Protect the ‘Aina • Protect the People • STOP THE SUPERFERRY!

August 28, 2007 Call To Action

DMZ Hawaii Aloha 'Aina calls on O'ahu people to protest the Hawaii Superferry sail from Honolulu to Nawiliwili
PROTEST at PIER 19 / Meet at Nimitiz Highway & Kukahi Street 2:15pm

We stand in solidarity with the people of Kaua‘i and Maui fighting to protect their communities from the invasion of the Superferry. In a flagrant violation of Hawai‘i’s environmental laws, the Superferry has set sail without completing an environmental impact statement, as required by a court of law. What’s worse, they are bribing residents at $5 a ticket to aid them in their illegal voyages.

We are not surprised that the Superferry’s operators are so shameless and reckless with our precious environment. These are the exact same tactics used to push through the Stryker Brigade Combat Team, a cousin project to the Superferry, in the Hawaiian Islands. Both projects are part of the war machine & the military-industrial complex invading our islands.

The military and the industries it supports have proven themselves to be bad neighbors – sacrificing Hawai‘i’s unique natural and cultural environment for war-profits. It is because our leaders have long placed the demands of the military-industrial complex over the needs of Hawai‘i’s people that our neighborhoods are contaminated with Depleted Uranium and our oceans filled with chemical weapons. The military in Hawai‘i – in all its forms – is an issue of environmental justice. And situations like the Superferry prove that it is up to Hawai‘i’s residents to protect their own health and welfare.

The people of Kaua'i and all the surfers, canoe paddlers & fishermen, who have courageously conducted non-violent protests at Nawiliwili for the last two days, should be commended. These acts of true aloha aina (love for the land) and malama aina (care for the land) for the moku (island) and kai (ocean).

We believe that the government should drop the charges of those who have been arrested in connection with this protest and refrain from any further arrest of people on Kaua'i. We call upon Governor Linda LIngle to order the appropriate State agencies to halt any further sails of the Superferry, until Hawaii environmental laws and other community concerns have been properly addressed.