Y&M Magazine - March/April 2001 - AFSC Supports Efforts to Counter the Negative Impacts of Militarism in Hawai’i by Kyle Kajihiro

Hawaiian protesters

American Friends Service Committee Supports Efforts to Counter the Negative Impacts of Militarism in Hawai’i

by Kyle Kajihiro

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In October of 2000, the AFSC Hawai'i program sponsored a conference on Rethinking Militarism in Hawai'i. It brought together participants from as far away as Puerto Rico to share information about the impacts of militarism in Hawai’i and to develop strategies for addressing these impacts. The conference looked at issues of militarism and the environment, impacts on culture, militarism and youth, the economic impacts of the military, and opportunities for international solidarity with communities, especially Vieques, Okinawa, South Korea, and the Philippines, that are affected by US militarism.

One of the major program objectives of the AFSC in Hawai'i is to support organizing efforts by the Wai'anae community to stop the bombing and begin clean up and restoration of the Makua Valley. Makua is currently occupied and has been used as a live-fire range by the Army. Makua, which means "parents" in Hawaiian, is considered to be sacred by Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians). Numerous archaeological sites and rich cultural resources make the valley a cultural treasure. Families were forcefully evicted in 1942 and their homes, farms, and churches bombed for target practice. The valley is home to 30 endangered species of animals and plants, some of which are found nowhere else in the world. Fires caused by training have destroyed vast stretches of the native ecosystem and threaten the remaining pockets of biodiversity.

Sixty years of live-fire exercises and the disposal of old munitions and other waste have left hundreds of tons of contaminants in Makua. At this point, the Army does not know exactly how much and what kind of hazardous waste is in Makua, or where all of it is located. Residents fear that the high rates of cancer and other health problems on the Wai'anae coast may be linked to military contamination.

The community is demanding that the Army do a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to document fully the impact of training. Instead, the Army has prepared an inadequate Environmental Assessment. Two organizations, Malama Makua and Earthjustice, have sued the Army to compel them to do a full EIS. Because of the pending litigation and community pressure, the Army has suspended training at Makua for over two years.

About the Author

Kyle Kajihiro is the program director of the American Friends Service Committee - Hawai`i Program, based in Honolulu. He can be reached at keboi@aol.com.

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