are that nearly all such qualified students are going to have a serious interest in the consequences and opportunities involved in the most intensive, condensed environmental impact to hit Guam in decades. If the practicing attorneys who have been hired to carry out the coursework want to make the greatest impression on their students and if their students hope to have the most direct influence on their community, now would be the time for instructors to begin planning coursework around the DEIS/OEIS and for students to begin familiarizing themselves with this critical document.

Here is the official course announcement from the University of Guam:

UOG Offers New Graduate Course: Introduction To Environmental Law

The Environmental Science program at the University of Guam offers a new course in Environmental Law beginning in the spring 2010 semester

"We believe this new course will be of interest to our current graduate students as well as alumni and others in the community who want to learn more about the regulation and enforcement of environmental requirements," said John Jenson, Professor and Environmental Science Program Chair at the University of Guam. "The Environmental Law course will certainly benefit those individuals working in the environmental field."

In an effort to cater to the schedules of working professionals, Environmental Law will be offered Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. It will be taught by a team of local practicing attorneys: Sam Bailey, James Collins, Aaron Jackson, Christina Pedersen, and James Wade. This course surveys the laws and agencies that regulate, enforce, and litigate current environmental issues. It provides an introduction to the major federal environmental laws, including the Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, RCRA (waste disposal), and CERCLA ("Superfund") statutes. It also introduces students to the local counterparts to these national statutes, and to the common law actions useful for individuals or communities seeking to address specific environmental concerns. The goals of the course are to provide students of the environmental and related sciences with:

· A basic understanding of the central statutes and legal framework by which the work of environmental science professionals is applied within the jurisdictions of the United States of America

· Insight into how various environmental challenges of the modern world are resolved in the nation's courts and legislatures.

This is a graduate level course; interested individuals must have earned a bachelor's degree.

For more information about the Environmental Science Program at the University of Guam visit www.uog.edu/environmentalscience or contact Dr. John Jenson at 735-2689 or jjenson@uguam.uog.edu This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

DOD confident of base move

DOD confident of base move

By Amritha Alladi • Pacific Daily News • November 13, 2009

Department of Defense officials are confident that the United States and Japan will reach a favorable agreement regarding the relocation of the Futenma base to northern Okinawa, and subsequently, the shift of 8,000 Marines to Guam, said Derek Mitchell, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs.

But in the meantime, the DOD is "giving them the respect they deserve" by allowing the new Japanese leadership time to review provisions of the 2006 U.S.-Japan bilateral agreement.

During the first day of the Guam Community and Economic Development Forum hosted by the University of Guam at the Sheraton Laguna Resort yesterday, Mitchell, responding to the concerns of Guam residents, said he expects the two countries to reach an agreement, and that the question of what might happen if the agreement falls through is only "hypothetical."

He and Guam Delegate Madeleine Bordallo said Guam's strategic placement in defense operations in the Asia-Pacific region, along with the millions of dollars that have been approved for buildup projects, indicate that the buildup is still scheduled to go through.

"I'm quite confident we will work this out," Mitchell said.

His confidence stems from the fact that Japan's leadership has already "put their money where their mouth is" with the direct contribution of more than $300 million to the U.S. government to fund their commitment to the military buildup on Guam.

Over the last 15 years, Mitchell said there have been several attempts to find a different approach to the relocation of Futenma. Yet in the end, it always boils down to the same result, he said.

Bordallo, too, highlighted the increased federal funding Guam has received in preparation for the buildup.

"Challenges exist with the new government in Japan over the current design of the Futenma replacement facility," she said, in a recorded speech presented via DVD. "I am confident that the new leadership here in Washington, D.C., ... will be able to find a solution to this challenge so that both countries maintain their commitment to this strategically important endeavor." She added that the government of Guam has been provided another $220 million in grants and loans through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for infrastructure projects.

That's an unprecedented investment by the federal government into infrastructure projects on Guam, Bordallo said.

She further stressed that President Obama's signing of the Fiscal 2010 Defense Authorization Act into law on Oct. 28 reaffirms the Obama administration's commitment to realizing the buildup, as it approves $734 million for military construction projects alone.

And an estimated $14 billion in buildup construction projects is expected to be spent in the next decade on Guam -- including on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance facilities at the Andersen Air Force Base, she said.

So the shift of the Marines to Guam could be a good thing, if Guam agencies foster relationships with the federal government to leverage funding opportunities, she said.

Provisions in the defense bill reinforce stringent oversight of military operations that mandate diligence, accountability and transparency on the part of the military. The establishment of a DOD Inspector General to oversee inter-agency operations will help to avoid problems faced in Iraq and Afghanistan with regard to federal government contracting practices, Bordallo said.

For example, the bill mandates contractors develop recruitment plans to hire as many American workers as possible, and the governor of Guam would have to certify the need for foreign workers on Guam under H-2 visas, she said.

The bill also establishes the deputy secretary of defense as the leader of inter-agency and inter-departmental affairs, whose role includes coordination of buildup operations with the executive branch, Congress, the Japanese government and people of Guam.

"This places responsibility for the buildup at the highest level of decision-making and management within the Department of Defense," Bordallo said.

The forum continues today with panel discussions on economic development opportunities for Guam tourism, the airport and the Port Authority of Guam, workforce development and employment needs, and investment in human capital through education.

Panelists: Guam's youth should be involved in buildup talks

Panelists: Guam's youth should be involved in buildup talks

By Laura Matthews • Pacific Daily News • November 13, 2009

Guam's youth need to participate in military buildup talks because they are among those on island who will greatly be affected, panelists said.

"We as parents and educators need to ensure that our youths are brought into this discussion -- but a little at a time. That's how we will do it," said local activist Debbie Quinata.

She was speaking on a five-member panel at the Guam Community Economic Development Forum held yesterday at Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort. The forum's theme was "Strategies for a Sustainable Future."

The other members of the panel were Anne Perez Hattori, professor of Pacific History at the University of Guam; Tony Lamorena, director of the Bureau of Statistics and Planning; Lisalinda Natividad, UOG associate professor of social work; and historian Antonio Palomo.

They were discussing with top economic and government officials what they believe are the social and cultural impacts of the buildup for Guam. Hardly any students were present in the room.

"Young people need to take an interest in what's going to happen in the military buildup because this is going to affect them," said Lamorena.

Guam will get 20 years of growth in five years from the upcoming buildup, starting next year. About 8,000 Marines and their 9,000 dependents will be brought to the island. As well, thousands of temporary workers will take part in the buildup, according to Pacific Daily News files.

Hattori said within all this planning, young people are easily left out.

"The youths are very easy to marginalize, especially because they don't have voting rights. So they are very easy to ignore and they need to have some privilege," said Hattori.

They said among the social impacts set to affect young people and rock the island are changes to the Chamorro culture, health care disparities and an exhaustion of the island's already limited resources and personnel. They believe keen attention must be paid to these issues -- not only by the students but by all.

Hattori said she worries that crime and other social issues may escalate.

"Guam is changing as we speak, and if today we are struggling with our social problems, our health problems, it will only intensify with this new population. ... We need to pay attention to the human suffering out there," she said.

Public safety

In another panel, Guam's public safety leaders agreed the population growth would inevitably cause more crime such as assaults, theft and sex crimes.

Although the increase might call for more police officers and prosecutors to be hired, it will not be an easy task.

Police Chief Paul Suba said he could use as many as 120 new recruits during each year of the buildup, but knows the government couldn't give him that luxury.

Attorney General Alicia Limtiaco said the increase in crime could force each of her criminal prosecutors to juggle more than 500 cases at once -- a call for GovGuam to hire more legal personnel and expertise.

But this, too, will be a struggle.

"Every year we have asked for a budgetary appropriation that we hope will allow our office to better meet our mandates and duties," Limtiaco said. "Unfortunately, given limited government resources, that does not happen."

To minimize the buildup effects and to move forward, Lamorena said GovGuam needs to realize that its capacity will be stretched and they will need help.

"In order for Guam to meet the growth demand, we are going to need major assistance from the U.S. government," he said.

‘Self-rule results in progress’

‘Self-rule results in progress’

Friday, 13 November 2009 04:25
by Jude Lizama | Variety News Staff

UNITED Nations advisor Dr. Carlyle Corbin advised the people of Guam to seize the moment and accelerate the process of self determination, adding that “we may not get another chance.”

During a forum at the University of Guam, Corbin said there has been “dormant evolution” in the self determination processes of many territories around the globe, citing the example of Greenland and its failed attempts for a dialogue on self determination with Denmark and the denial of Greenland’s referendum on self determination by the Danish government.

Additionally, Corbin said the current situations of territories have been further complicated by factors such as militarization and the evolution of the global economy. According to the UN advisor, the absence of self governance decreases the frequency to secure economic agreements, which ultimately hurts the ability for territories to compete in the international economy. As such, the inability of many territories to react to the fast paced world has further increased local challenges.

Nevertheless, Corbin did not focus on the negative effects of colonization, citing the example of free association with U.S. citizenship as a model of autonomy.

He said an expanded autonomy would decrease economic vulnerability, citing a contrasting example of increased vulnerability bolstering dependency governance.

With regard to U.S. territories, Corbin stated that high debt ratio has stabilized the dependence for federal grants.

Corbin also said that strategic value remains for many territories in the Pacific and Caribbean regions, which has been exploited in a continuing trend, solidifying a “priority of suppression.”

In addition, the post 9/11 period and the tightening environment of global and national security hinder territories’ ability to achieve political self determination.

From a militaristic point of view, Corbin said many territories have essentially been “spoils of war,” citing the Spanish-American War of 1898 and the United States’ acquisition of the Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico and Cuba from Spain as an example.

Another example provided by Corbin proving war strategy’s influence on territorial affiliation with larger nations was the United States’ concern that German forces would overtake and utilize the Danish-West Indian islands as a submarine base during the First World War. As a result, the U.S. purchased the islands in 1917 from Denmark at a price of $25 million, changing its name to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

UOG hosting military buildup conference

UOG hosting military buildup conference

Posted: Nov 11, 2009 11:31 PM PST
by Janjeera Hail

The Legislative Committee on the Guam Military Buildup is hosting a two-day conference next week in conjunction with the University of Guam's School of Business and Public Administration, "The Military Buildup and Beyond: Hinasson Taotao Guahan - The Guam Perspective" will be open to the public and is completely free.

The conference will be held on November 19-20 from 8-4 daily.

Activists explore post-military economy

Activists explore post-military economy

Friday, 18 September 2009 03:18 MVG Reporter

PEOPLE will have to work together if they want to sustain an economy after the military. This was emphasized during the fourth day of the 7th Meeting of the International Network of Women Against Militarism at the University of Guam in Mangilao.

Women activists from Guam and foreign countries gather at the University of Guam for the 7th meeting of the International Network of Women Against Militarism, which entered its fourth day Thursday. Paul Blas

The morning a panel focused on the topic “Beyond the Military Economy: Exploring Alternatives for Sustainability.”

Participating were Alma Bulawan of the Buklod Center Philippines, Dr. Hannah Middleton of the Australian Anti-Base Campaign, Dr. Miyume Tanji of Curtin University of Technology in Australia, and Isabella Sumang of Palau.

Each panelist gave a perspective of the impact the military has had on their respective regions.

Bulawan had indicated that when there were bases in the Philippines, businesses were set up to cater to the military as well as prostitution. It appears now that with those bases closed, businesses and the prostitution still remain.

She referred to the Subic Bay and Clark Freeport Zones, which formerly hosted the U.S. Naval Base and the Air Force Base and have each seen the creation and development of businesses.

Despite the conversion of the old bases, Bulawan said the Philippines continues to face economic challenges.

As for Australia, Middleton explained how millions of Australian dollars are spent on military defense and other armed forces programs. A recent poll showed that 70 percent of Australians do not want any more money spent on the military.

She added that the Australians believe the money should go on helping the environment, improving hospitals and even to create jobs.

“We expect one million Australians will be unemployed in 2010, money should be spent to help them find jobs,” she said.

During the open forum, several concerns were brought up including a question on whether they felt that the threat of an invasion and war is real here in Micronesia.

Sumang responded that it could be the case especially when there is a military presence. “You have that threat hanging over your head,” she said.

Middleton offered another perspective saying that the threat is an excuse to keep military bases in the region.

“It’s not real,” she pointed out.

The women’s conference concludes today at the Carmel on the Hill Retreat Center in Malojloj or the former Carmelite Convent.

Participants are expected to discuss Human Trafficking and Prostitution and gather together in group meetings to develop short term and long term goals.

University Of Guam Lecture: A Philippine Perspective On US Strategic Policy In The Pacific

University of the Philippines Scholar Presents Inaugural Lecture at UOG CLASS Philippine Studies Lecture Series

Written by Guam News Factor Staff Writer
Thursday, 10 September 2009 16:05

GUAM - The University of Guam's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences presents the first in the Philippine Studies Lecture Series featuring Dr. Clarita Carlos, a professor of Political Science at the University of the Philippines, on Thursday, September 10 at 6:00 p.m. in the CLASS Lecture Hall.

Dr. Carlos's lecture is entitled, "US strategic policy in the Asia Pacific: A Philippine perspective." Dr. Carlos earned her doctorate in political science from the University of the Philippines and did post-doctoral work in Comparative Foreign Policy Analysis at the University of California Los Angeles as a Senior Fulbright Fellow; and post-doctoral work in Political Psychology at Cornell University in New York as a Fulbright Visiting Fellow. She has been a consultant on constitutional reforms, anti-corruption , security and defense issues to the Philippine Senate and Philippine House of Representatives for many years, and is a former president of the National Defense College.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., light refreshments will be served.
This event is made possible with a donation from the Nueva Ecija Family Association.

In addition to her faculty role at UP, Dr. Carlos is also president of the Center for Asia Pacific Studies, and director of the Philippine National Red Cross. She is the author of several books on Filipino political parties, electoral reform, and many other issues.

For more information contact Dr. Lilnabeth Somera at 735-2704 or someralp@uguam.uog.edu This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

This news announcement was prepared from a media release provided by the University of Guam.

Family, human rights issues top forum agenda

Monday, 07 September 2009 03:09 by Jude Lizama | Variety News Staff

HUMAN rights and family issues as they relate to the presence of military bases are among the main issues that will be discussed at the 7th meeting of the International Network of Women Against Militarism from Sept. 14 to 19.

Hosted by the University of Guam in Mangilao and Carmel on the Hill Center, this year’s conference theme is “Resistance, Resilience and Respect for Human Rights.” Attending the conference are women from Japan, Okinawa, Hawaii, South Korea, Philippines, Australia, Republic of Belau, Marshall Islands, Guam, Saipan, United States, and Puerto Rico.

The International Network of Women Against Militarism has been meeting since 1997 to share information and strategize about the negative effects of U.S. military operations.

These effects include military violence against women and girls, the plight of mixed-race Amerasian children abandoned by U.S. military fathers, environmental contamination, cultural degradation and the distortion of local economies. They focus on how military institutions, values, policies and operations impact communities, especially women.

Women across the globe have endured tremendous struggles to protect their families and survive during times of war and unrest. It is from these struggles that women have gained the strength to fight for peace.

Workshops and public forums on human trafficking and prostitution, political arrangements with the U.S., rethinking peace and security, exploring alternatives for economic sustainability, environmental contamination and toxicity will be featured throughout.

A central focus of the gathering is the issue of the U.S. military presence on Guam. Referred to as the “tip of the spear,” Guam is immersed in an unprecedented military build-up as the U.S. plans to relocate thousands of Marines and their dependents from Okinawa. The conference comes at a critical time in island’s history, and aims to bring international attention to the concerns being raised about the proposed build-up.

Additionally, there will also be a historical tour of the island; a community vigil to honor the past and heal for the future; a public art event featuring local and international artists; and other networking opportunities.

Those interested in the conference may register until Thursday. For additional information, visit www.genuinesecurity.blogspot.com.

Ann Wright Visits Guam

Ex-envoy warns against US plan for Guam
Wednesday, 22 July 2009 00:51 by Jude Lizama
Marianas Variety News Staff

A FORMER U.S. diplomat turned peace activist advised Guam residents to be
wary of the American government’s military buildup plan for the
island.Retired U.S. Army Colonel Ann Wright speaks against war and
militarization during a presentation held Monday at the University of Guam.

“We need to be looking very carefully at what our federal government does
to us,” said Ann Wright, a retired U.S. Army colonel who spoke to a small
crowd on the implications of the relocation of 8,000 U.S. Marines from
Okinawa to Guam during a presentation held Monday night at the University of
Guam.

“While we all want to be safe and secure in the world, sometimes our federal
government uses this issue of national security to do things to us that we
normally wouldn’t put up with,” she added.

Wright accompanied members of the Code Pink Japan, a peace activist group,
who visited Guam to discuss the impact of the military buildup with local
activists. The group left Guam yesterday.

“Our delegation is here in solidarity with the people of Guam in terms of
the movement of 8,000 marines from Okinawa. The people of Japan,
particularly the people on Okinawa, have been working very hard to remove
some of the extensive military forces. Now, they seem to be coming to your
lovely island,” said Wright, a native of Arkansas.

“The [Okinawans] certainly understand that whenever the U.S. military lands
somewhere, it leaves a very large footprint. You all know it very well,
because much of your land is already occupied by the U.S. military,” the
former U.S. envoy told the audience.


Anti-war
Wright is a former U.S. deputy ambassador who was assigned in Sierra Leone,
Afghanistan, Mongolia and Micronesia. She joined the military at the time
when the U.S. military was invading Vietnam.

On March 19, 2003, the eve of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Wright cabled a
letter of resignation to Secretary of State Colin Powell, stating that
without the authorization of the UN Security Council, the invasion and
occupation of a Muslim, Arab, oil-rich country would be a isaster. Since
then, she has been writing and speaking out for peace and is now a resident
of Honolulu.

“It has been deeply emotional for all of us. Here we are in war again. The
United States has started wars in Afghanistan and Iraq,” she said. “When you
look at the number of civilians who have been killed in Iraq, Afghanistan,
and Guam, it brings home to us all what we should be working on.”

“The history of the United States is not a peaceful history,” said Wright,
who added that the U.S. has, “a history of invading other countries.”


Land grabbing
With regard to the local military buildup, Wright told the audience that,
“You have been seeing your own lands being taken from you,” adding that,
“The federal government builds without your agreement. They build enormous
facilities that have disastrous effects on your environment.”
The retired colonel suggested that people weigh the importance of their own
lands, and whether or not it is worth it to lose those lands for an increase
in short term values such as trade and business.
“Once the federal government gets its hands into something it never
gets it out. With the Obama administration I certainly hope that we will all
join together to throw out many of the provisions of the Patriot Act that
are really curtailing our own civil liberties,” she said.


Threatened
Japanese parliamentarian and Code Pink member Sumi Fujita said that because
of the long military presence and all of the rape cases in Okinawa, “women
[there] now feel threatened.”

“All of the military promises to help the Okinawan economy have been a big
lie,” Fujita said, through interpreter Hisae Ogawa.

As for the rape issue, Wright said, “This is a failure in leadership that is
coming to you, that will allow this to continue.”

“Sometimes being an activist leads to things that you’d never thought you’d
be doing,” said Wright.

The former U.S. diplomat also stated that we should all be aware of the
“isms” created by policy makers. “Our government has been very good, meaning
very bad, in using the ‘isms’ like communism, terrorism, and fascism to
frighten and scare the American public so that they can do things that
normally we would protest,” she said. “It something we should always be very
wary of, when there’s another ‘ism’ coming up.”

Guam to Save the Day Again with Military Buildup

Military Build-Up: Guam to Save the Day Again
By Mia Concepcion Triton’s Call, Volume 31, Issue 02

Driving around the island, one can see some big changes happening. New restaurants, businesses, and housing complexes are carving their way through Guam’s natural landscapes.

Multiple roads are currently going through extensive reconstruction to prepare for the military buildup, the transfer of 8000 U.S. Marines and their 9000 dependents from Okinawa to Guam.

According to Governor Felix Camacho in his address to the U.S. Senate Committee and Energy Resources, the Marines will start departing their old base in Okinawa in 2012 and the relocation will be complete by 2014. With such a close deadline for the Marines’ arrival, Guam is working overtime to be prepared.

Both the Japanese and the United States government are spending billions of dollars, 15 billion to be exact, to help Guam prepare for this nearly 25 percent increase in population.

Japan is agreeing to foot some of the bill to ensure a speedy relocation due to social problems between Okinawans and the Marines.

Great amount of publicity given to rapes done by U.S. Marines. According to the Japan Press Weekly, the number of sex offenses in the military forces is 22 times the amount occurring in Japan. Okinawan political activists were strong in voice and were adamant about the ridding of the Marines, one even travelling to Guam to speak of the military presence and the ills that come along with it.

Some newspapers, on the other hand, have criticized some of Okinawa’s media, saying that things were blown out of proportion in order to serve a special need. According to Stars and Stripes, the number of offences committed by the Marines is merely a fraction of the number of offences committed by locals.

Either way, there has been an obvious apprehension on both sides and the relocation seemed the best choice to get rid of it. This is where Guam comes in, to save the day in the same way the buildup will save Guam’s day, financially.

With the recession of multiple economies, these are not the brightest days of our island. The Japanese economy hasn’t been in its best shape either, which has a direct and serious effect on the island.

Guam, an island heavily relying on the money pulled in from Japanese tourists, is also feeling the tightening of the belt. The number of flights from Japan is steadily going downhill, thus the number of tourists and there is nothing else for our economy to rely on.

With such desperation regarding money on island, many people are really looking to this Marine buildup as an economic savior who couldn’t have come at a better time. The government of Guam seems to be stuck in a financial whirlpool, never quite getting out and the more people involved only results in a bigger debt, a bigger hunger.

Students of the University of Guam are in a unique position and have an invaluable perspective on this change on island. We can benefit enormously from this buildup and increase in population and military presence. We are embarking on our careers and it could not be a better time for us to do so.

With so many businesses and agencies coming to support the buildup, we have endless professional choices.

Older generations seem to be in consensus that this buildup will be a good thing. They have been on Guam long enough to see her during the good times: when politicians were trustworthy, when the government wasn’t in debt and when schools were actually safe havens for children.

Needless to say, things aren’t the same. Being able to gauge how good things were with money, it is easier for them to welcome this military expansion with open arms.

Maybe it’s a feasible way for them to return Guam to her good old days. Maybe they don’t want to see the social problems that might arise with the increased Marine presence on the island. Maybe it’s not going to be that big of a deal.

But denying that there will be social changes is a huge mistake. Any area that experiences a large population increase will, without a doubt, face a little tension, especially when there are differences in culture if transition is not done properly.

As young adults living on a small island with an already prominent military community, we see first-hand what these tensions can lead to. We see animosity rooted in cultural misunderstandings and what comes out of it: harsh words being exchanged, violence and worst, the passing of this animosity onto future generations.

We see numerous fights involving two different ethnicities, always on opposite sides and rarely mixing. We also hear the hatred and anger from certain elders about those “guys”.

I remember specifically waiting outside the Globe for a friend to come out. As I sat outside, I noticed that there was a military guy laid out on the ground. He was unconscious and wasn’t receiving help from anyone except for his lone friend, holding up his head. I thought he had blacked out from drinking but upon speculation, I learned that two local guys had attacked him. I insisted that some guys help him out, but they only replied with a cold “That’s what they deserve”.

It wasn’t a “That’s what he deserves” but a general statement about a large amount of people. I’m not saying that this misunderstanding is only on one side but it’s a multi-faceted thing. Tons of military guys, probably missing home and still getting used to Guam, tend to speak badly of the island. We have heard multiple times that they can’t wait to get off this rock.

With Chamorros being a proud people, it’s easy to understand how upset one can get when hearing such talk. Young men tend to be protective of their homeland, no matter where it may be, and will get violent in order to get their point across. We’ve heard countless stories, from both sides, about how things aren’t as pleasant as one would hope in regards to the relations between the locals and the military. We have heard about how the Chamorro people can be extremely hospitable or can be mean-spirited. We have also heard that members of the military are the most interesting people or the most obnoxious.

Either way, we need to open our eyes and our minds. As of right now, the buildup seems like a mere blueprint. Sure, we see new roads being constructed and new buildings going up left and right but are we ready for this? We can have numerous shopping malls and restaurants but what we need to prepare ourselves for are the cultural and social changes we are going to see in our community.

We, as a whole, could look forward to sharing our majestic island with others. We can teach others the joys of our culture instead of chastising those who don’t understand it.

That being said, we can also learn from other cultures to become better citizens of the world. We live in a wonderful place and we’re blessed to call Guam our home. It’s only right that we represent her the proper way; with respect and understanding, no matter who you are.

We could look at this buildup with fear, excitement or utter confusion but the number one thing to do is to keep open our minds and our hearts. We, as students of the University of Guam, are the island’s future leaders and we need to be the ones to show the way.

Chamorro Land Trust, UOG team up: Agreement addresses compliance of agricultural leases

By Bryan C. Sualog • Pacific Daily News • December 3, 2008

Those with Chamorro Land Trust agricultural leases can expect visits to ensure they're in compliance with the leases, but also some help with farming.

The University of Guam, Chamorro Land Trust Commission and the Department of Agriculture signed a memorandum of agreement yesterday to address compliance and educational outreach for Chamorro Land Trust agricultural leases.

"For a number of years, since the implementation of the Chamorro Land Trust, we've had the issue of compliance on the requirements of the Chamorro Land Trust," said Joanne M. Brown, assistant director for UOG's Soil and Water Conservation program.

She said there had been issues with the ability of the Chamorro Land Trust to provide educational outreach on conservation farming, but the memorandum will offer a solution to those issues.

The agreement puts in place a cooperative compliance team that will provide educational and support programs, conduct assessments for Chamorro Land Trust farmers, evaluate the status of land leases, and provide policy and procedure recommendations to improve the commission's lease program, according to a news release.

The initial term for the memorandum will be one year, with an option to renew.

Oscar Calvo, chairman of the Chamorro Land Trust Commission, said the memorandum will help to educate farmers. He said the memorandum was an opportunity for people that want to farm, but don't really know how, to learn from experts.

"We don't have the expertise," he said. "Who else would be better than the people from the Department of Agriculture and the university to teach these courses?"

Compliance

Calvo said if people on Land Trust agricultural lots aren't in compliance with their leases, they will be given a chance to correct deficiencies.

"If they do not do something about it, then that's another avenue we'll have to look at on the legal side, whether we can terminate (the leases)," he said.

UOG President Robert Underwood said the memorandum provides further evidence that the university's reach is far and wide on this island.

"A large part of our activity, I would say probably over 50 percent of our activities are involved in a whole lot of other things, including these types of service activities, development of relationships with government agencies, and private and public entities, as well as a robust research agenda," he said.

Military Buildup Forum Draws Huge Crowd

Military buildup forum draws huge crowd
Thursday, 20 November 2008
By Beau Hodai
Marianas Variety News Staff

THE forum called “A Critique of the Military Buildup on Guahan” held last night at the University of Guam College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Lecture Hall drew hundreds of participants who were seeking to know how Guam has been dealing with the preparation for the federal government’s Marines relocation plan.

Students and other members of the community filled the hall to hear statements made by an eight-member panel comprised in equal parts of representatives of community organizations and the Civilian-Military Taskforce under the Office of the Governor.

The CMTF provided presentations on the impact of the buildup on the island’s economy, infrastructure, public safety and environmental.

Several panelists and members of the audience expressed concern and frustration over the lack of input from the local community.

“I unequivocally object to the unilateral and arbitrary U.S. policy to hypermilitarize our home,” said Hope Cristobal, former Senator and founder of the Guam Decolonization Commission.

“The federal government never consulted the people of Guam as to the impact such a move would cause before a deal was made with the foreign Japanese government and that the U.S. military officials will not accommodate Guam’s needs in the already concluded bilateral agreement,” she added.

Chris Duenas, chairman of the CMTF public safety task force, said his committee has been working to improve the safety of Guam residents in years to come as the buildup begins to materialize.

He said there are some pre-construction concerns that the CMTF is working to address, such as port capacity and security and tightened customs security to handle the influx of traffic Guam is set to see in coming years.

In addition to increased port and customs security, Duenas said the Office of the Governor has requested $236 million in additional funding from the federal government for fiscal year 2010.

Of the requested amount, $14 million has already been earmarked for the Guam Police Department for recruitment of 60 new police officers.

He said another goal is to develop “fusion centers” to bring local and federal officials together to facilitate cooperation and coherency in government.

An open forum followed after the panels’ presentations.

“If the military buildup is so great, how come Okinawa wants them out?” Fanai Castro of the Guahan Indigenous Collective asked, rhetorically.

“One of the major drives as to why the people of Okinawa started organizing against the U.S. military was because a helicopter crashed at a university in Okinawa,” said Castro. “So, that question is kind of clever—it answers its self. It is because the U.S. military is so great, it is the reason why the people of Okinawa want the military out.”

John Benavente, Consolidated Commission on Utilities general manager and chairman of the CMTF committee on infrastructure, encouraged the students to take jobs in the environmental field, saying environmental workers on Guam now are overburdened.

Panelist Michael Lujan Bevacqua of Famoksaiyan said every resident of Guam—regardless of their position on the buildup—needs to realize that the buildup will affect them personally. He encouraged residents to take a more proactive roll in the course of their and Guam’s future.

“It (the buildup) is taking place because we are America, and it’s taking place because we’re not. It is not only something that takes place because of our geographic position, but our colonial status as well,” Bevacqua said.

“It is also taking place because we are one of the few American communities where a unilateral announcement by the DOD that it intends to drastically affect life in your community and cause a population increase of 34 percent is met with excitement, celebration and a frightening lack of questioning,” he added.

Whether one supports or opposes the troops buildup, Bevacqua said everyone “should care about the fact that you are a colony and this military buildup is predicated on the fact that you live in a colony and you can be treated as an object for the subject of the united states, as a weapon of the warrior of the United States military.”

“This is the United States military sharpening the tip of its spear,” he said.

Forum Presents Different Views on the Buildup

Buildup discussion presents different views
By William B. Martin Jr.
Pacific Daily News
November 21, 2008

Sitting and standing room was scarce at the University of Guam's Class Lecture Hall as students and residents gathered to discuss the military buildup.

Panelists for the event consisted of members of the Civilian Military Task Force and two community action groups -- Guahan Indigenous Collective and Famoksaiyan -- who presented their views on the upcoming military buildup of troops, personnel and civilian contractors on the island. The event was hosted by UOG's College of Liberal Arts and Sanctuary Inc.

Presentations were limited to seven minutes initially, followed by three minute closing remarks and a question and answer session made up of inquiries from the audience.

John Benavente, general manager of Consolidated Utilities, discussed his views on the buildup in terms of infrastructure, in light of a projected surge in Guam's population.

"Our goal in this buildup is not only to meet this demand, but to improve services, as well," he said.

Benavente said with a 30-year-old Guam Waterworks Authority the days of utilities being unable to provide services must come to an end, advocating hand-in-hand collaboration with the military. He said the island is too small for multiple power, water and solid waste systems.

UOG economics professor Roseanne Jones said Guam looks to experience a "restructuring" from a tourism-based economy to one that relies more on military contributions.

She recommended the island continue to develop tourism revenues, as well as a possible "third leg" to strengthen the economy, avoiding economic dependence on too few sources.

Buildup 'partner'
Mike Bevacqua of the group Famoksaiyan encouraged attendants -- many of them university students -- to challenge island leaders in ensuring that Guam receives a benefit from the military buildup.

"If their assumption is that you're all just happy to get jobs, they will just go along with it and do what is easiest."

He called upon those in the audience to envision a situation in which Guam was a "partner' in the buildup -- if island officials were asked before plans were made -- which he said was certainly not the case.

"What are we trading off for our (economy)?" Fanai Castro of the Guahan Indigenous Collective asked. "Will it teach our children to survive when it's gone?"

Nov. 20 - A Critique of the Military Buildup on Guam

The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences in partnership with the Division of Social Work present

A Critique of the Military Build-Up on Guahan
Panelists from community action groups (Guahan Indigenous Collective and Famoksaiyan), community experts, and the committee Chairs of the Civilian Military Task Force will present the pros and cons, critical views, opinions and knowledge concerning the ongoing military buildup of troops, personnel and civilian contractors on Guahan.

November 20, 2008
CLASS Lecture Hall
University of Guam
5:30-7:30PM